Literacy Week is organised by the Ministry of Education and aims to improve the reading and writing skills of students throughout the Cook Islands.

New Zealand author David Riley was one of the week’s guests, as he travelled around Rarotonga talking to students at various schools about the importance of reading and writing.

Riley’s stories about New Zealand sports stars Joseph Parker, Sonny Bill Williams and Steven Adams were a particular hit with students.

At Tereora College on Thursday, students staged a school-wide mufti day to help raise funds to buy new books for their library.

The theme instructions were simple – dress up as your favourite literary character.

At the pupils’ first break for the day, those who took on the theme, took part in a competition, walking down a catwalk with the entire school supporting them from the sides.

Characters who braved the walk included Catwoman, Kung Fu Panda, Maleficent, the Joker and Pocahontas.

But the real highlight was teacher Selwyn Cleland, affectionately known around the school as “Superman”, jumping in on the action to reveal a Superman singlet underneath his work shirt.