Storybook Festival At HCA

What is Storybook Festival?

Storybook Festival is an annual tradition designed to spark joy and imagination while celebrating the rich tradition of classic literature. With the help of our parents, our hallways are transformed into the whimsical worlds out of the pages of our favorite books. Students and teacher come to school dressed as characters from classic storybooks, experience beautiful read alouds, enjoy themed activities, and have snacks to set them in the worlds they read about. Students truly get to step inside the pages of their beloved stories on this special day.

Costume Guidelines

At Heritage Classical Academy, our celebrations center around our curriculum because it unites each of our students and families in the common pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. Storybook Festival is an opportunity for our students to enjoy a day spent in wonder and delight, while also playing a part in planting the seeds of a genuine love of reading and literature within their hearts. One of the most special elements of our storybook festival is allowing our students the opportunity to come to school in costume. When selecting and creating your child’s costume, it is important to keep several guidelines in mind to ensure that your child is able to fully participate in this special day in a safe and joyful fashion.  

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1. Choose a Character from Classic Literature

If you are unsure whether a character that has been selected is acceptable, please reach out to your child's teacher for guidance.

Examples Include:

Peter Rabbit, Paddington Bear, Stuart Little, Winnie-the-Pooh, Pinocchio, Charlotte’s Web, The Chronicles of Narnia, Little House on the Prairie, Greek or Roman Myths, an animal from Aesop’s Fables, fairy tales (not Disney), and Beatrix Potter.

2. Modesty, Comfort, and Ease of Use 

• Costumes should be neat, modest, and school-appropriate

• Costumes should allow students to participate in regular school activities (walking, running, writing, using the bathroom, playing) without difficulty
  

3. Stay True to the Book

• Costumes should reflect the literary version of a character whenever possible, rather than a movie adaptation 
  

Things to Avoid

• Superhero, video game, tv show, or movie character costumes

• Halloween-themed or scary costumes

• Costumes representing pop culture, celebrities, or bands

• Costumes containing inappropriate humor, violence, or immodesty of any kind 

Decoration Guidelines

Decorations for Storybook Festival help our students to be transported into the pages of their favorite stories. Each year our parents play a pivotal role in transforming the halls of our school with tasteful decorations. While themes may change as the school continues to grow there are few more enduring gifts than to give a thoughtful decoration that sparks joy in the hearts of our students for this year and Storybook Festivals to come.

Our teachers work with the Room Parent Liaisons (RPL) to form a plan for decorating sections of the hallway. Please follow the direction and guidance of the RPL in your child’s classroom to help bring Storybook Festival to life! If you have any questions about what decorations may be needed, please reach out to the RPL.

When creating decorations, we want to model after and be inspired by the illustrations that the students will recognize from the books. When seeking out inspiration, be cognizant of the possible differences between film adaptations and the illustrations that our students are becoming familiar with.

Little Sibling Read-Aloud 

Our Little Sibling Read-Aloud is a short and cheerful event which will feature a brief tour of the decorations, a read-aloud story by Ms. Lifsey, and a take-home activity bag for the fun to continue. This is a limited space event for younger siblings (ages 3 and 4 only) of students who currently attend Heritage Classical Academy. Siblings must be accompanied by one adult. Seats are first come, first served!