International Children’s Book Day

If you take a look at any calendar or diary, you may see that different literary events are marked. Coming up on the 2nd of April is International Children’s Book Day, and what better way to celebrate this than just before the Easter break! For well over 50 years, this has been recognised the world over.

The Hosting of International Children’s Book Day

Maybe you haven’t heard of International Children’s Book Day. Well, it takes place on 2 April (or close to this date), which happens to be the birth date of well-known children’s writer Hans Christian Andersen’s. It has been operating since 1967. Each year, a different country takes ownership for the sponsoring the day – and this year it is Greece’s turn. This chosen country decides on a theme and a well-known author delivers a message to the children of the world. The theme for 2023 is ‘I am a book, read me’ which acts as a key message for all young people. The prominent Greek author Vagelis Iliopoulos, along with illustrator Photini Stephanidi, are collaborating to promote the importance of reading to children the world over.

Suggestions For Reading

To celebrate this special event, you don’t have to do anything major. Just sitting and enjoying a book is enough – and what a great way to spend some time! We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to what to read. Meg Rosoff has written some superb books, and How I Live Now is a great one to start with. Similarly contemporary, but dealing with different issues, is John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. Angie Thomas’s books concern serious issues about race. Chris Vick is an author who has environmental concerns at the heart of his books. As you can see, this is just scratching the surface. Just visit any library or bookshop to see what is on offer.

So, make sure you spend some time reading on International Children’s Book Day 2023. Reading is a fantastic way of escaping – and you never know what sort of journey a book will take you on.

You can also find more on the day by visiting the International Children’s Book Day website here.