Students at Cambridge School of Bucharest enjoyed their first in-person, week-long celebration of literacy and reading during its annual CSB Book Week after two years of hybrid teaching. 

Thankful to be back on campus, students also benefitted from a book fair hosted by the much beloved Carturesti, which provided students with hundreds of English-language titles to choose from. Parents and students were invited to peruse and purchase new books, which was a major success with retailer’s racing to re-stock each day.

The whole Cambridge School of Bucharest student community was involved, with secondary students choosing their most treasured book to read to primary students to help promote and share their joy of reading for pleasure.

The week ended with a book swap where students brought in used English books from home that they no longer wanted and had the opportunity to swap these books with other students.

The peak of the week was the fancy dress parade when students came to school dressed as their favourite characters from literature. Students and staff paraded through the school campus to show-off their costumes to the whole community.

Ellis Goldney, Head of English at CSB, put the significance of the Book Fair into context:

‘The book fair brings the magical experience of being in a bookshop to the school. The beautiful cover designs, the weight and feel of the paper, and the chance to dip into the first few pages allow students to be gripped in a way that online bookshops simply can't provide.

Physical books are as important now as ever. In an age when most adults and young people are reading articles of only a few hundred words or watching short videos, books allow us to spend hours exploring ideas and stories, learning from experts and master storytellers.’

This week gave CSB a much valued opportunity to come together and access books to develop students’ home libraries and to demonstrate that reading is a family event.

Sentiments that are echoed by Heath Renfroe, Deputy School Director at CSB:

‘It's fantastic that young people have access to the world's literature with just a few clicks, but nothing really compares to picking up a book, thumbing through its pages, and really considering if you'd like to spend time with that story. I think we will always be drawn to the feeling of fresh pages, the weight of a book in our bags, and the satisfaction of seeing an old favourite on our shelves at home. 

Traditionally, the local bookstore has been a cornerstone of any community, so having a book fair in our halls brings a little of that magic to our campus.  It is wonderful to see families picking out books together and to see teachers recommending authors and titles to our young readers. This type of event fits in nicely with the community spirit we are so proud of at CSB.’ 

Becky Roberts, CSB’s Student Union Coordinator, summed up the impact that the book fair has on the CSB community:

‘With a book in our hands we're never lonely and as much as technology brings us together across distance it can never replace the companionship our favourite characters can bring.

CSB's book fair not only gave our students the chance to discover a new adventure, but the buzz the books have generated around the campus has been audible. Older students recommending books to the younger ones and teachers talking about the books they have enjoyed. It also gave the whole CSB community the chance to be together as parents attended during the afternoon and purchased old memories and new to share with their children. A community that reads together definitely grows together.’