Reading and experiencing stories can help us grow internally by increasing understanding, seeing things from others’ perspectives, and empathising with like-minded or non-like-minded characters. It can help us to focus, escape, relax and inspire us to think of new ideas and produce our own authentic creative writing and art forms. Since this year’s CBCA (Children’s Book Council of Australia) Book Week theme is Read, Grow Inspire, at Whitefriars Shortis Library, based on student ideas, we chose to tack on a focus of Science / Sci Fi.
To celebrate, the CBCA winning and shortlisted books were highlighted and students and staff participated in a range of activities, winners noted here:
- Reading sessions with years 7 & 8 focusing on CBCA winning titles
- Student shadow judging of the shortlisted book titles in Book Share Club
- Gross Growths activity – Leo Sedony Year 9, An Vu Year 10
- Escape from Area 51* – The Rice Munchers (students), Thing 1 & Thing 2 (staff)
- Chill & Read with Reading Tree recommendations
- Guess the book titles from the pictograms – Ben Chincarini Year 8, Ms Vranic-Strahan
- Inspirational Lego builds
- Borrow a science / sci fi book raffle – Cruz Macaluso Year 7, Alexander Wingjan Year 12
- Relaxing movie watching with popcorn
- Fun dress ups thanks to staff across the College who became a book character for the day
- Read a Million House Challenge – students and staff continuing to track their reading time
- Lots of bookish buzz and chats
Well done to the participants and winners of the competitions. We look forward to continuing the momentum around the significance of books, reading and storytelling as the Read a Million House Challenge culminates to the finish date (11th October) over the next 6 weeks.
Ms Jenny Corbin
Learning Leader – Library
*Escape room written by Mali Jorm – used with permission
