From our Primary Teacher Librarian, Mrs Roberts-Weiss

Reading is like sport, to get better you need to practise! It is recommended that families schedule regular time in their daily routine for home reading similar to other scheduled activities.   Some parents think their job is done once children stop bringing home readers and begin borrowing from the school library.  This is not so.  Children still need to share their library books with parents to create discussion and stimulate deep and critical thinking.

What is the difference between “class readers” and library books? Readers are teaching tools with predictable storylines and simple sentences.  They contain high frequency words and pictures to help decode the text.  Library books, on the other hand, are for recreational reading and are self-selected.  There may be complex interplay between text and images which extend the text. Library books usually contain more sophisticated language.  Have you shared a story with your child lately?

From our Director of Library Services, Mrs Joy Payne

“Why read?”

Reading for leisure is a way to relax and practice mindfulness, which is a way to improve our wellbeing and concentration in a present moment. When I was a young girl I loved to escape into a book and this helped me to remain calm in a busy household with three other siblings. As an avid reader I find that less distracting screen time and more pleasurable reading time is good for my soul. Holidays provide time for us to read. Check out your local council library and see what’s on in the upcoming school holidays at https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/libraries/Home.

(References: Megan Daley, award-winning teacher librarian and author of Raising readers: how to nurture a child’s love of books and her blog https://childrensbooksdaily.com/blog/).