The four siblings have been volunteering over the past two school holiday breaks to help sort through books that will be up for sale at this year's Bookfest for Lifeline Newcastle and Hunter.

Thousands of books will be on offer, with all money raised to go towards Lifeline's telephone counselling training program, face-to-face counselling and suicide prevention services in the Newcastle and Hunter region.

Last year the region's book-lovers raised more than $26,000 for the programs.

Kymberlie, 11, Victoria, 11, Laura, 9, and Issabella, 7, said they were happy to give up their time to sort, clean and add price tags to the books, although they were easily distracted by some of their old favourites. These included Pig the Pug, Anne of Green Gables, Narnia and Wonderstruck.

This year children's books will cost 50 cents, while fiction and non-fiction books are $3 for soft covers and $4 for hard covers.

The books have been sorted into 60 categories, with massive collections of adult fiction, poetry books and large print books.

■ The Lifeline Newcastle and Hunter Annual Bookfest is on Saturday and Sunday, September 13 and 14, at Newcastle Basketball Stadium, Broadmeadow from 9am to 3pm. Lifeline is still calling for more books to be donated.