Blog Every Day in June Day 1: National Simultaneous Storytime

Welcome to day one of our thirty day blog fest! We're starting today off with a bang and a review of ALIA's National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS).

This year's National Simultaneous Storytime book was 'Too Many Elephants in this House' by author Ursula Dubosarsky. While the author and illustrator (Andrew Joyner) was reading and drawing with children at Customs House Library, ALIA joined up with Manly Sea-Eagle Brenton Lawrence, NRL One Community, zookeepers, AND elephants at Taronga Zoo to read the book! 

The book was being read to eight schools via video conference and the students attending were able to hear the book read, and talk to both Brenton and elephant keeper Sheryl about books, elephants and footy. 


Seeing the enthusiasm of the children as they listened to the book and learnt all about elephants reminded me of the importance of this program and of reading to and with children in general.

Brenton Lawrence reading

Not being a rugby league fan, I hadn't known about the Rugby League Reads program that the NRL is currently running with Macmillan Publisher. This program encourages school children to further their literacy skills with a series of curriculum based texts and activities. Each of the NRL clubs has a 'Reading Captain' (Brenton Lawrence is the Reading Captain for Manly) who support the program by attending schools and events, which made teaming up with ALIA for NSS a perfect fit. In addition to having Manly's Reading Captain at Taronga Zoo, the Melbourne Storm Reading Captain read to school children at Melbourne Zoo and many other clubs had players attend schools and public libraries all over the country.

Jessica (NRL One Community), Cate (Zookeeper) and Brenton

It was great to see such an important event getting the attention it deserves and has made my first NSS experience one I'll remember for ever. National Simultaneous Storytime can only get bigger, and I can't wait to see what's lined up for next year! 

Cate and Sheryl (Elephant Keeper)

Kirsty Butler

ALIA Sydney Co-Convenor

Twitter: @Bo0k1sH