With World book day approaching, many students and teachers are looking for costumes, inspiration, or simply, just a good time with friends. Well, what exactly is World book day and how did it come about?

World book day is an annual celebration where books, authors, illustrators, and reading are celebrated worldwide. According to the World Book Day Website, the goal of World book day is as follows:

‘Our mission is to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.’

It was established by UNESCO on the 23rd of April 1995 and is observed in over 100 countries. The first World book Day in the UK and Ireland took place in 1997 and since then, it has earned its place as one of the most beloved school events in students’ hearts. It is filled with fun events, the most popular being dressing up as a favourite character. Dressing up is a popular way to encourage children to engage with reading. It provokes questions to be asked, such as sharing reading recommendations, learning about other cultures literature, and most importantly it can help create fun and excitement around reading.

Sometime around the date, through schools, nurseries, magazines and other outlets, 50 million £1/€1.50 tokens are handed to children and young people before World Book Day so they can either purchase a free children’s book or get £1/€1.50 off their next book purchase.

 

Fun Facts:

  • Reading before the age of five is an early indicator of a child's intellect/IQ. Researchers have shown that early readers can show increased problem-solving skills, creativity, and even leadership later on in life.
  • Reading helps in reducing stress levels.
  • Reading for 6 minutes every day can enhance your quality of sleep, reduce stress, and sharpen mental acuity.
  • Reading strengthens the pathways of our brains, while decreasing heart rate and blood pressure