World Book Day 2025 is generating excitement across the UK with multiple initiatives and events celebrating the joy of reading. From Medway's libraries to McDonald's restaurants and East Riding Libraries, communities are poised to engage audiences of all ages with activities encouraging literacy and creativity.
Medway is set to ignite enthusiasm for reading with free events running from March 1st to March 15th. Although World Book Day officially falls on March 6th, Medway's celebration kicked off on March 1st, featuring storytimes, craft sessions, quizzes, treasure hunts, dress-up competitions, and family writing sessions. Families can enjoy creative writing sessions at Strood Community Hub on March 8th and Hempstead Library on March 15th from 11 AM to 12 PM, all without the need for prior booking.
The initiative is part of Medway’s commitment to fostering reading through its Child-Friendly Medway program, aptly named "For The Love Of Reading." This effort aims to inspire children and young people to develop lifelong reading habits. Local primary schools will also play their part by welcoming authors, poets, and illustrators to cultivate literature appreciation among younger audiences.
Cllr Nina Gurung, Medway's Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and Leisure, emphasized the importance of early reading, stating, "Encouraging people to read from a young age is so important. It is incredibly beneficial to a child’s development... the love of reading is something...that can enrich your whole life." Gurung encouraged families to visit local libraries to explore the world of books, even if they are not attending specific events.
Further north, Bolton is also getting involved. McDonald's has joined forces with the You Choose book series creators, Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt, to launch the You Choose Book Tour, visiting 118 locations throughout the country. The Bolton location at Knowsley Street will host the event on March 22, encouraging children to embrace reading by transforming the restaurant with You Choose-themed decorations.
Families are invited to participate actively by acting out storylines, engaging with characters, and receiving free copies of the You Choose book with their Happy Meals. The initiative aims to inspire creativity and shared reading for children of all ages. The event will run from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, and more details about the tour can be found on the Happy Meal website.
Meanwhile, East Riding Libraries is reinstilling their costume swap scheme just before World Book Day events. This initiative, running until March 17, allows children to donate costumes they've outgrown and take home “new to you” costumes, promoting recycling and community spirit. Participatory libraries include North Bridlington, Bridlington Central, Driffield Centre, and others across the East Riding area.
Tara Foxon, librarian with East Riding Libraries, remarked, "We know coming up with a costume each year can be...stressful, and carries...increasing costs, so we are really pleased to bring costume swap back for 2025. It’s amazing to see so many people interacting with our costume swap and we’re proud to offer options to families." This costume swap emphasizes community involvement, echoing the spirit of World Book Day.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure, and tourism, Councillor Nick Coultish, also voiced support, sharing, "Not only is it...a great way for families to save money...but recycling costumes is also...better for the environment." This approach allows families to celebrate World Book Day without financial strain, promoting reading for pleasure among children.
Children not attending school or without World Book Day vouchers can still receive free book vouchers from local East Riding libraries. With various celebrations and initiatives planned for World Book Day 2025, communities across the UK are uniting to celebrate literature's impact on young minds and the joy it brings to families.