Many SCAS classes from Kindergarten to Year 5 had the opportunity to hear from many well known authors via a videoconferencing link. This was known as ‘Bookfest’ and was organised in conjunction with the Premier’s Reading Challenge.
Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 were delighted to hear from Mem Fox, the author of many well known stories. She read her most recent book “I’m Australian Too” which celebrates Australia’s cultural heritage. She told us that she wrote it in a weekend! However, “Possum Magic” and “The Green Sheep” took months to get just right.
Our Year 3 students have participated in a webinar with Rachel Spratt, the author of the Friday Barnes, Girl Detective series, as well as the popular Nanny Piggins series. Ms Spratt encouraged the students to continue on their reading journey. She read expressively, and with humour, from one of her own books, which was inspiring to the students. She also praised illustrators and graphic designers who are responsible for the formatting, design and colour choices on a book cover. Year 3 now has some motivated and budding writers, as well as a few students who would like to design covers when they grow up.
Year 4 and Year 5 watched two sessions: Indigenous Story Telling and Morris Gleitzman. Let’s hope children are more enthused about reading after these events.
It certainly was a new experience as we joined in with many schools from NSW who we could see setting up before each conference. Excited students waved to each other across the airways. What a tremendous opportunity for our students to hear from these well known children’s authors.