St Michael’s College embraced a world of imagination and literary wonder on Friday 25 August as we celebrated our much-anticipated Book Week. This event turned the College into a vibrant hub of creativity, beloved characters and stories.

Book Week 2023 was themed Read, Grow, Inspire, with featured artwork by talented illustrator and author, Matt Ottley.

The Primary Campus was abuzz as we began celebrations for Book Week with a visit from author, Oliver Phommovanh. The students and teachers were thoroughly entertained with Oliver’s humorous jokes and stories of growing-up. Oliver, who is part of Little Scribes, really had our students captivated from the start of his presentation, showing us his wide range of inspirations for both reading and writing and encouraging students to be creative with their own Book Making.

All Students were encouraged to write their own books, which could be submitted to the Resource Centre and read by other students. The books were all catalogued and were put on display so all students could borrow them side by side with the Short-Listed titles from the Children’s Book Council.

Each classroom was responsible for decorating their class door to celebrate and they did not disappoint. Classes visited each other’s completed doors during the week, and this certainly created lots of enthusiasm and discussion about books which was fantastic. There were three pizza lunch prizes awarded. Early Primary, Mrs Cronin 2G depicting ‘Frank’s Red Hat’, Mr Becker 4M showing ‘Deep’ in Middle Primary and Upper Primary, Mr Basso 6M showcasing ‘Groot’.

One of the highlights of the day was the annual Book Week Parade. The school grounds were transformed into a colourful spectacle as students dressed up as characters from their favourite books. From classic fairy-tale characters to modern-day heroes, the diversity and creativity of costumes were truly remarkable. It was heart-warming to see the enthusiasm with which students embraced their chosen characters, bringing them to life with joy. This year, the parade was attended by many parents and family members who witnessed the wonderful and creative costumes of our students and teachers. The parade was enjoyed by all and MC’ed by Mrs Cobiac and Year 6 students Oliver Pearn and Jacob Pllumbi and DJ’ed by Mr Luke Tieppo.

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As the day came to a close, the joyous atmosphere of Book Week lingered in the air. The event served as a reminder of the importance of nurturing a love for reading and storytelling, not just for academic growth but for personal enrichment and the development of creativity and empathy.

St Michael’s College’s Book Week truly exemplified our commitment to fostering a holistic educational experience that celebrates literature, imagination, and the joy of learning. It was a day where the corridors echoed with the laughter and excitement of characters coming to life, and the love for books shone brightly in every corner of the Campus.

As we come to the end of another Premier’s Reading Challenge year, the Reading Tree in the library is taking shape and colour with names of those who have already finished the Premiers Reading Challenge, in its very special 20^th year! The Premier’s Reading Challenge finishes on September 8, so there is still time to get those entries in. As a bonus, this year, there will be an extra special certificate that will be awarded to students who have read 20 books, instead of the usual 12.

We look forward to celebrating the Book Week theme next year in 2024!