You may notice something different about school aged children around England on 2nd March this year. Traditional uniforms will be left at home and replaced with colourful costumes imitating a beloved book or character. Why? It’s World Book Day! What better way to encourage children to read than by allowing them to step into the shoes (literally!) of a character from their favourite book for the day!
World Book Day is an annual event organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to promote reading and publishing by giving children vouchers to spend on books. The first World Book Day was celebrated on 23rd April 1995 (the anniversary of Shakespeare’s death) and continues to be celebrated around the world on this day.
So why am I talking about it in March? Well, the day was changed for the UK in 1998 to avoid conflicts with St. George’s Day as well as Easter school holidays.
As well as helping children to buy books, the day also celebrates the imaginative authors who shared their wonderful ideas with us, and for all the joy their books have brought us throughout generations.
To join the fun of World Book Day, staff of UKCE have shared their favourite books. Have you read them?
Beren is our Head of Business Development
Her favourite book is Sanditon by Jane Austin because ‘it gives me courage and reminds me of the life ahead whenever I feel despair’.
Federica is our Recruitment Co-ordinator
Her favourite book is called A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.
It’s her favourite book because ‘it’s a 1,300-page long story that I never stop wanting to read over and over. It kept me up for several nights and, although I read it some time ago, the pages are etched in my mind. The book is the perfect mix of love, friendship, suffering and happiness’.
Laura is our Head of Operations
Her favourite book is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
She describes it as poignant, bold and beautiful and says it is her favourite book because ‘every time I read it; it teaches me something new. It's a fairly easy read for non-native speakers too. Read it and meet Scout, Boo, and Atticus Finch, the greatest hero in American literature ;)
Neil is our Chief Executive
His favourite book is Troubles by J.G.Farrell.
‘Ostensibly the plot deals with the dilapidation of a once grand hotel in Ireland in the 1920s and the conflict that arises at the end of British rule, but it is really a metaphor for the end of all empires and how things fall apart through accident rather than design’.
He says it’s his favourite book because ‘the writing is simply beautiful and the characters rich without being overworked’.
AJ Davis is our Remote Centre Manager
His favourite book is Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall. He describes it as ‘a fascinating look at how the world map dictates our lives more than you think’.
Emily is our Student Support Officer and our IELTS Teacher
Her favourite book is The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. She describes it as ’really beautifully written and a fascinating story. It is set between Mexico and the US and includes lot of historical figures, political and artistic’.
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