Wrong Book alright for Storytime

Bunbury children joined thousands of others around the nation reading the same book at the same time last week as part of National Simultaneous Storytime.

Students of all ages at Carey Park Primary School read The Wrong Book by Nick Bland as part of the nationwide initiative, which principal Peter Rigden said was hoped would bring storytime back into family homes.

“We were celebrating the fun of sitting and listening to a story being read and encouraging this in all our families,” he said.

“I’ve had a lot of kids and students indicate that they really enjoyed it — it is a great book that was enjoyed across the school.”

It was the first time the school has joined in the event, with 20 students in the newly-established Child and Parent Centre Carey Park joined by Forrest MHR Nola Marino in also reading the Australian book.

It was one of the first initiatives taken up by the Child and Parent Centre, located at Carey Park Primary School, which aims to prepare children aged 0-4 and their parents for the start of primary school.

Now in its 13th year, National Simultaneous Storytime aims to promote the value of reading and literacy in a fun way using an Australian children’s book.

In 2012, over 380,000 children at more than 2000 locations across Australia took part, by reading the book The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland.