Community
23 May, 2025
Sharing a story with Australia
ST Patrick’s Primary School, Lismore Primary School and the Camperdown Kindergarten were among various schools and preschools across Australia to participate in the annual National Simultaneous Storytime on Wednesday.
Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, family day cares, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country.
The event, now marking 25 years, aims to promote the importance of reading for pleasure and as a shared experience.
This year, students shared in the book ‘The Truck Cat’ by Debroah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell, doing some cat and truck-themed activities after reading the book.
St Patrick’s Primary School STEM teacher and library coordinator Paula Atkins said the school loved being able to have students involved in a nation-wide story time, which reinforces the importance of reading books.
“I think this is about the sixth or seventh time we have been involved in National Simultaneous Storytime, and the kids look forward to it every year,” she said.
“We love that it’s a whole-school environment activity – the grade sixes are reading the same book as the juniors, and they all appreciate that connection through story.
“They’ve loved the book – I think the fact that we live in a rural environment and we have lots of parents who are involved in moving things around the country in a truck, whether that be produce or farm animals.
“They relate to the truck part of that.
“Because we have a growing multicultural group within our school, there is that connection to the story also.”
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