Book Week 2026 runs from Saturday 22 August to Friday 28 August, and this year's theme - "Symphony of Stories" - is a reminder of just how many different voices and ideas live inside a good book. At Milestones, we love the dress-ups and the storytelling corners. But Book Week is also a great moment to talk about something bigger - just how much a shared story does for a young child's development.
What's On for Book Week 2026
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, with the 2026 theme "Symphony of Stories" bringing together a huge cast of characters across every kind of tale. Libraries, schools and early learning centres around the country, including ours, will be joining in with dress-ups, read-alouds and plenty of new books to discover.
More Than Costumes: What Reading Really Builds
It's easy to think of Book Week(opens in new tab) as a fun one-off, but the benefits of reading together go on well beyond the week itself. Raising Children Network(opens in new tab) points to reading and storytelling as one of the most reliable ways to support a young child's development, across a few key areas:
- Language - hearing new words in context, again and again, is one of the best ways children build vocabulary and understanding before they can read themselves.
- Empathy - stories about characters from different backgrounds and experiences help children start to understand perspectives beyond their own.
- Imagination - every story is a small rehearsal for imaginative, symbolic thinking, which underpins pretend play and later problem-solving.
- School readiness - the literacy experiences children have before school, from listening to rhymes to following a story's sequence, build the brain connections used for language, thinking and understanding.
None of this needs to be formal. A five-minute story before nap time or a laugh over a silly picture book does the job.
How We Celebrate Book Week at Milestones
Our educators build Book Week into the everyday rhythm of the room, not just a one-off event. Expect cosy reading corners, dress-up days and favourite stories read aloud, often more than once, because little ones love repetition. Children get to choose their own books too, and educators often become part of the story themselves, reading with different voices and acting out favourite scenes.
Book Week 2026 Reads: A Few to Try
- Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell - a lift-the-flap classic that's been a favourite since 1982, perfect for tiny hands still learning to turn pages. (Suits ages 1-4)
- The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland - rhythmic and funny, and a great excuse for a silly reading voice. (Suits ages 1-3)
- Alpacas with Maracas by Matt Cosgrove - big energy, rhyme, and a whole lot of fun. (Suits ages 2-4)
- It's Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr - bold, colourful illustrations that celebrate everyone's differences, from feelings to families to favourite ways to have fun. (Suits ages 2-5)
- The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas - a gentle, colourful story that helps little ones name big feelings like happy, sad, angry and scared. (Suits ages 2-5)
- The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch - a witty classic about a princess who saves the day her own way. (Suits ages 3-6)
- Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love - a beautifully illustrated story about imagination and being loved exactly as you are. (Suits ages 3-6)
Bring the Magic Home
You don't need a costume to join in - reading one more story tonight is a great place to start.
If you'd like to see how storytelling comes to life in our rooms day to day, find a centre and book a tour today.
