Learning Resource Centre News
This year, Wyndham Central College celebrated CBCA’s Book Week with the theme “Symphony of Stories” – highlighting the many voices, characters, worlds, and ideas that come together through books.
Book Week has become an important part of our College reading culture because reading matters just as much in secondary school as it does in the early years. For teenagers, reading develops vocabulary, comprehension, critical thinking, and empathy, while also providing opportunities for enjoyment, escape, and connection. Along with the school’s ‘Reading for Pleasure’ program, Book Week provides an opportunity for our staff to encourage our young people to read and talk about books. Book Week gives us a chance to put reading in the spotlight and remind students that books are not simply something to be studied – they are stories to be enjoyed, shared and discovered.
Here’s a snapshot of the week 😊
Monday 24 August – Dress Up Day & Origami Bookmarks
We kicked off Book Week with our Dress Up Day.
It was wonderful to see so many staff and students dress as characters from different stories and to see staff joining students in celebrating their love of books. The SRC organised for the money raised from this out of uniform day to be donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
During Break 2, students were invited to the library to create their own origami bookmarks. Students folded, decorated, and personalised their bookmarks, creating something practical to take away and use with their next book.
Tuesday 25 August – Year 7 Book Tasting
Tuesday saw our Year 7 students become book tasters for the morning as they visited the library’s Book Café. Students were given the opportunity to sample a range of different books, exploring new genres, authors, and stories. Like a real tasting experience, the activity encouraged students to try something unfamiliar and discover books they might not normally choose for themselves. The Book Café created a relaxed and social atmosphere where students could browse, talk about books and share their recommendations with friends. A huge thank you to Ms Cole, Mrs Millard, Mrs Wrigglesworth, Mr Davis, Mrs Vlahos, Ms Coster, Ms Sharma, and Ms Hills for supporting this activity.
Wednesday 26 August – Where’s Wally? Race
Wednesday brought plenty of excitement with our Where’s Wally? Race, as students raced around the school searching for hidden Wally characters. Students had to use their observation skills, speed, and teamwork to track down Wally and complete the challenge. With prizes awarded to the winners, there was plenty of friendly competition and enthusiasm along the way. The activity was a fun reminder that stories and characters can inspire us to be active, curious, and playful – and that reading can be about much more than sitting quietly with a book!
Thursday 27 August – Manga Day
Hosted by the wonderful Ms Zhou, Manga Day gave our students the opportunity to explore the fascinating world of manga. Students learned about the history and origins of manga, discovered how to read a manga book and were able to get creative by drawing the faces of manga characters. Manga provided another way for students to engage with storytelling and demonstrated that stories can be communicated through a combination of words, images, and visual design.
Friday 28 August – Books & a Cuppa
We finished Book Week with a quiet cuppa and a book in the library, giving students and staff the opportunity to slow down and relax after a busy week of celebrations. The library became a calm and welcoming space where everyone could take a moment to enjoy a good book, have a chat and unwind. It was the perfect way to finish our “Symphony of Stories” celebration – a reminder that reading can provide not only learning and discovery, but also a chance to pause, relax and escape into another world. Many thanks to Mrs Millard and Mr Rowe for showcasing their skills in hospitality.
Thank you to:
Mr Walter and Ms Taylor for photography.
Ms Abby Gray for all Social Media .
Ms Kristy Gray for support with activities.
Ms Sophia Bath for organisation of resources and activities.
Book Week Dress Up Day Photos
Children’s Book Council of Australia- 2026 Winners
Winner: Older Readers
Title: Darkest Night, Brightest Star
Author: Barry Jonsberg
What the CBCA judges thought:
Darkest Night, Brightest Star is an authentic, heartfelt, and beautifully written coming-of-age story that looks deeply at toxic masculinity from a male perspective. Morgan, our 13-year-old protagonist, is unaware of the issues in his worldview. Morgan’s development independent of his father’s dreams is mirrored by his gardening work. The awful soil of the family’s garden needs so much love, and Morgan does not have the right tools for the job. Here is a child with a child’s strength trying to do the work that should have been done for him by an adult but, where his father failed, Morgan perseveres.
Source: 2026 Winners - The Children’s Book Council of Australia
Winner: Younger Readers
Title: Inked
Author: Karen Wasson and Jake, A Minton
What the judges thought:
“Inked is a dynamic work, shortlisted because the atmospheric colour, styling and detail within the visual elements provide such a natural background rhythm to thoughtful prose and imaginative presentation of themes.
Its warm-hearted recognition of the dilemmas faced by those with creative, neurodivergent, or financial anxieties will provide fresh pathways for conversations, reflection, and growth.”
Source: 2026 Winners - The Children’s Book Council of Australia
Coming Up in Term 4
- Students will receive Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge certificates.
- Year 7 Scholastic magazines sent home with students.
- Please keep an eye out for information and dates for the Second-hand book sale.
Happy Reading😊
Mrs Lindell Cutter (Learning Resource Manager)