Running from 22–28 August, Children’s Book Week is one of Australia’s longest-running celebrations of books and reading for young people. The 2026 theme, Symphony of Stories, celebrates the many different kinds of stories children can discover – and the many different ways those stories can be told.

This year’s colourful artwork comes from Australian author and illustrator Briony Stewart, who describes her interpretation of the theme as a collection of characters bursting from a book with their own weird and wonderful instruments.

Celebrating our best Australian books

Children’s Book Week also follows the announcement of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, which celebrate outstanding Australian books for children and young adults.

The awards have an extra reason to celebrate in 2026: it is 80 years since the first CBCA Book of the Year Awards were established in 1946. Today they remain among Australia’s most respected awards for children’s literature.

You can see our separate Childmags guide to the 2026 CBCA Book of the Year winners and Honour Books here.

There is also a children’s verdict. Through the CBCA’s Shadow Judging program, groups of young readers read shortlisted books, discuss them and select their own favourites.

Book Week doesn’t have to be complicated

For many families, of course, Book Week means one other thing: the costume.

If your school holds a Book Week parade, there is no need for an elaborate shop-bought outfit. A favourite book, something already in the dress-up box and a little imagination can usually do the job. The important bit is the story behind the character, not how much the costume cost.

And children who aren’t keen on dressing up can still join in. Ask them to choose a favourite book for you to read together, visit the library, listen to an audiobook or try a graphic novel. Reading for pleasure doesn’t have to look the same for every child.

Look beyond the school gate

Public libraries and bookshops often run extra storytimes, author and illustrator visits, workshops and other activities around Children’s Book Week, so it is worth checking what’s happening locally.

Most importantly, Book Week is a good excuse to let children choose what they want to read. Funny books, factual books, comics, fantasy, picture books, mysteries and audiobooks can all help children discover that reading is something they can enjoy rather than another task to complete.

And perhaps that’s the nicest interpretation of this year’s theme: every reader can find their own place in the Symphony of Stories.