A Celebration of Reading and Teamwork!

We are delighted to share that Holy Cross proudly participated in the 2025 Year 5 & 6 Readers Cup—an inspiring event that brings together young readers from across Far North Queensland. This exciting literary competition, the largest north of Brisbane, saw 40 teams from as far as Thursday Island, Innisfail, and the Tablelands gather at Edge Hill State School with teams from Cairns. That’s 160 passionate readers competing and connecting through their shared love of books!

Our team of four enthusiastic students, Niamh J, Talei H, Emily P and Rose B represented Holy Cross with dedication and spirit. Over the past few months, they’ve been reading and discussing five selected titles, preparing for the big day. Their hard work and teamwork paid off on Thursday, with the team placing 14th out of 40—a fantastic achievement!

The Heart of the Competition

While the thrill of competition adds excitement, the true essence of the Readers Cup lies in the joy of reading and the power of collaboration. Every student who participated is a winner for embracing new stories, sharing ideas, and growing as a reader and teammate.

We’re incredibly proud of our students and look forward to seeing their love of reading continue to flourish. Thank you for encouraging and supporting your child on this literary journey!

2025 Book List

Looking for some great reads over the holidays? Here are the five titles selected by experienced Teacher Librarians for this year’s Readers Cup:

• The Kindness Project by Deborah Abela (verse novel)
• Tweet by Morris Gleitzman
• August and Jones by Pip Harry
• The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
• Deadlands: Hunted by Skye Melki-Wegner

Reading these books together can be a wonderful way to connect with your child and helps deepen comprehension.

What Our Team Had to Say

“I loved reading new books and discovering titles I wouldn’t have chosen myself.”
“Talking about books with others is fun.”
“I was surprised that verse novels can create so much emotion.”
“I had to be persistent and resilient reading a book I wasn’t really interested in.”
“Readers Cup has the best things: books, new friends, and fun times.”