As part of Book Week celebrations from Saturday, 16 August to Saturday, 23 August, Star Mail reached out to a couple of local schools to spotlight students’ favourite books and costumes, Kallista Primary School warmly welcomed the invitation.
Acting principal Robyn Mowat said the school had a packed week planned to celebrate reading and storytelling.
“We’re kicking off Monday with an incursion linked to the magic of books, and on Tuesday, everyone will come dressed up,” Ms Mowat said.
“We’ll start with a community parade, then move into mystery storybook readings with visitors and teachers surprising students as guest storytellers.”
Ms Mowat said community involvement is central to Kallista’s approach.
“Our community is fabulous about being involved with the school. We’re also inviting kinders and local childcare students for story time led by our Year 4s,” she said.
Having started at the school just four weeks ago, Ms Mowat said her highlight has been getting to know the students and their ideas.
“There’s a real buzz around reading and writing, and our community loves books,” she said.
She’ll also be joining the fun, dressing up as a butterfly morphing into an adventure.
Among the students excited for Book Week is Grade 3’s Alixandra, who chose Imagine by Alison Lester as her favourite book.
“My dad bought it for me when I was little. I just like it a lot,” she said.
She’s considering dressing up as a Disney princess and said she’s most excited to see everyone in costume.
Grade 5’s Mason Denis Collard is leaning into the spooky side, dressing up as the slime monster from Goosebumps: Monster Blood III, by R.L. Stine.
“I like scary stuff. I thought the book would be boring, but then I started reading and I was like, I’ll read this 100 times a day,” he said.
The costume parade is what he’s most looking forward to.
Grade 4’s Eddie Robert McMurray will dress as a pirate and is currently reading Ned Kelly’s Secret at school.
“It started off with a lot of action, and now it’s getting to the more interesting parts,” he said.
“I like reading because when it’s quiet, you can just focus on the book and not anything else.”
At Kallista Primary, Book Week is more than dress-ups, it’s a celebration of imagination, storytelling and the joy of reading shared across the school community.
