Course description
Picture books are not just for early years, they are one of the most powerful tools for deep thinking, critical literacy, wellbeing, and creative writing in the upper years. They teach students how to read between the lines, and that is the core of great literacy.
We use picture books not because they are simple, but because they are highly sophisticated. As texts, they offer rich opportunities to analyse how meaning is constructed through both language and visual elements, mirroring the literacy demands of today’s media landscape. Picture books make literary techniques visible, prompt high-level inference, and provide accessible entry points for reasoning and empathy. In short, they enable rigorous literacy learning in a concise, engaging and cognitively efficient format.
In this session, Megan Daley and Melissa Keil from StoryBox will explore practical ways to use picture books to foster deep learning, critical thinking and powerful literacy outcomes.
This 1hour webinar is provided by the School Libraries Team. It will be recorded.
Date: March 5, 2026
Time: 6-7pm
Cost: free
Megan Daly is a writer and award-winning teacher librarian. She is the co-host of the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast. https://www.megandaley.com.au/
Melissa Keil is a writer and children’s book editor. Her work includes three award-winning YA novels and an illustrated junior fiction series. https://www.melissakeil.com/
K-6 schools can access the StoryBox https://storyboxhub.com/ digital story telling app. It provides high quality and engaging Australian focused videos that can be used in the classroom and by families at home. Contact the School Libraries Team with subscription enquiries school.libraries@libraries.tas.gov.au
Course outcomes
- Identify strategies to engage students with rich reading experiences.
- Update knowledge and skills about trends and issues in the school library sector.