Characters brought to life

Fantastic Mr Fox, Mary Poppins, the Mad Hatter and more leapt straight off the page and into Strath Taieri School to celebrate the wonderful world of literature.

As part of its annual Scholastic Book Fair revelry yesterday, Strath Taieri School held a dress-up competition and fashion show to let its pupils bring their favourite book characters to life.

Principal Lisa Bankshaw said as well as the chance to let their imaginations run wild, the event taught pupils the value of reading and the confidence to be creative.

A team of public health nurses, who were coincidentally at the school to provide HPV vaccinations, became the unwitting judges of the show.

Mrs Bradshaw said many of the children made their own costumes based on a large variety of books.

They were challenged to think of sustainable and recyclable ways to illustrate their chosen character, she said.

The school’s 48 pupils, along with staff, all dressed up.

Children in years 1 to 8 came as characters and creatures from Alice in Wonderland and Hairy Maclary and Friends among others.

Even characters from stories beyond the pages of a book, such as films Barbie and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, were thrown into the mix.

Harry Houdini nabbed first place, while Fantastic Mr Fox came in a close second.

Mrs Bradshaw said the children had knocked expectations out of the park.

"Next year I’m expecting even bigger and better things from these creative kids."