On Wednesday May 27^th, Wyvern boys in Kindergarten to Year 2 participated in National Simultaneous Storytime. NSS is an annual campaign that aims to encourage more young Australians to read and enjoy books. Now in its 15th successful year, it is a vibrant event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy using an Australian children’s book that explores age appropriate themes and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum.

At 11.00am more than 525,000 participants in more than 3,010 locations including schools, public libraries, kindergartens, childcare centres, bookshops and homes across Australia had the The Brothers Quibble by Aaron Blabey read to them. This book – about two siblings learning to get along – had been translated into 17 different languages. For the first time, the NSS chosen book was translated into an Indigenous language – Woiwurrung, the language was spoken by the Wurundjeri People from the Kulin Nation of central Victoria. In South Australia, Children’s Laureate, Jackie French read out loud to 1,500 students at the Mount Gambier Library. 

Our Kindy boys had the opportunity to walk to the Senior School where Year 12 students read and discussed Aaron’s book with them in the surrounds of the Senior School Library. When they returned to school they completed an activity which saw them drawing the members of their family and adding them to their individual ‘Our Family Tree’ page.

Years 1 & 2 boys shared and discussed The Brothers Quibble story with their teachers and classmates. Year 1 used the Popplet app to make a photo and word collage of a feeling that the main character, Spalding, felt when his new brother came home from the hospital. Year 2 wrote a letter from Spalding’s perspective, to his parents, explaining his feelings and why he was behaving in such a disagreeable manner.

All the boys responded well to the story telling and enjoyed participating in the activities of the 15^th National Simultaneous Storytime event this year.

Joanne Barnes
Librarian – Wyvern House