International Children's Book Day (02 April 2021)

International Children's Book Day 2021 

What is International Children’s Book Day?

First celebrated in 1967, International Children’s Book Day is held on the 2nd of April every year to promote children’s reading and books. Organised by IBBY (The International Board on Books for Young People), different National sponsors are chosen each year to represent Children’s Book Day internationally.

Representatives from the chosen country - usually including a renowned author - choose a theme and create messages to send to the world. The date of the event signifies the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen: the renowned Danish author responsible for such well-known stories as ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’, ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘The Ugly Duckling’.

Why do we celebrate International Children's Book Day?

International Children's Book Day is designed to promote a love of reading in young people and emphasise the importance of books.

How do you celebrate International Children's Book Day?

While special events and book readings are held by IBBY around the globe in celebration of International Children’s Book Day, in reality, all you need to celebrate the day is a good old-fashioned story. You could introduce different folktales from all over the world, marveling at the differences and similarities among them. You could schedule storytelling activities based on beloved children's books. Maybe there's a class favorite you could even dramatize. Or, for older children, you could hold reading and creative writing workshops. You could even study the life of author and poet, Hans Christian Andersen on this day - talk about his work, choose a favourite and enjoy the story.

Schools and libraries also accept book donations on Children’s Book Day in an attempt to further enhance children’s reading opportunities. There is no better opportunity to discuss literacy, reading or a specific book with your children!

Benefits of International Children’s Book Day:

The benefits of taking part in International Children’s Book Day are synonymous with the benefits of reading as a whole. Some of them include:

• Brain exercise - reading engages and exercises the brain, helping it to better make neural connections.
• Vocabulary improvement - the amount of terminology that a child uses and possesses can increase with regular reading.
• Empathy and imagination - reading opens children up to new horizons, helping them think outside the box and engage with the outside world in ways they had not done previously.
• Morale improvement - it should not be forgotten that reading is fun! Taking part in it will boost a child’s morale and uplift their mood.

International Children’s Book Day Resources:

To get children in the spirit of things, why not try the resources we have available on the website? We have a collection of activities and resources devoted to  International Children's Book Day that will have your students all set for celebrating an exciting day!

You could get your students moving with this Scavenger Hunt. Who said appreciating books means you have to stay in one corner of the classroom and not move a muscle? 

Maybe you could spark their imagination, help them get to know themselves and nurture their self-esteem by asking them questions about the things they like. If so, our Top 5s Activity would be perfect for you. 

Perhaps you're creating a book display, or you're quite simply in a decorative mood. In that case, you'll enjoy our Children's Book Day Banner. 

If you want something a bit more hands-off for you but is still educational and fun, why not let your children watch our video below and then engage in the discussion afterward?