16th - 22nd Harmony Week 21st March Harmony Day

Harmony Day is celebrated annually in Australia on 21st March to coincide with the 

UN's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It celebrates Australia's cultural diversity under the theme "Everyone Belongs," promoting inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for all, often marked by wearing orange. In 2026, the week-long celebration, Harmony Week, runs from 16-22 March.

At school I am often asked to set up a display of books in the school foyer that focus on diversity, inclusion and racism, but this year I thought I might do an 'orange' display in the library. Last week while browsing in the art gallery bookshop I saw this new book by a favourite illustrator, Julie Morstad.

I stood there and skim read it. I was not disappointed. Everything 'orange' is included here. Here's the blurb:

Look closely. The color orange is all around you, not only in the natural world—from fruit and foxes to minerals and mushrooms—but in the human-engineered world, too, from works of art to religious ceremonies to astronaut survival suits. Ranging through time and circumnavigating the globe, witty stream-of-consciousness text and jaunty illustrations explore color through surprising social, historical, cultural, and artistic lenses. With more than thirty vivid examples and a gentle introduction to color theory, this eye-opening voyage into the heart of orange is a clever appeal to experience other colors—and the world at large—with an open and expansive mind.

I immediately started to think about where it would fit in the library. I thought about how we had had displays before that focus on colours ...green in time for St Patrick's Day; purple to coincide with wearing purple for Epilepsy Day etc and then thought about how Harmony Day is coming up and how the students are sometimes asked to wear orange coloured clothes.

A quick look in the catalogue told me we had these books:

And then I will add to it by collecting 'orange' books because there are so many...just an example...

4th May Orange Juice Day

Wow! A day to celebrate the most popular breakfast drink! Nothing is nicer than freshly squeezed orange juice.

Can we celebrate this day with books? Of course. Here's three to start with

You might just have to look for books now that have 'orange' in the title.

This is coming soon. Now wander round the library and take off the books which have very orange covers, like Found and 1,2,3 to the Zoo and put them on display too. My students always comment when the display is based on a colour!

12th November WOW (Wear Orange Wednesday)

It is Wear Orange Wednesday in celebration of everything the SES (State Emergency Services) do to help those in need. The children I teach have probably had little to do with the SES, but I thought it a good excuse to look for ways of celebrating 'orange' through books. This is what I found:

• The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Pinkwater is an oldie but goodie that explores the themes of creativity and individuality.
• An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco is perfect for this time of year as it is a Christmas story based on the traditions of Polacco's own family.
• Otto's Orange Day by Jay Lynch is one of the very popular titles from the Toon series of books.
• It's an Orange Aardvark by Michael Hall. A fabulous new book, it explores colour, has great holes and lends itself to lots of creative fun.
• Big Wolf and Little Wolf, Such a Beautiful Orange by Nadine Brun-Cosme. One in a series of three books about a great friendship between two wolves who share adventures.
• Once Upon an Alphabet, Short stories for all the letters by Oliver Jeffers. This is not about anything orange, but it has a spectacular orange cover and it is an absolute wonder.