Book Week-August 2025
Theme - 'Book an Adventure'
Mark your calendars - Book Week is almost here!
Join us on Friday 22nd August for a joyful day of reading, creativity and community.
See the poster below, for details of all the exciting events and adventures we have planned for Book Week at OLF this term.
Children’s Book Week 2025
Today, a group of students from Years 4 & 5 attended, by invitation, the Children’s Book Council of Australia annual ceremony to announce Book of the Year. The ceremony took place at the State Library. The students attending have been part of The Sun Project; Shadow Judging program. They have read, discussed and judged the six books in the Younger Reader category. They then voted to nominate a winner. The chosen book from our students was Fluff: Mess Up! by Matt Stanton. The votes from all school groups will be tallied and the student winners will be announced at the event.
We are excited to share that one of our students has been given the opportunity to orally review a book from the shortlist. Anna S, a talented Year 5 student, will proudly represent our school by reviewing Laughter is the Best Ending by Maryam Master. Her thoughtful and creative response reflects both her love of reading and her insightful perspective. We invite you to read the skillful review she has composed.
Opportunity to orally review a book from the Book Week shortlist - Congratulations to Anna S
We all know times where we crack up at funerals, especially ones where we are asked to wear crazy, fluro outfits or in my case put my brother in a sparkly, pink dress when my mum is about to explode of anger. Worth the result though!
Good afternoon, teachers, parents and students. My name is Anna S from Our Lady of Fatima, Caringbah and today I will be reviewing the book ‘Laughter is the best ending’ by Maryam Master.
Zee, a 13 year old girl who likes to watch documentaries and quote Oscar Wilde, was sent to a camp to find at least one friend. She plays ‘Murder in the dark’, Meets Old Bat Viv, and finds out that the boy from the vegemite commercial was hired to go missing. Through this challenging journey she finally understands what a true friendship is and finds her best friend. Can you believe that it takes years for some people to find that true friend?
My favourite character was definitely Old Bat Viv. She has pale skin and has red “primadona” hair style. Her wicked sense of humour and her unusual spooky appearance made scared at the beginning just as she did with other characters. There were rumours that she “Eats children for breakfast”, “Wears a coat from kitten fur” and “Used to be a famous jazz singer”. Later I found out that she is terribly lonely and the most welcoming person you know. The more I got to know her the more I admired her. I felt so excited to see what would happen next. I also really liked how Tiffanee changed throughout the story, from being the spoiled internet obsessed teenager to a nice and caring person, which makes the story very relevant as that’s all everyone cares about these days.
The book hooked me in from the beginning from the phrase “You are not supposed to laugh at funerals". It was very easy to read and follow the plot. I laughed and smiled throughout the story a lot, especially when Tiffanee claims she's “Allergic to nature”. I learnt from the book that ‘Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship and far the best ending for one”. Zee’s and Old Bat Viv’s unlikely friendship in fact began and ended with laughter just like it says in this quote. I learnt that trying something new isn’t always bad and no matter what, laughter is the best ending.
From haunted houses, to crazy funerals, Zee experiences all of that and I’m sitting there thinking ‘Gee, that sounds SO fun Zee, bring me along next time! And even though Old Bat Viv never sang for Zee, Zee could always hear her voice.
Congratulations again to Anna S, by the way this book ‘Laughter is the best ending’ was awarded the CBCA Children's Book Junior fiction of the year.+
Jo Ford | Newman Facilitator
OLF Book Week Celebration – Friday 22nd August
Book Week Parade-9:15am
Students will kick off the day dressed as their favourite book characters for our lively parade. Expect plenty of personality, imagination and literary flair!
Open Classrooms- After the conclusion of the Parade
Families are invited to visit classrooms and explore student work. It’s a fantastic opportunity to engage with learning and celebrate creativity.
Picnic Recess- 11:00am
Bring a blanket and a snack for a relaxed recess picnic with your child. Connect with staff and other families in a festive atmosphere.
80 Days of Reading Challenge Reminder-
Don’t forget that on Thursday 21st of August all completed reading logs are due to the office. All entries will go into the draw to win one of the five prizes.
Prize Draw includes:
Family pass to Taronga Zoo
$50 Event Cinemas vouchers
$100 Rebel voucher
$30 Timezone voucher
No entries will be accepted on the day of the draw.
Let’s keep turning those pages right up to the finish line!
We hope you can join us to celebrate the wonder of bookweek this year!
The Great Book Swap - Tuesday 19th August
We are pleased to announce the return of the OLF Annual Great Book Swap. This event is dedicated to supporting the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) in its mission to provide books and educational resources to children living in remote communities across Australia.
The Great Book Swap offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate local reading, gain insights into Indigenous languages and cultures, and contribute to a worthy cause. This year, the ILF aims to raise $150,000, which will enable them to distribute 15,000 new books to remote communities.
We invite you to participate by bringing a book from home to swap on Tuesday, August 19th, and by making a gold coin donation. Your support will help make a significant difference in the lives of children in remote areas.
Mrs Lisa Mann
80 Day Reading Challenge
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA), and to celebrate this milestone, we are excited to launch a special reading initiative for our students: the “80 Days of Reading” Challenge.
Beginning on Monday, 2nd June 2025, and running through to Wednesday, 20th August 2025. This challenge aims to foster a love of reading and encourage students to develop sustained, daily reading habits. With the winter months ahead and the anticipation of Book Week growing, this is a perfect opportunity to keep our students engaged with the joy and discovery that reading brings.
How it works:
● Students will be encouraged to read every day for 80 days.
● A simple tracking sheet will be provided to help students keep track of their reading.
● Reading can be done independently, shared with a family member, or listened to as an audiobook.
As a fun and exciting way to celebrate their efforts, every child who returns a completed reading log will have the chance to draw a ‘Golden Ticket’ in front of the whole school after the Book Week Parade on Friday, 22nd of August. Each Golden Ticket will reveal a special surprise… prizes will be revealed closer to the day. We hope that the ‘80 Days of Reading’ Challenge becomes a shared journey between school and home, supporting our learners to build lifelong reading habits with a wonderful celebration of books and reading.
Your child would have bought home a copy of their reading log this week. If they require a spare, please contact the school office.
Mrs Tayla Waters | English Coordinator
