book_week_for_beginners

Children's Book Week 2026 will be held from August 22-28.

It is the 80th celebration of this important event on the Australian Literary Calendar.

Notables will be announced February 24 2026

Shortlists will be announced March 17 2026

Winners will be announced on August 21 2026

Shadow Judging registrations open after the announcement of the Notables and the program starts after the announcement of the shortlists.

Participate in the Older Readers Research Project and watch for podcasts based on the shortlisted titles to be posted each fortnight from May 4, 2026.

The theme for CBCA Children's Book Week 2026 is

A Symphony of Stories

Acknowledgement of Country

We gather together today on the ancestral lands of the ___________ People to continue our learning journey together

and to celebrate the wonder of stories and how they can empower us all.

We acknowledge the First Australians as the traditional custodians of the land on which we are meeting.

Since the beginning of time, storytelling has played a vital role in the Australian Aboriginal cultures

and these are among the oldest living cultures in human history.

We pay our respects to the Elders of the community and extend our recognition to their descendants who are present

as we acknowledge their spiritual connection to Country

and their continuing cultural contributions that are made to the life of our school and this community.

We welcome everyone to Book Week _____ and hope that your own reading connects you to something greater,

whether it be for understanding, imagination, knowledge or pleasure.

Reading empowers!

Based on a contribution by Melanie Conrick to NSW School Library Matters Facebook group and offered as a model on which others can write theirs.

Book Week for Beginners has been developed to support those who are new to celebrating CBCA Book Week .

With the support of a number of teacher librarians throughout Australia who have generously shared their experience and expertise, this is a resource that may help suggest ideas and answer questions about

promotion and celebration
logistics and organisation
creating displays
activities for the shortlisted books suitable for primary
activities to support the year's theme
linking the celebrations to literacy, literature, information literacy and other curriculum outcomes
author visits
integrating ICT

I thank those who have contributed to this over the years since 2011 when it first began as a wiki as part of a social media assignment for my M.I.S.

Barbara Braxton

Teacher LibrarianM.Ed.(TL), M.App.Sci.(TL), M.I.S. (Children's Services) Dromkeen Librarian's Award 2003COOMA NSW 2630AUSTRALIA
Together, we learn from each other500 Hats - a blog to support new teacher librariansThe Bottom Shelf - reviews of the latest releases for those from birth to 8-ish
Originally published August 2011 Updated August 2025