What is World Book Day?

World Book Day is a global event designed to celebrate reading and inspire a love of books. While it is primarily celebrated in the UK and Ireland, the event has gained international recognition. The aim of World Book Day is to encourage children to discover the joys of reading by giving them the opportunity to receive a book of their own.

In the UK and Ireland, primary school children receive a £1 book token that can be exchanged for a book from a special World Book Day booklist, or used to get a discount on a full-price book. Many publishers release exclusive, limited-edition books for the event, making it even more special for young readers.

Throughout the UK and Ireland, schools, libraries, bookstores, and various organisations host a range of fun and engaging events to mark World Book Day. Activities include book readings, author visits, storytelling sessions, and much more, all designed to inspire young minds and celebrate the power of reading.

World Book Day Classroom Ideas

Looking for creative World Book Day activities for your classroom? Here are some fun ideas to help celebrate the day while encouraging literacy and creativity in your pupils:

• Research an Author’s Life and Works: Have pupils research an author’s life, work, and impact on literature. They can then present their findings, share favourite quotes, and recommend books by that author to the class.
• Book Character Profiles: Ask pupils to choose a favourite book character and create a detailed character profile. Include information about their appearance, personality, motivations, and the character’s development throughout the story.
• Book Cover Design: Pupils can design a new cover for a book they love or one they have written themselves using our World Book Day colouring sheets. This activity promotes creativity while celebrating the art of book design.
• Book Debates: Divide your class into small groups and assign each group a different book. Each group will then defend their book in a fun debate. You can even do this online using digital breakout rooms for a more interactive experience.
• Creative Writing: Inspire pupils to write their own short stories, poems, or comics. You can use our comic book template to encourage creativity. Consider running a writing competition with prizes, where pupils can share their works in class or online.
• Book-Based Scavenger Hunt: Organise a book-themed scavenger hunt using our book scavenger hunt activity. This is a fun way to get pupils engaged with books and reading.
• Role-Playing: Encourage pupils to act out scenes from their favourite books or create sketches based on characters and events in the stories they read.
• Reading Marathon: Organise a reading marathon, where pupils compete to read the most books within a set time. This can encourage reading for pleasure and build excitement around books.
• Book Review Display: Have pupils write book reviews and showcase them using our book review bunting. This is a great way to share reading experiences with others and celebrate pupils’ achievements.

When is World Book Day 2025?

World Book Day is celebrated annually on the first Thursday of March. In 2025, it will take place on March 6th. World Book Day is not only a celebration of books and reading but also an event that highlights the importance of authors, illustrators, and the creative process behind the stories we love. It’s celebrated in over 100 countries, making it the largest event of its kind worldwide.

On World Book Day, children are encouraged to dress up as their favourite book characters, and many schools and libraries host special events such as book readings, author visits, and storytelling sessions. It’s a wonderful opportunity to foster a lifelong love of reading and introduce young readers to new authors, stories, and ideas. Whether in the classroom or at home, World Book Day is the perfect time to inspire the next generation of readers.