Book Week at HIS: From Picnic Breakfast to Festive Character Parade

Book Week is one of our favorite celebrations at HIS. 

From 20 to 24 April, our campus was buzzing with literary excitement as students and staff participated in a variety of events designed to foster a love for reading. 

Throughout the week, everyone was encouraged to pause their daily activities from 9:10 am to 9:20 am to "drop everything and read," ensuring that every member of our community found time to get lost in a book.

The festivities began on Monday with the "Breakfast, Book, and a Basket" community reading event. 

It was wonderful to see parents, teachers, and children gathered together on the admin lawn for a picnic breakfast, sharing stories and enjoying the morning air. 

This community spirit continued at the "Big Tree" and library, where book sales, exchanges, and donation boxes were available to help students find new adventures to take home.

Mid-week highlights included the "Reading Chair" sessions, where visitors and guest authors shared their favorite stories. The children were particularly delighted by Adiona Maboreke-Chidzonga and Gugu Mclaren-Ushewokunze, who read for our different grade levels. 

In the library, students enjoyed interactive challenges like "Guess the Mystery Reader" and posting photos of themselves "caught reading" to celebrate their progress.

Running alongside these events was our annual Read-a-thon, which encouraged students to meet specific reading goals based on their grade level. 

Students worked hard to reach milestones, earning rewards like bookmarks, pencils, and even ice cream or Mtotwe School Cafe vouchers as they progressed toward their goals. 

Whether they were "Reading Rockets" in EC or "Deep Sea Divers" in Grade 5, the dedication to building reading stamina was evident across all classrooms. 

Several parents reported struggling to peel their kids away from books at bedtime or even in the morning before the school run. 

The week culminated in a festive Character Parade on Friday. Led by the 5th grade, the procession gathered classes from across the school and ended in the gym for a group celebration. 

This meeting replaced the usual Fabulous Friday gathering in the Performing Arts Center. 

The costumes were spectacular, featuring, among others, Mr. Westhora as Gandalf and Ms. Manitho as Fancy Nancy. Alongside the teachers was a colorful array of Harry Potters, pirates, princesses, witches, wizards, and heroes from throughout the ages and genres of literature.

While we’re talking about books, did you know that parents can borrow books from the school library? Book week is over, but may the pages keep on turning.