Beloved characters come to life for Book Week

PRIMARY school students across the Northern Rivers region brought colour, creativity and imagination to life during this year’s Children’s Book Week, delighting teachers, parents and classmates with an array of inventive costumes.

Cudgen Public School students dressed as Harry Potter and The Incredible Hulk for Book Week.

Schools hosted parades where students proudly dressed up as their favourite characters, with popular choices including Harry Potter, Minecraft figures and fairy-tale princesses. Classic comic book heroes like The Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man also made a strong showing, alongside real-life inspirations from the Little People, Big Dreams series.

Girls from Cudgen Public School dressed as princesses for Book Week. Photos: SUPPLIED

Organised by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, Book Week is the council’s biggest annual event and has been celebrating children’s literature for 80 years. This year’s theme, ‘Book an Adventure’, encouraged students to explore the world through reading and imagination.

A girl from Wyrallah Public School dressed as Alice in Wonderland for Book Week.

An analysis by the NSW Department of Education has revealed distinct borrowing trends across primary school libraries, highlighting popular authors at each stage of a student’s reading journey.

A girl from Wyrallah Public School dressed as Frida Kahlo for Book Week.

For kindergarten and Year 1 students, Australian author Aaron Blabey is a clear favourite. His Pig the Pug series — featuring a hilariously naughty and selfish dog — dominates library borrowing lists. Titles such as Pig the Pug, Pig the Star, Pig the Blob, Pig the Tourist and Pig the Monster often appear alongside another of Blabey’s hits, Thelma the Unicorn.

Boys from Cudgen Public School dressed as Dr Seuss characters for Book Week.

In Year 2, American author Dav Pilkey takes the spotlight with his bestselling Dog Man series, a graphic novel spin-off from his Captain Underpants franchise. Favourites include Dog Man, Dog Man: Unleashed and Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties.

Condong Public School students in their Book Week costumes.

By Year 3, Dog Man remains a top pick, now sharing shelf space with Roald Dahl’s beloved classic, Fantastic Mr Fox.

Children from Wyrallah Public School dressed as Minecraft characters during Book Week.

From Years 4 to 6, students are drawn to the work of American cartoonist and author Raina Telgemeier. Her heartfelt and humorous graphic novels — Smile (an autobiographical tale), Ghosts (about a girl who can see spirits), Guts (exploring anxiety and health), and Sisters (a story of sibling dynamics) — are among the most borrowed books in senior primary years.