QSuper’s Top 5 Book Challenge winners revealed

Brisbane Year 5 student Djuna Glasson Green and Toowoomba Year 4 student Caitlin Loader have one thing in common - they love reading.

And Djuna, from Greenslopes State School, and Caitlin, from Toowoomba East State School, have been rewarded for their passion by winning QSuper’s Top 5 Book Challenge.

The challenge, which invites primary-age school children to tell us about their favourite books, runs in conjunction with the annual Queensland Premier’s Reading Challenge.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is focused on improving literacy and encourages children to read for pleasure and learning. This year more than 2.31 million books were read by more than 168,000 Queensland children and students from 937 schools and 386 early childhood centres as part of the initiative.

QSuper’s Top 5 Book Challenge

By submitting intriguing entries about their favourite books in QSuper’s Top 5 Book Challenge, Djuna and Caitlin won exclusive workshops for their respective school classes, delivered by celebrated children’s book author Aleesah Darlison.

Greenslopes State School senior teacher-librarian, Wendy Pierce, said the school had a collective passion for reading, with programs in place including “Literature Circles”.

Ms Pierce said Djuna was a worthy winner as she was a library helper and one of the school’s most prolific library book borrowers.

Ms Pierce, who has been a librarian for 27 years, said it was refreshing to see Greenslopes schoolchildren becoming avid readers.

“Reading brings so much joy. You can go anywhere, anytime, without having to leave a chair,” she said.

“I’m happy to see so many children read at this school, and even though there’s many ways to read these days, such as digital copies of books, we have children who love turning the pages of a real book.”

Toowoomba East State School teacher Jacqui Hickmott said reading culture was also strong across her school, with Cailtin (pictured above, centre) always having a book under her arm, and proving herself a model reader to classmates.

Ms Darlison, who has published more than 45 books over the past decade, delivered her workshops to about 200 students.

“I was excited to be involved in this incredible initiative again and loved sharing my love of reading and writing with the students. It’s rewarding to see the workshops create a buzz about books and reading in the community,” Ms Darlison said.

QSuper CEO Michael Pennisi congratulated Greenslopes State School and Toowoomba East State School on winning the Top 5 Book Challenge.

“We’re so pleased the workshops were delivered to such worthy schools that have a wonderful culture of reading. We are committed to supporting Queensland education and supporting the amazing work of all Queensland teachers,” Mr Pennisi said.