And it’s a wrap on another Children’s Book Week. My social media feeds won’t be half as colourful without the creative interpretations of book titles by colleagues, family and friends.
I have loved the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s special week for as long as I can remember – certainly back to primary school at New Lambton South where there would be a special display of the winning titles. You could put your name on the list to read them and I was always eager to do so. When I look at the winners from those years I’m taken back to a time of finding a quite place to curl up and read and understand that ‘Reading [is indeed] magic ‘ – this year’s theme.
Across the nation frazzled parents have been busy with the cardboard, crepe paper and glue in readiness for the Book Week Parade. In my family our Teddy has been strutting his stuff. He’s still at pre-school and as he goes for three days he needed three costumes ( I suspect that’s Teddy’s rules not the preschool’s!). See if you can guess the titles! The last two ( made by his creative Mum) didn’t make the cut. Kids can be cruel!
One of the trends this year seemed to be the overwhelming number of library staff who went over the top in the dress up stakes. I’m not sure who was having more fun. I particularly loved Liverpool City Library’s approach, the more so because I recently finished a project with them. It was fun to reconcile the professional Elysa with the Queen of Hearts!
But it’s not just library’s who have taken up the gauntlet. Yesterday I had a message from my friend, the wonderful Shellie Buckle, Manager Customer and Community Services at Mareeba Shire Council in far North Queensland. She included photos of her team who had taken Book Week on board and dressed accordingly- way to go! Now it must be admitted that Shellie is also a librarian and her passion for Book Week is in her DNA, but the joy on the faces of team Mareeba as they released the child within was obvious, and the modelling of reading behaviour that they ( and every other costumed adult) sent out to the children and young people in their lives is critical.
When I spoke about finding a place to curl up and read as a kid it wasn’t hard. My Mum & Dad ( Else & Jack) were voracious readers and modelled the very best in reading behaviour. My Mum also went above and beyond in creating costumes and I’m afraid that I, like Mum’s great-grandson Teddy, may have eschewed her efforts. Sorry Else!
Now to put a reservation in for the winning books!
Jan Richards Consulting 