The celebrations began with the annual Bookmark Competition, which once again showcased the creativity of our students. The winning designs have been reproduced as bookmarks for students to use in the Westcourt Library, a fitting way for their artwork to become part of the everyday joy of reading at the College.

One of the highlights of the week was the much-anticipated Book Character Parade. With the sun shining and this year’s theme, Symphony of Stories, providing the inspiration, the back oval became a riot of colour, music and imagination.

It was wonderful to see so many characters brought to life, particularly through costumes cleverly created at home rather than simply bought from a shop. Cardboard certainly got a workout, with some wonderfully inventive creations on display! Familiar favourites included a collection of Where’s Wallys, Mischievous Minions and Harry Potters, while plenty of lesser-known characters also stepped straight from the pages of books and into the Junior School. Even our teachers joined in the fun!

With music playing, families watching from the sidelines and an extraordinary level of enthusiasm from the boys, the atmosphere was fantastic. It was undoubtedly one of our most colourful and enthusiastic parades yet. Highly Commended students also received a book by Mark Greenwood, our visiting author for this year’s celebrations.

We were delighted to welcome acclaimed Australian author Mark Greenwood, who shared his passion for storytelling with the boys and offered a fascinating glimpse into the inspiration, research and creativity behind his books. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to hear directly from an author and discover how stories make their way from an idea to the printed page.

With a host of activities taking place in both the Junior and Senior School libraries, Book Week was a smashing success and a wonderful celebration of creativity, imagination and, most importantly, the joy of reading.