Imaginations run wild for Melton pupils on World Book Day

Youngsters at Oasis Pre-School and Retreat, Somerby Primary School, Ab Kettleby Primary School and Brownlow Primary School, which are all part of Mowbray Education Trust, hosted a variety of fun-filled literary activities to help the children show what reading means to them.

They dressed up as their favourite characters and shared the stories they love with friends, teachers and family members.

At Somerby and Ab Kettleby, pupils were encouraged to think about the brilliant words that form books and dress up as their favourite ‘word’.

The schools saw some fantastic word-themed costumes, from rockstar and adventurer to flexible and slumberous.

Pupils had great fun creating their own weird and wacky adventure stories in English lessons.

Inspired by the World Book Day book, ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ by Pippa Goodhart, children were challenged to develop their writing skills and use a wide range of literary techniques and language.

The schools also played the ‘Drop Everything and Read’ game which saw children stop what they were doing and pick up a book to read whenever the bell rang.

Meanwhile, little learners at Oasis Pre-School celebrated books, print and reading.

Inspired by the children’s favourite book, ‘Dear Zoo’, the nursery planned some enjoyable hands-on learning activities, including making playdough animals and bookmarks.

Maria Twittey, nursery manager at Oasis, said: “The children have been fully immersed in reading and their enthusiasm has been amazing to watch. The repetitive language in ‘Dear Zoo’ is excellent for preschool children, they are hooked.”

Pupils and staff alike at Brownlow Primary School were also encouraged to dress as their literary heroes for the day with many excellent costumes, ranging from Winnie the Pooh to Cat in the Hat.

One of the key initiatives during World Book Day is the distribution of book vouchers, which every child at trust schools received.

These can be redeemed for free books to help each pupil continue their reading journey.

Ian Toon, executive head at Brownlow, said: “World Book Day is a great way to celebrate the power of books and reading to enrich children’s lives and broaden their horizons.”

Back at Ab Kettleby, parents and carers were invited into school on the day to share their favourite books with the children, which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

In the spirit of sharing the joy of reading, pupils also took part in a quick-fire game with just 30 seconds to recommend their chosen book to someone else in the class.

Harriet Morris, lead teacher at the school, said: “It has been great to hear about all the book characters that have inspired our young learners’ costumes today.

"Walking around the school, you really get the feel of the amount of love we have as a school community for books from our staff, students, and parent visitors.

"I feel the adults have really shone a light on the importance of being a life-long reader this week, particularly during our guest reader sessions. It’s been a real pleasure to see.”