Article

It is widely understood that good readers become good thinkers.

More than spitting out words, good readers make movies in their minds as they read. They step into new worlds and experience the settings through the eyes of characters. In the process, they understand the world in a more sophisticated way.

At Good News, students in Years 3-6 are invited to participate in an annual competition called “Battle of the Books”. Whilst the competition is held during August Book Week each year, the reading preparation begins at the end of the previous year.

During a recent drive to work, a radio announcer mentioned that books are the most anticipated Christmas gift this year. As you look forward to Christmas and the holidays, we encourage you to consider borrowing or purchasing some of the books from the 2020 Battle of the Books list. You can see from the list that almost all the books have won prestigious awards. The books represent some of the best children’s literature available.

We encourage you to read these books with your children, even if they can read them independently. The stories that win awards are those that inspire conversation. Some in the list below can lead to discussions about World Wars 1 and 2, the Stolen Generation, and whether or not you would really want to live forever. Family dialogue on important topics expands children’s worlds even further.

As you continue to partner with us in your child’s learning, consider sharing books with your family over the Summer Holiday. Have a Merry Christmas!