Sunbury Library officer and former kindergarten teacher Vanessa Gallo can’t stress enough the value of reading for young kids. This Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Week, running August 20 to 26, she can’t wait to welcome local kids into the library.
This year, the theme of Book Week is ‘Dreaming with eyes open’.
How important is book week, to get kids involved with reading while celebrating Australian authors?
To somebody who works in the library, it’s like an event we look forward to every year. Apart from the awards, it’s also an opportunity to engage children and the community in dress ups and finding out what books children have been loving over the past year.
At an early childhood level, picture books are everything. We base learning outcomes and story times around books.
What’s your favourite kids’ book?
I’ll go with the classic, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. In the more recent ones, the ‘Pig the Pug’ books, with the dog. There’s a new one, ‘Pig the Rebel’. They are quite funny, engaging books.
Check out Hume Libraries’ website to find out what book week events are happening near you: www.humelibraries.vic.gov.au/Whats-On/Find-an-Event.
