From the Library
For over 80 years now, the Children’s Book Council of Australia has promoted and celebrated the best in Australian literature for children and young adults. Each year, this culminates in Book Week (22-28 August), with a special theme to enhance the many celebrations in schools and libraries around Australia. Book of the Year Awards are also granted in categories ranging from Early Childhood to Young Adult/Older Readers.
This year’s theme – Symphony of Stories – suggests an association between music and storytelling, particularly with the application of rhyme and poetry. Many years ago, storytelling was often through poetry, with the rhythm and cadence of text adding to the drama of the work and appeal to the audience. Rhyming text would have also aided the storyteller in remembering and reciting these tales. Examples of these include:
- The epic poems of Homer – The Iliad and The Odyssey, dating from around the 8th Century BCE – over 2,800 years ago.
- One of the earliest works of English Literature is the epic poem Beowulf – written in Anglo-Saxon (Old English) and dating from the late 10th Century CE – over 1,000 years ago.
For your reading consideration
- Stories in verse – From the rollicking rhymes of the Hairy Maclary picture books (Lynley Dodd) for young readers, to the verse novels of award-winning Australian poet, Steve Herrick, who writes on contemporary life and issues for Young Adults.
- Poetry – From nursery rhymes for the very young, to collections of poetry for readers of all ages. There is also poetry in some song lyrics. Did you know, for example, that Bob Dylan, a famous US singer and songwriter, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016 for his work in songwriting?!
Stories to discover. Stories to tell: Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge 2026
Well done to those keen students, who are registered and busily reading their books for the Challenge. Be sure to keep reading and recording your reads for verification, before the Challenge closes on Friday 4 September.
With under a month remaining, there is still some time to participate, especially if you’ve almost completed the required number of books but just haven’t made it to registration.
For reading inspiration, VSV students are reminded of their free access to our online library of ebooks and audiobooks – ePlatform. Check out the VSV Reading Lists for topics such as Book Week and Science Week.
Please contact me if you would like more information about the Reading Challenge or accessing our digital library resources.
Happy reading, and Happy Book Week!
Karen Marston – School Librarian, Digital Learning Lounge
Koorie Perspectives
Join Our Next Virtual Yarning Circle!
We are pleased to invite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students – together with allies who would like to learn alongside us – to our next Virtual Yarning Circle.
Thursday 20 August, 1:45 pm – 2:35 pm
Our Yarning Circles are friendly and relaxed online gatherings where students can:
Connect with other Koorie students from across Victoria
- Meet new people and strengthen relationships
- Learn more about culture and community
- Share ideas or experiences if they feel comfortable
- Simply listen and enjoy the conversation
We are delighted that a guest speaker from Reconciliation Victoria will also join us to share information and reflections with students.
Attendance is completely optional. Students are welcome to participate in whichever way feels most comfortable, including simply listening.
A separate invitation and Microsoft Teams link will be sent closer to the date.
Explore Your Future with ACU: Calling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Years 9 – 11
Australian Catholic University is inviting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from metropolitan and regional Victoria to attend its Explore Your Future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Program.
The program is designed to provide a welcoming, culturally safe and supportive environment in which students can build confidence and make informed decisions about their futures.
Students will have opportunities to:
- Participate in hands-on workshops across different study areas
- Meet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students, mentors and ambassadors
- Learn about pathways into undergraduate study
- Connect with staff from ACU’s Indigenous Higher Education Unit, Jim-baa-yer
- Meet other students and share experiences in a supportive space
Melbourne Campus:
Wednesday 19 August 2026
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Ballarat Campus:
Thursday 20 August 2026
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Please contact us if you are interested or would like assistance exploring this opportunity.
Elnaz Rasouli & Lyn Bylart, Koorie Inclusion Coordinators
