With the UK’s largest annual celebration of reading for pleasure approaching, it’s a good time to reflect on the importance of books and the part they play in schools, education and literacy.
On March 5th, thousands of children and families will be celebrating books and reading on World Book Day.
This year, the charity behind the biggest celebration of books and reading is calling on everyone in the UK and Ireland to share stories for 10 minutes a day in schools, libraries, bookshops, at home, everywhere and anywhere, to Share a Million Stories together through World Book Day month (27 February-29 March).
In support of this, World of Books’ Big Book Giveaway aims to ensure that even more children are able to share the love of reading. Thousands of used books will be delivered to ~200 schools throughout the UK. This is just one of the initiatives planned to meet their pledge of donating 1 million books to good causes by the end of 2020.
Amy Greenacre, Head of Brand and Impact: ‘Books are more than paper and ink, the stories and knowledge they contain is critical to individual development, economic development, community and emotional well-being. We want to ensure that as many children as possible have the opportunity to experience this, with a book in their hand this World Book Day.’
World of Books donations are being made at a time when schools are under pressure from funding and resource cuts. The National Literacy Trust cites that 1 in 11 disadvantaged children in the UK don’t have a book of their own and the OECD indicates that teenage literacy rates in England are some of the lowest in the developed world. The World Literacy Foundation also report that 25% of British children aged 5 years struggle with basic vocabulary.
ENDS
Amy Greenacre, Head of Brand & Impact at World of Books, can be contacted for comment [email protected] | D: +44(0) 1903 708103
Notes for Editors
About World of Books
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About World Book Day
World Book Day is the registered charity behind the world’s biggest annual celebration of children’s books. It is dedicated to celebrating the benefits of reading for pleasure for everyone, everywhere – promoting the magic of books, the power of imagination and the importance of sharing stories. Designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, World Book Day is marked in over 100 countries around the globe.
It is sponsored by National Book Tokens and supported generously each year by the publishing industry, book trade, authors and illustrators. Every year, with a host of publishers and booksellers, World Book Day curates a list of bespoke £1 books for children and young people across the UK and Ireland. World Book Day’s mission is to encourage children and young people to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own.
To mark the day each year, children are welcomed into bookshops and supermarkets across the nation where they can redeem their £1 World Book Day book token (or equivalent €1.50 in Ireland) to redeem for a free World Book Day title or, if they prefer, they can use it to get £1 off any book or audiobook of their choice, costing £2.99 or more. The day also sees children bringing books to life through an array of organised events and activities in schools, bookshops, libraries and at home. worldbookday.com
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