Did you know that April 23rd is World Book Day?
It’s a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and (most importantly) it’s a celebration of reading. In fact, it’s the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world. ~World Book Day
It’s like the world hears all of our birthday wishes and wishes-upon-a-star! BOOK celebrations everywhere! Party on, Bibliophiles!
Also known as International Day of the Book, this is an annual event celebrated every April 23rd since 1995. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organized the affair, using it to promote reading, publishing, and copyright.
I love that!
Just to be quirky, the folks in the United Kingdom celebrate on the first Thursday in March. ?
The Low-down on World Book Day
I love finding out about stuff. When I was little and read something I didn’t know or understand, I would ask my mother. I’m not sure if it was an insidious plot to get me to leave her alone or if it was pure genius for waking my curiosity. Whatever the motivation, she would always tell me to go look it up.
The real problem with this was that I would get so distracted by all the other amazing things in the dictionary and/or encyclopedia (yeah, back in the dinosaur age) that I would forget what I was there for!
I did that today, too. Don’t tell anyone that my search for information about World Book Day led me from Wikipedia to IMDB dot com to today’s movie schedule for the local theater. And a site for soundtrack music. And do not ask how I ended up looking at fantasy cartography on Pinterest.
Just don’t.
So…
Miguel de Cervantes, by Frederick Mackenzie
In 1923 Valencian writer Vicente Clavel Andrés originally came up with the idea—and the day—as a way to honor Miguel de Cervantes, who died on this date in 1616. (Have you read Don Quixote? I haven’t; should I? Touted as “one of the most influential works of literature from the Spanish Golden Age,” I feel guilty to have neglected a book of such value. Does it count if I love the word quixotic?)
UNESCO decided in 1995 that April 23rd would make a good ‘World Book and Copyright Day.’ Coincidentally, that is the death date of such luminaries as William Shakespeare, P.L. Travers (The author of the Mary Poppins novels) and William Wordsworth.
Festivities Phase Two!
It turns out that Amazon is celebrating World Book Day—And well they should! Here on their website they list some places you can donate, encourage you to choose one of them to support AmazonSmile, and offer a fun way to participate:
Whether you cherish story time with your kids, read for some blissfully needed alone time (or both!), share your #LoveToRead moments on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Easy and fun!
In another happy coincidence, author Brian Ference and the Epic Worlds authors have rounded up a generous list of goodies. Available on Instafreebie, you’ll find books, novellas, short stories, and samples for your reading pleasure. You’ll want to check it out—there are a ton of new books!
Game on!
What’s your #LoveToRead moment?