World Book Day 2024! An amazing day that changes lives through a love of books and readingThe main purpose of World Book Day is to provide every child and young person in the country with a book of their own. It is actually celebrated across the world on the 23rd April which is the designated day by UNESCO but in the UK, the day is recognised on the first Thursday in March, and in 2024 this is 7th March!
Over 50 million World Book Day book tokens will be given to children and young people! All you have to do is take your voucher to your local bookshop and swap it for one of the TWELVE exclusive, new and completely free World Book Day books. If you have another favourite in mind, you can use your token to get £1 off any full price book instead.
Lots of schools and nurseries get involved with World Book Day, giving both children and staff the opportunity to dress up as their favourite book character. We know this can be stressful so check out our blog on Easy World Book Day costumes to help inspire your in a cost effective and sustainable way.
Simply, because reading is awesome. It is an all encompassing activity with benefits for everyone. Starting with our littlest babies, reading aloud to our babies helps them stimulate brain development, is a wonderful audio sensory activity to share but also builds a familiarity and special bond between the baby and their caregiver.
As your baby grows, continuing to read will help develop a love of reading while they explore and develop the vocabulary they understand and will go on to speak. The bond between baby and the reader will grow, developing trust and reassurance.
Toddlers and Preschoolers will love exploring books with you. Building their language and creativity, exploring the world from an armchair. They will learn to listen and understand while continuing to foster a secure relationships. Often creating a designated time for calm and relaxed behaviour.
School aged children will start learning to read themselves, they all learn at their own pace, so do your best not to compare. Starting with recognising letters and phonics, joining them up to form words and sentences. Reading will help you child increase their concentration, increase their language and confidence to use their words, exercise their brains while also offering an escape and relaxing time when needed.
Although your child can read to themselves, you don’t need to stop sharing in their reading time. Shared reading time helps promote wonderful relationships, opportunities to talk and discuss and learn from each other. We truly believe the opportunity to read and own books is a gift.
Darling Reads in Horbury will be accepting World Book Day tokens and e-tokens so just drop in to buy your book! Check their website for a special World Book Day reading and craft session with an author and illustrator.
For more participating book shops click here
The £1 World Book Day books are also available in braille, large print & audio via Guide Dogs, NCBI, RNIB and Calibre Audio. If you require one of these formats, you can find out how to order these HERE,
World Book Day have some great stories you can discover divided by age group (see below) and also themes such as animals, poetry, tales of adventure or books that make you laugh out loud which are divided into beginner, early, fluent & independent readers (click here).
Top 25 Picture Books (not in any order)
Top 25 books for 5 – 8 year olds (not in any order)
Top 25 books for 9 – 12 year olds (not in any order)
Top 25 books for Teens (not in any order)
All images from World Book Day
