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Recently, our Senior School community came together to celebrate the magic of literature during CBCA's annual Book Week. The week was filled with colourful characters, creative competitions and a shared love of reading.

Kicking off the festivities on Monday, the Transition Council organised a book character parade. Students from Years 7 and 8 showcased their creativity and love for their favourite literary characters.

The competition was fierce, but three costumes stood out and bagged the top prizes. The third prize went to two students who dressed as Oompa Loompas from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The second prize was awarded to a student who brilliantly embodied the 'Amazing Pig' from E.B. White's timeless tale Charlotte's Web. But the highlight of the parade was the first prize winner, who brought to life the enchanting world of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Also on Monday, the winners of the inaugural All Saints' College Short Story competition were announced. The competition was launched in term 2 by our 2023 Writer-in-Residence, AJ Betts, who also judged our shortlisted entries. She said it was a hard decision, but the following students took out the prizes:

Years 7–9 :

Runner up: Madi Kent (Year 9) for her story Russian Pelicans and Ukrainian Sardines

Winner: Sue-Ning Chee (Year 8) for The Abyss Sea

Years 10–12

Runner Up: Jack Goddard (Year 11) for The Devil’s Due

Winner: Dominique To (Year 10) for Relentless

All winners and runners-up won the opportunity to attend a two-hour writing workshop at the College run by WA author Holly Craig, courtesy of FAWWA (The Fellowship of Australian Writers, WA) and books from Fremantle Press.

Their stories will be printed in the 2024 edition of Epilogue, the College’s Creative Writing magazine.

 AJ Betts was impressed with our young writers – as we are – and we look forward to seeing them grow and develop their skills in the years to come!

But the students weren't the only ones getting into the Book Week spirit. On Wednesday our Nexus-S, Science and English staff members took a walk on the literary side, dressing up as their favourite book characters. Sherlock Holmes, The Cat in The Hat, the Rainbow Fish and even Thor made an appearance. 

The same day, 42 creative students participated in the "Write a Book in a Day" competition. Divided into five groups, the young authors and illustrators took on the challenge of creating a book from scratch in just 12 hours. Not only was this a test of their literary and artistic skills, but it was also for a noble cause. All funds raised from the competition will be donated to support children's cancer research. Moreover, each book crafted during the event will be made available online for children in hospitals around the country, bringing a ray of hope and joy during challenging times.

Throughout the week, a fun challenge was set for the school community: match the staff member to their favourite book. While it seemed simple, this task proved to be a brain teaser. As of now, no one has managed to get more than five out of 12 matches correct! Those who eventually crack the code stand a chance to win exciting prizes.

Additionally, to foster the love for reading, every student who borrowed a book from the library was entered into a raffle. The lucky winner will receive a book voucher, encouraging them to explore even more literary worlds.

Finally, Book Week wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the talent of new authors and illustrators. This year the graphic novel Neverlanders, penned by Tom Taylor and illustrated by Jon Sommariva, was honoured with the CBCA Book of the Year award for older readers.

Book Week at All Saints’ was a resounding success, filled with enthusiasm, creativity and a shared passion for literature. We look forward to another, even bigger celebration next year.