Book Week

Book Week at St Joseph's

What a wonderful Book Week we have had! Our students embraced the joy of reading and brought some of their favourite book characters to life with an amazing array of creative costumes. From much-loved classics to exciting contemporary characters, there was so much imagination and enthusiasm on display.

A highlight of the week was our Book Parade, where students proudly showed off their costumes to the school community. It was wonderful to see everyone celebrating books, reading and the characters they love.

We were also very fortunate to welcome Josh Pike, an author and musician from the State Library, for an engaging online incursion. Josh entertained and inspired our students to write their own collective song based on themes in stories.

Our multi-aged literature activities were another highlight of the Book Celebration Day. Students worked together across different year levels, exploring books through a range of creative experiences. Activities included literature-inspired art and craft, as well as a fun and challenging Book Week quiz, giving students the opportunity to share their knowledge and discover new books and authors.

A much-loved annual tradition was our Book Swap, where students brought along pre-loved books and could swap them with one another. It was fantastic to see students excitedly browsing the collection, recommending books to their peers and giving their much-loved stories a new home. 

During English lessons, students also undertook an exciting deep dive into the books shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards. Across the week, students explored a range of rich texts, developing their understanding of how authors and illustrators communicate ideas and engage readers. Students investigated multimodal elements, imagery and effective vocabulary, while also developing thoughtful and considered text responses.

These experiences encouraged students to look beyond the story itself and think critically about the choices authors and illustrators make. Through discussion, analysis and creative responses, students developed a deeper appreciation of the craft of storytelling and the many ways books can communicate meaning.

I have attached a sample of students' work from Years One, Two and Three, which mainly focus on the book ‘Dear Broccoli’ by Jo Dabrowski. Next week we will share some wonderful literature work by Year Four, Five and Six students based on the award-winning book, ‘Once I was a Giant’ by Zeno Sworder.

Book Week provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their love of reading, discover new stories, and celebrate the powerful role books play in inspiring imagination, curiosity, and learning. 

A big thank you to our students, staff and families for helping make Book Week such a memorable celebration of books! 

Amanda Jackson

Structured Literacy Leader