Every August, Book Week Parade arrives, and with it comes a mix of squeals from kids and groans from parents.
As a school library teacher and a mum, I get both sides. Kids love the idea of dressing up as their favourite character. They brim with questions about astronauts, Pokémon, or whether a Minecraft Chicken Jockey counts. Parents, meanwhile, are left worrying about glue guns, last minute Spotlight runs, and whether anyone is really going to notice you spent $90 on an Elsa costume.
Still, after two decades of teaching (and countless Book Week Parades dressed as everything from a banana-eating piranha to a book fairy), I want to tell you the parade is worth a second look.
Four reasons to love the Book Week Parade
1. You can participate at your level
You don’t have to pull out the cardboard boxes and crepe paper for a homemade masterpiece.
- If you want to build a wearable slice of cake with a giant cockroach on top (yes, it has been done), go for it.
- If you only have five minutes, rummage through the wardrobe or grab a ready-made Alice in Wonderland outfit online.
- Kids in $10 Big W fireman costumes have just as much fun as the ones in elaborate creations.
- There’s no guilt or shame about participating at your level. Life is busy, and that’s okay.
The secret is this … Other parents are too busy watching their own kids, and maybe one spectacular refrigerator box costume, to notice if yours is simple.
2. Book Week really is fun
Teaching has become packed with data, testing, and schedules. Days move fast, and pressure runs high. Book Week Parade brings in the fun.
The buzz in the schoolyard that morning is something special. Kids spotting each other’s costumes, teachers shuffling around in ridiculous get ups, parents smiling despite themselves.
Most schools also build up to the parade with displays, themed activities, and readings from CBCA shortlisted books. This year’s theme, Book an Adventure, has us turning the library into a pirate ship and reading by torchlight in blanket forts. It is silly, creative, and joyful, which is exactly how reading should feel.
3. Stories take centre stage
Yes, I used to quietly judge every Elsa costume. Wasn’t Book Week about books? But I have softened. All costumes represent stories, and stories matter. Whether a child is dressed as a Rainbow Fish, a Pokémon trainer, or Frozen’s queen of ice, they are stepping into a world of imagination.
Book Week is also about celebrating Australian authors and publishing a children’s book here is no small feat. The parade gives us a chance to honour the talent behind those much loved stories.
4. It lets different kids shine
Book Week Parade can be a highlight for families whose kids might not fit the mould in other areas.
One family I know had children with special needs who found school life tricky, except at Book Week. Their mum was brilliant at sewing, and each year their costumes became the talk of the playground. For them, Book Week was a rare chance to stand out and feel proud.
It is like any other school event. Some kids win at sport, others ace their tests, others shine on stage. The parade offers a different way to shine, through creativity, character, and fun.
Why Book Week Parade matters
It is easy to dismiss the parade as a stressful costume scramble. And yes, it is another task in a crowded parenting calendar. But beneath the hot glue burns and late night sewing lies something bigger:
- A moment for kids to immerse themselves in stories
- A chance for schools to celebrate books in fun, playful ways
- An opportunity for creativity, community, and joy
So next time you sigh at the parade note in your child’s backpack, remember the effort is not just about a costume. It is about making memories, finding delight, and celebrating the power of stories, even if you are standing in the sun dressed as an elephant.
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