World Book Day

Today marks World Book Day, a truly global celebration of books and reading. For my part I've donated over a dozen books to the local libraries, and I'll be vesting Waterstones (if it's still there) and buying several books as gifts for friends and family. However different countries celebrate the World Book Day on different days, which can be confusing but today Thursday 3rd March 2011 is officially the UK's World Book Day.

Hey, it's World Book Day so get in the groove.

World Book events in previous years have seen a large increase of books sold on the day and this year should be even better - I know of several schools in my area that are holding special books themed events today.

World Book Day was designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. The origins of the day we now celebrate in the UK and Ireland come from Catalonia, where roses and books were given as gifts to loved ones on St. George’s Day – a tradition started over 90 years ago. For international information about World Book Day, please click here.

World Book Day 2011 in the UK and Ireland will take place on Thursday 3rd March. Please note that this date applies to the UK and Ireland only. The initiative is so well established in schools here that we want to make sure that the Day happens in term time to really make the most of this opportunity to celebrate books and reading. Most other countries hold World Book Day on 23rd April every year.

World Book Day is a partnership of publishers, booksellers and interested parties who work together to promote books and reading for the personal enrichment and enjoyment of all.
A main aim of World Book Day in the UK and Ireland is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own. To support this aim, a Schools’ Pack full of ideas and activities, display material and more information about how to get involved in World Book Day will be mailed to schools (including those secondary schools that have specially registered to participate) from mid-January 2011. Most of the traditional pack material will migrate online in 2011 – please register to access the new World Book Day Portal, which will be ready for use in January 2011. Registered pre-schools will also receive material around the same time. In the Events section you can see the range of activities and events organised by thousands of people around the country, many of which you can attend. Over the years our activity has been extended to cover both avid and emergent adult readers. Quick Reads are great stories from great writers and are great entertainment.

Thanks to the generosity of National Book Tokens Ltd and numerous participating booksellers, school children are entitled to receive a World Book Day £1 Book Token (or equivalent €1.50 Book Token in Ireland). The Book Token can be exchanged for one of the six specially published World Book Day £1 Books (where stocked and while stocks last), or is redeemable against any book or audiobook of their choice at a participating bookshop or book club (terms and conditions apply).


Right across the UK events will be held:

www.worldbookday.com

- Children's animation 'Eleanor's Secret' will be shown in special screenings in Bath, London, York, Exeter, Stratford and Liverpool. Visit the website for more details of screen times and prices.

- Primary School children in Wales will be performing the Revolting Rhymes after working with poets and drama students to write and perform their own takes on the Road Dahl classics. Wales Millennium Centre – 1pm (029 2063 6464).

- Dr Jonathan Faiers, author and book-buyer for the V & A, gives a lecture: ‘Book Buying in the 21st Century’. V& A Reading Rooms (020 7942 2696 – Booking essential)

- Birmingham is holding a 'Human Library' event where visitors can meet 'people on loan', a group of people who differ widely in age, sex and cultural diversity. Birmingham Central Library. (07876 295 039)

The Irish Writer's Centre celebrates World Book Day with events including a free creative writing session led by Andrew McEneff, lunchtime poetry readings with acclaimed poets, and a screening of James Joyce’s The Dead – Dublin (01-8721302).


- Shoreditch Library will be displaying popular books written in languages spoken by the ethnic minority community from around the area. Shoreditch Library, 9-5pm (020 8356 4350)
- Cambridge Scholar Claire Norman gives a lecture about libraries at Hackney Central Library, followed by ‘The Boscars’ book awards, with open mic recitals and readings. Hackney Central Library (020 8356 2542)

- Norway’s best-selling crime author Gunaar Staalesen visits Willesden Green Library, 7-9pm (020 8937 3400)
- Nottingham Library is holding a Big Book Swap to celebrate World Book Day. Nottingham Central Library, 12pm-2pm. (0115 915 2828)
- A creative story festival, The Big Write, starts at the Discover Story Centre on World Book Day (3-13 March), welcoming Michael Rosen and Rastamouse creator Michael de Souza, among others. Stratford (020 8536 5555).

- The shared reading event ‘Our Read’ will be held; 50,000 free copies of ‘The Unforgotten Coat’ by award-winning author Frank Cottrell will be distributed across the UK. To find out where, visit the Our Read website.

- The Roald Dahl museum is holding an after-school party for children and families to join in with games, story-telling and crafts. Buckinghamshire, 3.30-5pm. (01494 892192)
- The Scottish Book Trust will run a ‘Meet Eoin Colfer’ event, with the Artemis Fowl author broadcast live over the internet (11am).