PUPILS at a Forest school were presented with a ‘shelfie’ challenge as part of World Book Day as children – and staff – across the district and Wye Valley dressed up as their favourite fictional characters for the annual celebration of reading.

Students at the Dean Academy in Lydney took on the shelfie poser – trying to guess the identities of teachers based on pictures of their bookshelves.

Other activities at the school included each department taking on a literary theme with the world affairs faculty becoming George Orwell’s nightmarish 1984 – complete with the infamous room 101, thought police and even a live rat.

Students also had to identify the characters and authors represented by the staff for a quiz and the whole school was treated to a special ‘read along’ story with instalments throughout the day.

The academy’s director of communications, Victoria Pearce, director of communications at the academy, said: “The atmosphere was fantastic and it was lovely to hear students discussing such a wide range of books throughout the day.

It certainly stimulated conversation, especially the world affairs faculty which was transformed into George Orwell’s 1984.

At English Bicknor Church of England Primary School, reception and Year One pupils made superhero vegetables to appear in their own stories inspired by the Supertato and The Evil Pea books by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet.

Children from Bicknor Bears nursery also joined in the fun with pupils at the primary school.

•See this week’s Review for more photographs.