Every year Book Aid International sends around half a million new books to libraries in sub-Saharan Africa. The books are donated by UK publishers and around two thirds are for children. Many of the children in these areas have never seen a book. Book Aid International is one of the partners of World Book Day and typifies the activities that World Book Day promotes.
World Book Day has been designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading. It is marked in over 100 countries around the globe and celebrated on March 3rd in the United Kingdom. Although in reality, like many charitable events that are marked by a single day, Wold Book Day activities continue throughout the whole year.
Of course the overall remit of World Book Day is to work with publishers, book sellers and interested parties to promote books and reading for the personal enrichment an enjoyment of all. There is a special focus on children, encouraging them to dress up on the day as their favourite book character. Children are also entitled to receive a World Book Day £1 book token that can be exchanged for one of ten specially produced books.
The full list of the books available is:
- Kipper’s Visitor by Mick Inkpen (hodder children’s books)
- Supertato: Hap-pea Ever After by Sue Hendra & Paul Linnet (simon & schuster children’s books) Daisy and the
- Trouble With Jack by Kes Gray & Nick Sharratt (red fox)
- The Great Mouse Plot by Roald Dahl & Quentin Blake (puffin)
- Welcome to the World of Norm by Jonathan Meres (orchard)
- Star Wars: Adventures in Wild Space by Cavan Scott (egmont)
- The Boy Who Could Do What He Liked by David Baddiel (harpercollins)
- Harper and the Sea of Secrets by Cerrie Burnell & Laura Ellen Anderson (scholastic)
- Spot the Di erence by James Dawson (hot key)
- Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (macmillan children’s books)
For organisations that want to promote the day a template press release has been produced. It provides an example of the information that can be included and should be used together with the extensive promotional material available n the World Book Day website.
