We all know just how important reading is for kids' development, so news that ONE MILLION books are to be given away for free to mark World Book Day next March is truly welcome!
To help celebrate its 20th anniversary on Thursday, 2nd March 2017, World Book Day UK and Ireland has announced that they have recruited “national treasures” including Judi Curtin, David Walliams, Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Julia Donaldson to help it reach more children and young people than ever.
Look who's arrived at @WaterstonesPicc to celebrate her spanking new book for #WorldBookDay20 pic.twitter.com/6pFNG0pvte
— World Book Day UK (@WorldBookDayUK) September 9, 2016
These authors will each contribute an official World Book Day €1.50 book, which children can get for free in exchange for the World Book Day book token available to all schoolchildren in the UK and Ireland which will be handed out from January 2017.
Over the past 19 years, World Book Day has delivered 13 million books into the hands of young people - this year, 789,738 books were given away but they plan to increase this number to one million across both the UK and Ireland next year.
“One out of every ten children in Ireland still leave their primary school with serious literacy difficulties, and in disadvantaged areas this can be as high as one in three," Bob Johnston, co-ordinator of the World Book Day Ireland committee, said.
"World Book Day is a wonderful positive campaign to highlight books and reading and it’s wonderful to see that on its 20th Anniversary it continues to grow and encourage children to enjoy stories."
A room full of talent! Our #WorldBookDay20 superheroes @LizPichon @sbutlerbooks @simon_francesca @FansofJWilson pic.twitter.com/6rA6Aswg3m
— World Book Day UK (@WorldBookDayUK) September 9, 2016
There will be ten official World Book Day €1.50 books made available, and they will cater for all ages from pre-school right through to young adults.