Update: 135 schools are currently waiting for a Funding Partner. Be the reason these tamariki fall in love with reading.
There is something special about seeing an entire school community come together to celebrate books.
During 2026 Government Book Week, schools across Aotearoa welcomed local MPs, mayors and community leaders to help present Duffy books to students and celebrate the joy of reading.
These visits are about much more than handing out books. They give tamariki the opportunity to see that their community believes in them, values their learning, and supports their future.
Every Duffy book a child takes home is another step towards building a home library. It’s another story to read with whānau, another chance to build confidence, and another opportunity to discover where reading can take them.
We would like to thank the Ministry of Education for its ongoing support in fully funding Book Offer 2 as part of 2026 Government Book Week, ensuring thousands of children across Aotearoa could once again choose books to call their own.
Highlights from 2026 Government Book Week
From Northland to Southland, schools embraced 2026 Government Book Week with enthusiasm, welcoming special guests from their local communities to share in the celebrations.
Among those joining schools were:
Schools across the country also celebrated with their Funding Partners and local communities, recognising the people and organisations who help make the Duffy programme possible.
Every visit reinforced an important message for tamariki: reading matters, and their community is behind them.
Thank you for sharing Your 2026 Government Book Week Celebrations
We loved seeing the photos and hearing about the different ways schools celebrated 2026 Government Book Week.
Whether it was welcoming a local MP, inviting a mayor to read with students, or simply celebrating the arrival of new books, every school helped create a memorable experience for its tamariki.
Thank you to everyone who shared your photos with us. Your celebrations remind us that when schools, communities, Funding Partners and government work together, we can help more children discover the confidence and opportunities that begin with owning books.
We can’t wait to see what next year’s celebrations bring!
Thank You to Our Funding Partners
Government Book Week is only possible because of the generous support of our Funding Partners, who work alongside schools to help put real books into the hands of tamariki.
We would like to acknowledge and thank the Funding Partners supporting the schools featured in this article:
- Rawhitiroa School – The Chaston-Huggins Family
- Westport South School – Westpac New Zealand, Westport
- Otewa School – Westpac New Zealand, Te Awamutu
Could you help support another school?
Several of the schools featured are currently looking for a Funding Partner. By sponsoring a school, you’ll help provide books that children can take home and keep, while also supporting programmes like Duffy Role Models, Duffy Theatre and Duffy Champion Awards.
Current opportunities include:
- Carlton School – estimated annual partnership of $3,723
- Beach Haven School – estimated annual partnership of $7,120
- Westown School – estimated annual partnership of $2,403
If you’d like to help create more moments like these, we would love to hear from you.