Awapuni students bring book characters to life

A famous young witch cast her “oculus reparo” spell, a Wonderland queen shouted, “Off with their heads!”, and the red-and-white striped jersey of Wally was spotted wandering around the grounds of Awapuni School at its Great Book Parade. 

In what was described as “a colourful celebration of literature”, pages came to life as Awapuni students dressed up as their favourite book characters for the popular annual event. 

Among these famous identities were the Queen of Hearts from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, royalty from ancient Egypt, the eponymous web-firing crimefighter from Spider-Man, Hermione Granger from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the world and time-travelling Wally of Where’s Wally?, a droopy-eyed-ruminant from Where Will The Sleepy Sheep Sleep?, a brave soldier from Anzac Ted, the elusive star of How to Catch a Tooth Fairy and one member of the curly-tailed trio from The Three Little Pigs. 

“At the heart of Awapuni School lies our vibrant library, a bustling hub where students experience the magic of reading,” Awapuni library team leader Emma Robinson said. “Each year, our community eagerly anticipates the parade as students, whānau and staff come together to honour the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. 

“Special thanks goes to Anita Kingston from Paper Plus Gisborne for her continued generosity, donating books to the students who most creatively captured the essence of their chosen characters. 

“Also, a special acknowledgement of appreciation to our judges Lesley Allen, former assistant principal of Awapuni School, and Tony Scragg, a long-time supporter of our school community.”