Local primary school children are encouraged to celebrate this current Children’s Book Week running through to Friday August 27th.

Member for Cook Jason O’Brien MP said "Children’s Book Week was another opportunity for the community to encourage young Queenslanders to learn love reading from an early age".

“With the State Government’s continued focus on improving children’s literacy, Children’s Book Week represents another opportunity to help us spread the word about the importance of reading,” Mr O’Brien said.

“I urge parents to make the most of any Book Week activities and celebrations taking place at local schools.” Children’s Book Week is organised by the Children’s Book Council of Australia and this year marks the program’s 65th anniversary, with the 2010 theme ‘across the story bridge’.

Mr O’Brien said Children’s Book Week coincided with the closing days of the Premier’s Reading Challenge.   “The Premier’s Reading Challenge finishes on August 27 and I’m told we’re on track to better last year’s results where more than 1.2 million books were read during the campaign,” he said. 

“Currently more than 60,000 students from 400 schools are involved in the fifth annual Premier’s Reading Challenge, which sets reading targets for all primary students in Queensland.

“The challenge is part of the wider Learning Beyond the School Gate program which encourages education outside the classroom and raises awareness of the importance of childhood reading.”

The State Government’s Learning Beyond the School Gate program includes the following programs:

- Queensland Reading Ambassador's Program
- Books for Bubs (free book for every newborn Queenslander)
- Queensland Ready Readers Program
- Reading Awareness Campaign
- Premier’s Reading Challenge

More information on the program can be found here: http://deta.qld.gov.au/aflyingstart/beyondschoolgate.html