Edward River Library is inviting children, families and the wider community to celebrate the magic of stories this Book Week, with a creative Collage Poetry Competition and a free Book Week Fun Day to be held on Friday 28 August designed to bring reading, creativity and community connection together.
Book Week 2026 will be celebrated across Australia from Saturday 22 August to Friday 28 August, with the theme "Symphony of Stories". The theme highlights the many ways stories can inspire, connect and resonate with people, much like a symphony brings together different instruments to create something memorable. Edward River Library's Book Week program embraces this idea by encouraging storytelling through writing, poetry, art and music.
Mayor Ashley Hall said Book Week provides an important opportunity to celebrate reading, creativity and community connection.
"Libraries play a vital role in bringing people together, inspiring lifelong learning and fostering a love of stories from an early age.
"Book Week is a wonderful opportunity for children and families to engage with reading in new and creative ways, and Council is proud to support events that encourage imagination, learning and community participation."
In the lead up to Book Week, Edward River Library is inviting children and young people from Kindergarten to Year 12 to add their voice to this year's Symphony of Stories through the Collage Poetry Competition.
Participants are invited to create a poem using a collage of cut-out words and images, either from materials provided by the Library or from magazines and items they have at home. Entries are due on 22 August, with winners announced at the Book Week Fun Day on 28 August.
The competition has been developed to encourage children to explore storytelling in a creative and accessible way. Entries will be displayed at the Library, giving young writers and creators the opportunity to share their work with the community.
Edward River Library Coordinator Christine Evola said this year's activities were designed to bring the Book Week theme Symphony of Stories to life.
"Poetry doesn't have to be long or complicated. Just like song lyrics, poetry can tell a story, create a feeling or spark an idea in only a few words. With the collage poetry competition, we're encouraging children to get creative, have fun and see that stories can be created from everyday materials around them," said Ms Evola.
The celebrations will culminate in the Library's second annual Book Week Fun Day on Friday 28 August from 2pm, featuring a range of free family-friendly activities including scavenger hunts, crafts, games, pavement art and a free Rotary barbecue.
Adding to the atmosphere, local radio will broadcast live from the Library between 2pm and 3pm, before sharing recordings of selected poetry competition entries throughout the afternoon. The live broadcast and poetry recordings bring this year's "Symphony of Stories" theme to life, blending stories, poetry, creativity and music into a community celebration that extends beyond the library walls.
Library staff will embrace the musical theme with costumes and activities designed to create a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere for visitors of all ages.
The Fun Day also provides an opportunity to welcome people back to the Library and showcase everything it has to offer. Whether residents are regular library visitors or have not visited in years, the afternoon is designed as a welcoming community event for all ages.
" The Fun Day is a great opportunity to celebrate Book Week with the wider community and showcase everything the Library has to offer. With free activities, a live radio broadcast, music-themed fun and a free barbecue, we're looking forward to welcoming families for an afternoon of creativity, connection and celebration," said Ms Evola.
As part of the broader Book Week celebrations, Edward River Library has also partnered with Deniliquin High School on a creative writing initiative centred on the "Symphony of Stories" theme. Students have participated in writing workshops and a short story competition, with winners to be announced at the school's Book Week Assembly on 12 August.
