Share a book on International Children’s Book Day

Have you ever enjoyed a book so much, you have wanted to tell everyone about it, rushed out to buy copies for family and friends or placed holds on copies of the author’s other titles? Research by Clarke et al. (2017) found that many Tasmanian adults enjoy sharing books as members of book clubs. IBBY Tasmanian members are providing a similar opportunity through ‘book sharing’ for young readers across Tasmania to talk about and promote their favourite books.

At last year’s IBBY Congress in Trieste, approximately 20 students from several European countries complained bitterly that adults were not sharing good books and that young adults themselves had little opportunity to share their favourites with other young adults. This led to a small group of enthusiastic IBBY/CBCA members deciding to encourage Tasmanian teachers, parents and grandparents to set aside 20 minutes on April 2 for students/children to share the books they love. Why that date? Wednesday April 2 is Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday also known as International Children’s Book Day.

Bradley (2018) champions recommendations from peers as the best way to inspire students to read. For suggestions on starting a culture of book sharing, Miller considers the importance of adults in sharing their own favourites but that ultimately “No matter how good we are at making book recommendations to a fifth grader, the best person to make a book recommendation to a fifth grader is another fifth grader” (Colby Sharp, 2017). 

Another idea drawn from Miller (2014) and expanded on by Jennifer Findley (n.d.) is book commercials along with other suggestions for providing opportunities for students to make personalised recommendations to their peers of the books that they have read and enjoyed. Further suggestions for celebrating books and reading can be found on BubbleUpClassroom. 

As well as providing young readers with the opportunity to talk about their favourite recent reads, IBBY, Tasmanian children and teenagers are invited to submit a brief paragraph (no more than 50 words) to promote their chosen book and convince others that the book is so good that they want others to read and enjoy it. There are some engaging examples of peer book recommendations on a recent CBCA Tas blog post: What are teenage boys reading for pleasure? Insights from a school library. For those who need some guidance the following prompts provide some pointers to get started: 

• Why did you enjoy the book so much?
• What did you find most thought-provoking or compelling about the storyline or characters? (Don’t re-tell the story!)
• What is the main reason you’d recommend this book to someone else/ what would be the main reason you'd give them to convince them to give it a read? 
• Who do you think would enjoy reading this book?

Email your submission to ibbyicbdau@gmail.com  

Please include the child’s given name, age, and location. Selected reviews will be added to IBBY Australia website. Submissions close Friday 11 April.

 

References

 

Bradely, L. (2018, 27 Feb). How to get your students to read more? Peer recommendations. KQED: In the Classroom. https://www.kqed.org/education/530724/how-to-get-your-students-to-read-more-peer-recommendations

 

Clarke,  R., Hookway, N. & Burgess, R.  (2017). Reading in community, reading for community: A survey of book clubs in regional Australia. Journal of Australian Studies,  41(2), 171-183. https://doi.org/10.1080/14443058.2017.1312484

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317280010_Reading_in_Community_Reading_for_Community_A_Survey_of_Book_Clubs_in_Regional_Australia 

Colby Sharp. (2017, 25 October). The book Whisperer Donalyn Miller talks about books. YouTube. https://youtu.be/5aVS_Gmi1ls?si=nJVknMfu61cdDlMM 

Miller, D. (2014). Reading in the wild: the book whisperer’s keys to cultivating lifelong reading habits. Jossey-Bass.
[Held by Libraries Tasmania along with other books by this inspiring advocate for reading.]

 

Nella Pickup, reader, grandparent of readers, IBBY & CBCA TAS member 

Jennie Bales, CBCA Tasmania Social Media Coordinator, retired teacher librarian and adjunct lecturer.

Editor’s note: Although written submissions are limited to Tasmanian entries, anyone, anywhere, can set up a book sharing session – at school, at home, in a library, in a bookshop or with friends. Join in and celebrate International Children’s Book Day on April 2.

Why not share a favourite children’s book here?

Celebrating 80 years of CBCA

This year, and into 2026, the Children’s Book Council of Australia is celebrating 80 years of Australian stories. What a proud and dynamic time this has been for children’s book publishing with some significant highlights shared here.

2025 marks 80 years since CBCA commenced in Australia, with the aim to promote and foster quality literature for children. The first Book of the Year was awarded in 1946, to Leslie Rees’ book Karrawingi the Emu (illustrated by Walter Cunningham and published by John Sands). Nan Chauncy Award winner, Mem Fox (2017) mentions, (in her award speech), about the joy of reading Leslie Rees’ books whilst living in South Africa as a child, and then being able to meet him in person, on her return to Australia as an adult. 

Celebrations will continue into 2026 as we commemorate 80 years of the Awards. In 1946 (and previous years) there were few books being published specifically for children, and it is of note that in 1952 an additional category (Picture Book of the Year) was established; perhaps the awards sparked interest in writing for children. In 1982 the Book of the Year Award was separated into Younger Readers and Older Readers categories. In 1988 the Eve Pownall (non-fiction) and New Illustrator Awards commenced; and finally in 2001 Early Childhood category was first presented. You can view the list of these awards on the CBCA website.

CBCA is also well known for the quality merchandise created each year to support the Children’s Book Week theme: in 2025 we are invited to Book an Adventure! (with artwork by Jess McGeachin). As well as the usual items, you are able to purchase a ‘passport’ for you/your child/your students to record a year of adventures. There will be more merchandise lines added to the website soon – so maybe wait a bit if you intend to buy! If you have not done so already, you can access your free year planner on the home page of the CBCA website.

Each year many schools and public libraries celebrate Children’s Book Week by hosting dress-up days/parades. A wonderful way to bring books to life.

In recent years CBCA has also commenced Shadow Judging of the Book of the Year Awards. Schools register to judge the shortlisted books in one of the categories and based on the same criteria used by the Book of the Year Judges, they nominate the book they deem worthy of the Award. These are now announced at the same time as the Book of the Year Awards. We witnessed at the 2024 Book Week celebration at Government House the depth to which these young people consider their choice.

What is your favourite title that has won a CBCA Award? Ivan Southall’s Ash Road won in 1966. In 1967 I was in Grade 4 at school in Hobart when the Black Tuesday bushfires swept through southern Tasmania on the first day of term. When I came across this book in Grade 6 it took no imagination to identify with the children’s experiences. In my first year as a teacher-librarian, I was thrilled when Ruth Park’s Playing Beattie Bow won. I also recall the excitement when Robin Klein and Emily Rodda suddenly appeared in the short lists in 1983 and 1984.

I look forward to February 25 when the notables are announced and March 25 when the shortlists are announced.

Felicity Sly is Treasurer of CBCA Tasmania, and a recently retired teacher-librarian.

Editor’s note: Thanks Felicity, you have certainly jogged my memories and provided inspiration for the celebrations to come. I too loved Playing Beattie Bow. 

My pick in my first year as a teacher librarian way back in 1984 was Bertie and the Bear by Pamela Allen – a book that still delights today as a read aloud AND, of course, Possum Magic by Mem Fox. This year also heralded the introduction of Penny Pollard in Penny Pollard’s Diary, by Robin Klein. The original cover was perfect!!!!