Book Week 2026 – Book an Adventure
Junior School Book Week, Monday 24 – Friday 28 August 2026: dress-up parade on Tuesday 25 August at 9:00am, Book Fair in the Library all week, author visit on Wednesday 26 August, and Book Week awards at Friday Assembly.
Book Week 2026 runs in the Junior School from Monday 24 August to Friday 28 August 2026, with the theme "Book an Adventure". It is the week when the Library takes over the school: every class visits an extra time, teachers read aloud from the shortlisted books, and children come dressed as their favourite characters for the parade. Here is everything you need for the week.
Week at a glance
| Day | Event | Time and place |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 24 August | Book Week opens; Book Fair opens; shortlist read-alouds begin in every class | Library, 8:15am – 8:45am and 3:20pm – 4:00pm |
| Tuesday 25 August | Dress-up parade (Prep – Year 6) – parents welcome | 9:00am, Mary MacKillop Hall |
| Wednesday 26 August | Author visit – Tessa Lindqvist | Sessions in the Hall: Prep – Year 2 at 9:15am, Years 3–4 at 10:00am, Years 5–6 at 11:30am |
| Thursday 27 August | Year 6 "Adventure Stories" read to Prep buddies; Book Swap at lunchtime | Library and Prep Wing |
| Friday 28 August | Book Week awards at Junior Assembly – parents welcome | 2:30pm, Mary MacKillop Hall |
Dress-up parade – Tuesday 25 August, 9:00am
Students come to school dressed as a character from a book (any book, not just the shortlist) and bring the book if they have it. The parade starts at 9:00am sharp in Mary MacKillop Hall; parents, grandparents and preschool siblings are very welcome and should enter through the Hall foyer from 8:45am. Each class walks the "red carpet" while the Year 6 MCs announce the characters, and the whole Junior School sings the Book Week song. The parade finishes by about 9:45am, after which students return to class in costume for the day.
A few reminders:
- Costumes should be comfortable enough to wear all day and suitable for the playground – no swords, weapons or masks that cover the face.
- Home-made and improvised costumes are celebrated: a raincoat and boots makes a fine Paddington. Please do not feel any pressure to buy.
- Students who prefer not to dress up may wear school uniform and carry a favourite book – nobody is singled out.
- Wear school shoes or runners, and bring school uniform to change into if the costume will not last the day.
- Staff dress up too. Guessing Ms Natarajan's character is a Junior School tradition.
Book Fair – all week in the Library
Our Book Fair, run with Bookworm Book Fairs, is open every day of Book Week from 8:15am to 8:45am and 3:20pm to 4:00pm in the Library. Prices range from about $5 for paperbacks to $30 for hardcover picture books and box sets. Payment is by card (EFTPOS) or cash at the Library desk; students may also complete a wish-list slip during their class visit to bring home for you to consider. A portion of every sale comes back to the College as new books for the Library – last year's Fair added 210 titles to our shelves. If you would like to donate a book to a classroom, look for the "Teacher Wish List" tub; the teacher will thank your child in class.
Author visit – Wednesday 26 August
We are thrilled to welcome Melbourne author Tessa Lindqvist, whose Ferngully Explorers adventure series is a favourite in our Library. Tessa will run three age-appropriate sessions on writing adventure stories and take questions from students. Signed copies of her books will be available at the Book Fair from Monday, and Tessa will sign books bought at the Fair during lunchtime on Wednesday. The visit is covered by the excursion levy; there is no cost to families.
Book Swap – Thursday 27 August
Students may bring in one book in good condition they have finished with (named inside the cover with "Book Swap 2026") and swap it for another at lunchtime in the Library. Left-over books are donated to St Vincent de Paul.
Book Week awards – Friday 28 August, 2:30pm
At Friday Assembly we present:
- Best Costume awards for each year level (chosen by the Year 6 student leaders and Library staff at the parade)
- Reader of the Year for each class, for consistent reading-log effort this year
- Book Week Writing Challenge winners – the best adventure stories written during Book Week in each year level, which will be published in the fortnightly newsletter
- The Junior School Shortlist Vote – students vote for their favourite shortlisted picture book on Thursday, and the winner is announced
Parents are welcome; assembly runs 2:30pm – 3:10pm. Friday 28 August is also the day of the Father's Day Stall, so students may bring $5–$15 for a gift – see Father's Day 2026.
Why Book Week matters
Reading for pleasure is the strongest predictor we have of later school success, and Book Week is the moment we celebrate it loudly. If your child catches the reading bug this week, keep it going with the nightly reading habit described on our Homework page, and visit the Library any morning from 8:15am for borrowing. Details of our Library program are on the Specialist Programs page.