news
Book Week Highlights
Posted on September 03, 2025
Book an Adventure – Book Week 2025
OAC celebrated Book Week in true adventure style this year with the theme “Book an Adventure.” Our make-shift library was transformed into an adventure hub, complete with window displays perfect for selfies, shelves lined with treasure chests, toy zoo animals, and suitcases, all ready to take students on an Adventure this Book Week!
In the lead-up to Book Week, Primary students explored the CBCA (Children’s Book Council of Australia) shortlisted titles across the Early Childhood, Picture Book of the Year, Eve Pownall, and Younger Readers categories. During library lessons, students learned about the CBCA criteria, what makes a notable or shortlisted book, and the selection process behind these prestigious awards.
Well-Being Day Adventures
A highlight of the week was our popular Passport Adventure activity, which booked out at 30 participants! Students completed five adventure-themed stations based on the Early Childhood shortlist. On arrival, each student received a canvas bag to decorate and a passport on a lanyard. They then rotated through:
- Cupcake decorating (tasty bugs!) – based on the books, “One Little Dung Beetle” and “Spiro”
- Fairy-funtastic miniature gardens, “Everything you Ever Wanted To Know About the Tooth Fairy (and some things you didn’t)
- Helium balloons with affirmations based on “Don’t Worry Felix”
- Animal mask making based on “How to Move a Zoo”
- Wobbly Riddles, based on “The Wobbly Bike”
Each completed activity earned a passport stamp, and plenty of smiles.
Competitions & Creative Fun
Students across OAC and SOTA unleashed their imaginations in our Book Week competitions, including:
- Short, short story competition (exactly 250 words)
- Design a new cover for a shortlisted book
- Create a character challenge
- Dress-up competition, with prizes for best homemade/eco costume and best on-theme outfit
Congratulations to all our winners. The Marden Education Centre Library donated a selection of shortlisted books for all the competition winners.
- Short story: Sadie Gent (A Puppy Adventure)
- Dress-up: Aubrey W (palaeontologist), Simba P(Curiosity), Elsie H (Amelia Earhart with a handmade plane), Remy & Airlie R (Little Miss – best homemade)
- Cover design/character creation: Catherine S, Tiarna L, Evie B, Talum L, Oliver A, Arthur W, Jessie E and Addy T
- SOTA winners: Jack W, Jovie W, Alex R, Aria C, Lenny W, Simba P, Eli C, Memphis C and Timothy C
We would like to thank everyone who dressed up or participated in our competitions. Your involvement makes Book Week special, thank you!
SOTA’s Live Adventure
Our SOTA students also took part in a special live Book Week session! Each student received a secret envelope in the mail to open during the event. Inside were one of three hands-on adventures:
- Build an animal crate (How to Move a Zoo)
- Tooth fairy pocket (Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Tooth Fairy)
- Wobbly bike construction (The Wobbly Bike)
Students had 20 minutes to complete their task, showcasing creativity, problem-solving, and persistence, and then proudly shared their creations with peers.
A huge thank you to all OAC and SOTA students who joined us on this year’s Book Week Adventure – whether through reading, crafting, dressing up, visiting or writing. Your enthusiasm made Book Week 2025 an adventure to remember!
OAC Staff Competition
The Book Week “Happy Snaps” competition continues until the end of term – staff are invited to take a window selfie with our Adventurous characters, to go in the draw to win some great prizes.
