Book Week – Aussie of the Month

Each year, schools and public libraries across Australia spend a week in August celebrating books, and Australian authors and illustrators. Teachers and librarians conduct activities relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading. Book Week can be linked to the Aussie of the Month award, perhaps through giving consideration to a student who has been making a strong effort to read. Another example would be a student who has helped others with reading, aligning with the Aussie of the Month fair go and mateship values.

Activity Options

Special Guest

Invite an Australian author to help present the Aussie of the Month Award. We can help facilitate this relationship. Have the author read an extract from a children’s book, or speak about the importance of reading and writing skills.

Free Dress Day

Students and teachers could be encouraged to dress up as their favourite book character, in exchange for a gold coin donation, that could go to the school’s charity of choice.

Corporate Partnership

Reach out to a local book store. The book store could reward your Aussie of the Month recipient with a book voucher, and potentially come in to present this award and speak on the importance of reading.

Talking Points

Explore a range of texts. There are lots of other things to explore such as magazines, menus, newspapers, newsletters, recipes, instructions, even maps. Share all these different reading and writing experiences and talk about them together.
Talk about how books work. Help children learn about books. Talk about the cover, the title and how it gives clues to what is inside.

Resources

There are plenty of tools and ideas to help your students get involved in Book Week. Click below to access them.

Presenting your Aussie of the Month during Book Week

To help present the award, you could invite:

A librarian from your local council
A local author