26 September 2025
Book Week Escape Room
The bi-annual escape room became a focus in the library during Book Week. Students in Years 3 to 6 formed five teams in an “Amazing Race” challenge. Each team needed to solve a range of puzzles prior to moving onto the next area which was based around a tent in a particular biome. The initial challenges after identifying the biome included an AFL memory game, jigsaw puzzles and matching pattern cards.
Teams were then given a detour – two task options which all team members needed to complete. Some of the detours were: Memory or Muscle – learn to recite a poem OR 20 push-ups and 10 sit-ups each. Toes or Tower – Move marbles from one container to another with your toes OR build the tallest tower possible with 20 Jenga blocks but the tower needs to stand for 30sec. Food or Flute – eat a weetbix without any liquid OR play the tune of “Hot Cross Buns” on a recorder – the weetbix were so popular that a vacuum was included in the challenge. Each session was fast paced and filled with teamwork and strategy to complete the challenges.
As part of our Book Week celebrations, we were also delighted to host the following guests:
Perform Education
A multi award-winning educational production company and the official in-school partner of the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Their Book Week performance brought shortlisted CBCA books to life through high-energy music, dance and comedy that had every student from Prep to Year 2 thoroughly engaged. The show combined action-packed storytelling with important personal development themes such as cooperation and resilience, making it both entertaining and meaningful. Students were captivated by the relatable characters, catchy songs, and humour woven throughout the performance, while the interactive format encouraged participation and reinforced key messages about the joy and value of reading. It was a highlight of our Book Week celebrations, sparking excitement for literature across the Junior School.
Story Snorts
Creating a story in “Snob Town” or in an “Abandoned Warehouse” was the task of our visiting performers from “Story Snorts”. They asked our Years 3 to 5 students for ideas for a story and then improvised, created and performed the story in front of our eyes. Our audience gave their ideas to three parts of the story – the setting, the protagonist (main character) and the storyline. Goblins wanting to take over Posh Town and a person trapped in a portrait for 300 years became the protagonists, as these amazing performers created incredibly unique stories. The actors were joined by an illustrator who created the picture book as the story was told, and a musician who added suspense and emotion from the keyboard. Imaginations were sparked as our students came away from each session recognising that their own ideas can create the most wonderfully unique stories.
James Phelan
James is an internationally acclaimed young adults’ author who inspired the Year 6 classes with a writing workshop that was fast paced and engaging. He shared the story of how he was inspired to be a writer while in primary school. By the time he had finished school, he had already written his first fiction book, but it took another 10 years until that book was published. Here are some thoughts from some of the Year 6 students about James’ presentation:
Aiden (6J) He’s very, very funny, unlike other authors who are all stern and boring.
William (6J) I like the books in “The Last Thirteenth” series, because it’s about thirteen children’s nightmares coming true.
Alex (6L) When James was young, he was obsessed with creating his own juice empire.
Vinuk (6L) He used his knowledge from being an architect and real-world structures as the setting for his stories in “The Last Thirteen” series.
Sue Dansie and Kate White
JS Teacher-Librarians
