Happy World Book Day
Happy World Book Day
Happy World Book Day to everyone! – We all know that World Book Day is every day, but today is a special day as UNESCO has designated it a worldwide celebration of books and reading. It’s marked in over 100 countries around the world.
The charity World Book Day in the UK notes the following on its website:
World Book Day changes lives through a love of books and shared reading.
Our mission is to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.
Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success.
We want to see more children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a life-long habit of reading for pleasure and the improved life chances this brings them.
Children’s books on The BookTrail
How did I discover reading for pleasure?
My mum or dad read to me EVERY day, EVERY night when I was little. I remember these moments as some of the happiest in my life. Moments that were special, private, full of wonder and the chance to travel around the world from the comfort of your own bed.
My dad told me that if we read stories before bed, they would float around in my head when I was asleep and they would form my dreams. He was so right!
My dad read Around the World in 80 Days to me when I was very small. He did the voices, he told me about Passepartout who was French. We lost him far too young. He lives on in that story, those books he read and he’s the reason why I decided to learn French. He is the inspiration behind The BookTrail.
My mum would read to me and sometimes fall asleep before the end of the story. I never did find out the end of Billy Goats Gruff!
Children’s books on The BookTrail
I remember the pride I felt when I started to read out loud to my mum after school. She said she’d buy me another book as a treat….as long as I read it to her.
I was captivated by the Magic Faraway Tree and was always being rescued half way up trying to climb one.
I wouldn’t try porridge until mum gave me The Magic Porridge Pot. Clever woman.
When my brother picked on me, she gave me the book My Naughty Little Sister. Think it might have been her way of training me up haha.
When I was about 6, I thought the lovely warm airing cupboard would be a good place to read. I got stuck. Mum got me out but couldn’t stop laughing. Soon after, she gave me the book Forgetful Mog– think my mum was trying to tell me something.
Best one was when I went off to university and she gave me a book of Roald Dahl short stories and left a little note with a winky face on one page – just before the story called The Landlady....haha. No spoilers but you do not want to end up in THIS landlady’s establishment! Think she had just as dark a sense of humour as Roald Dahl himself…
Books lead to adventures and lots of wonderful memories.
Susan x
Reading is fun, relaxing and a secret way for mothers to teach you things it would seem….
