Children’s Book week
The Power of Book Week in Australia: Inspiring a love of books!
Children’s Book Week in Australia is one of the most exciting and important events on the school calendar. As a bookish child, book week was what I LIVED for at primary school. Celebrated annually across primary and secondary schools, libraries, and community spaces, Book Week Australia encourages children to explore literature, develop a love of reading, and engage in creative, hands-on learning experiences.
Book Week is more than just costumes or classroom displays – it’s a time to bring stories to life, inspire students, and create meaningful learning experiences that connect literacy with imagination and creativity. For teachers and educators, it’s an opportunity to plan Book Week activities, author visits, and interactive workshops that engage children in Australian literature, reading comprehension, and creative expression.
Why Book Week Matters for Schools
Book Week provides a unique opportunity to make literacy fun in interactive ways. Through classroom reading activities, art-based projects, and author school visits in Melbourne, students are encouraged to explore ideas, build empathy, and connect with stories that reflect their own experiences and cultural backgrounds.
For children, Book Week offers:
- Exposure to diverse stories and characters
- Opportunities to explore Australian authors and illustrators
- Creative learning through drawing, writing, and collaborative projects
- Inspiration to create their own stories and visual interpretations
- Engagement with CBCA shortlisted picture books, which showcase award-winning literature for young readers
Book Week is also a celebration of imagination and creativity. By encouraging children to think critically about the books they read and express ideas through art, music, and drama, schools create a rich environment where literacy, cultural understanding, and creativity flourish. My only wish is Book week being bigger in secondary schools!
Spotlight on My Nonno Loves
As a CBCA shortlisted picture book, I hope that My Nonno Loves becomes a popular choice for Book Week celebrations, school reading programs, and classroom workshops in Melbourne and across Australia. I am so proud that My Nonno Loves celebrates intergenerational love, small everyday acts of care, and the connections that make families special.
During author visits to schools, I lead art-based workshops that complement the themes of My Nonno Loves. Students explore their own family stories, cultural traditions, and meaningful experiences, using visual art, collage, and symbolic imagery. These creative classroom activities help children:
- Explore personal and shared experiences through art
- Connect with themes of family, culture, and love
- Build confidence in creative expression and storytelling
Author School Visits in Melbourne
For schools in Melbourne and Victoria, author visits provide a unique and interactive way to celebrate Book Week. I offer school workshops for small groups or entire classes, combining storytelling, reading sessions, and hands-on art activities. These workshops are designed to be inclusive, engaging, and super fun, giving students a chance to interact with literature in a meaningful, memorable way.
Schools often find that art-based workshops linked to CBCA shortlisted picture books create the most engagement, allowing students to:
- Translate stories into personal artwork and projects
- Collaborate on classroom or school-wide installations
- Explore themes of culture, traditions, and family connections
- Enhance comprehension and critical thinking skills through creative reflection
Creative Classroom Ideas for Book Week
Teachers can incorporate Book Week activities in many ways:
- Organize story-inspired art workshops
- Create family or cultural themed art projects
- Explore intergenerational stories through drawing and collage
- Host author visits and reading sessions with interactive Q&A
- Celebrate Australian authors and illustrators, including CBCA shortlisted picture books
These activities encourage creativity, literacy, and cultural awareness, helping students to develop a deeper understanding of the stories they read while having fun and exploring their own artistic potential.
Making Book Week Meaningful
Whether it’s through workshops, classroom art projects, or reading sessions, Book Week inspires students to read, create, and imagine. It’s a celebration that connects children to the power of stories, the joy of learning, and the importance of sharing ideas and experiences. The CBCA website offers a range of different resources that can help you and your school plan for Book Week.
By participating in Book Week activities, schools ensure that literature comes alive, literacy skills are strengthened, and students leave inspired to continue exploring books, creating art, and telling their own stories long after the celebrations end.
I’m now a grown up and one of my fondest memories was participating in book week at my primary school and it inspired me to create my own books, all these years later. How special.
Contact me today to find out more about bookings, workshop options, and availability. I can’t wait to bring the magic of picture books and the love of art into your classroom.
