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Book Week 2023

We are thrilled to announce that Essex Heights Primary School will be participating in the CBCA Book Week for 2023. Each year since 1945 the CBCA has brought children and books together across Australia through Children's Book Week®. During this time schools and public libraries spend one glorious week celebrating books and Australian children's authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, and public librarians often create colourful displays, develop activities, run competitions, and tell stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading. You will often see parades with students dressed as their favourite book character. EHPS's celebrations of Book Week this year will run from Monday 21 August to Friday 25 August, and will include:

  • Book Fair - 21 to 23  August (note change of dates). 
  • A visit from one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, Andy Griffiths - Tuesday 22 August.
  • Dress Up Day and parade - Wednesday 23 August.

This year's theme is Read, Grow, Inspire. The artwork has been created by Matt Ottley. 

Book Fair

This year we are excited to resume our involvement with our annual Book Fair, following the recent interruption due to COVID-19.

Throughout the year students purchase books to read at home through the Scholastic Book Club. The Scholastic Book Fair is a further opportunity to purchase books at school in the Library, and is a great way to support Book Week. 

Books will be on sale in the Library before and after school for three days - Monday 21 August to Wednesday 23 August, from 8.30am to 8.50pm and 3.30pm to 4pm. 

Purchases will be by credit card/EFTPOS only.

Watch out for the Book Fair flyer that all students will receive next week.

All purchases at the Scholastic Book Fair enables our school to buy books through a reward system that will add to our vast library collection.

 

Parents will be needed to prepare, sell and pack up the Book Fair – we can’t do without your help! If you have a current Working with Children Check and can help out, please let us know.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

In anticipation of your support,

Kristi Lloyd (Year 3 Coordinator & Teacher and Acting Assistant Principal) & 

Margaret Fitzpatrick (Year 2 Teacher)

Andy Griffiths Visit

We are very excited to announce that on Tuesday 22 August we are having a visit from one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors … ANDY GRIFFITHS!!

Andy is one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors. He and illustrator Terry Denton have collaborated on more than 33 bestselling books since their first title, Just Tricking, was published in 1997.

In Australia, Andy and Terry’s books have sold over 10 million copies, won 80 children’s choice awards and 10 Australian Book Industry Awards—including Book of the Year for The 52-Storey Treehouse in 2015.

Their much-loved Treehouse Series has been embraced by children around the world and is now published in more than 35 countries. Five of the books in the series have been adapted for the stage and have all had sell-out seasons at the Sydney Opera house, as well as highly successful seasons in the Netherlands, New Zealand and America.

Andy is a passionate advocate for literacy and in 2015 was awarded the Dromkeen Medal to honour his outstanding contribution to Australian children’s literature. He is also an ambassador for both The Indigenous Literacy Foundation and the Pyjama Foundation.

 

On Tuesday 22 August at 10am, Andy Griffiths will be joining us for a very special presentation in the Stadium. Families are welcome to come along on the day and join in the excitement! 

 

As part of his visit, Andy has offered to sign ONE of his books that children may own. 

  • Children are allowed to bring ONE book to be signed on the day and the class teacher will collect any books to be signed at the start of the day.
  • Ensure your child’s book is clearly named, as there will probably be repeats of the same book in their class.
  • Andy will spend some time after the whole school assembly, privately signing each book. Due to time, they will not be personalised signings. 

As well as this, to promote Andy's visit, The Leaf Bookstore (a local bookstore in Ashburton) have created a QR code to preorder Andy’s newest book ‘THE 169 STOREY TREEHOUSE!’ 

All families should have received a flyer via the eldest sibling, which will provide the QR code and details of ordering Andy’s newest book. If your child did not receive one, there are spare flyers in the School Office.  

Please note, pre-ordered books will be delivered to the address put on the order. This book doesn’t come out until September, so these books won’t be part of the signing during his visit.

Book Week Dress Up Day

Our school DRESS UP DAY will take place on Wednesday 23 August. We are encouraging students to dress up as their favourite book character on this day. 

We encourage families to consider sustainable/homemade dress ups, they do not need to be store bought. There will be a parade on this day. Details of the time and location of the parade will be communicated to you closer to the day.