Yorkshire

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="956" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-teenager-reading-seven-shooter-hPKTYwJ4FUo-unsplash.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1.jpg" alt="World Book Day teenager reading book" class="wp-image-2300" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-teenager-reading-seven-shooter-hPKTYwJ4FUo-unsplash.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-teenager-reading-seven-shooter-hPKTYwJ4FUo-unsplash.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-300x191.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-teenager-reading-seven-shooter-hPKTYwJ4FUo-unsplash.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-1024x653.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-teenager-reading-seven-shooter-hPKTYwJ4FUo-unsplash.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-768x489.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Want your kids to read more? Of course you do. <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Book Day 2025</a> on 6 March is an annual celebration of authors, illustrators and the joy of literature. With events and freebies, it’s a great time to encourage your children (and yourself!) to get offline and get stuck into a good yarn. 



This year&#8217;s event is all about reading for pleasure. The theme is Read Your Way, with parents encouraged to allow children to choose books that appeal to them and read them when they like without judgment. Reading can feel like work sometimes – this is a chance to unleash the fun.



The World Book Day charity aims to ensure that every child and young person has the chance to own a book of their own. So each year they issue £1 book tokens to registered schools and libraries to distribute among children. This year McDonald’s has got in on the act and will be giving away £1 book tokens with their Happy Meals (much more appetising than plastic toys).



A selection of £1 books are available to buy until 23 Mar at <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/books-and-tokens/books/participating-retailers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">participating retailers</a>, including independent booksellers (see below for Yorkshire indies), high street stationers and supermarkets. New books on this year’s list suit all levels from early to fluent readers.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1148" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1000-x-1148-Barbaras-Very-Useful-Guide-To-Moods-Front-Cover-892x1024-1.jpg" alt="World Book Day Guide to Moods " class="wp-image-2301" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1000-x-1148-Barbaras-Very-Useful-Guide-To-Moods-Front-Cover-892x1024-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1000-x-1148-Barbaras-Very-Useful-Guide-To-Moods-Front-Cover-892x1024-1-261x300.jpg 261w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1000-x-1148-Barbaras-Very-Useful-Guide-To-Moods-Front-Cover-892x1024-1-892x1024.jpg 892w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1000-x-1148-Barbaras-Very-Useful-Guide-To-Moods-Front-Cover-892x1024-1-768x882.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Some of our favourites include <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/book/barbaras-very-useful-guide-to-moods/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Barbara’s Very Useful Guide to Moods</a> (Puffin) by Nadia Shareen, a must-read for every girl to understand big emotions; <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/book/all-poems-aloud/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">All Poems Aloud</a> (Quarto) by former Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho, which you can whisper, laugh or shout about; and the hilarious <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/book/the-fart-that-broke-world-book-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Fart That Broke World Book Day</a> (Scholastic) by comedian/actor Stephen Mangan, with illustrations by his talented sister Anita (you may have seen them together on Channel 4’s Celebrity Gogglebox).



Here are tips and events on how families can share the joy of reading and story telling together on and beyond World Book Day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dressing-up">Dressing up</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="956" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x956-astronaut-int._womens_day.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1.jpg" alt="World Book Day astronaut costume" class="wp-image-2302" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x956-astronaut-int._womens_day.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x956-astronaut-int._womens_day.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-300x191.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x956-astronaut-int._womens_day.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-1024x653.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x956-astronaut-int._womens_day.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-768x489.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



There&#8217;s nothing like dressing up to get your kid excited about their favourite literary character, from an astronaut or Harry Potter to Paddington Bear or Pikachu. World Book Day has are lots of <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/resource/dressing-up-ideas-for-parents/">pocket-friendly ideas</a> and you don&#8217;t need to go full Lady Gaga. Simple ideas can be to create your own All Poems Aloud megaphone, design an animal tail or a Pokémon headband. Some schools encourage dressing up for World Book Day, though best check first!



<a href="https://www.parentkind.org.uk/#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rubies Masquerade</a>, the renowned global costume manufacturer, is the official dress-up partner for World Book Day 2025. As part of an All Dressed Up donation scheme, Rubies, in partnership with <a href="https://www.parentkind.org.uk/#">Parentkind</a>, will donate 100,000 costumes to children in deprived areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-must-read">Must read</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="954" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-994-Words-for-Life-girl-pointing-on-alphabets-3662805.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1.jpg" alt="World Book Day child reading letters" class="wp-image-2304" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-994-Words-for-Life-girl-pointing-on-alphabets-3662805.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-994-Words-for-Life-girl-pointing-on-alphabets-3662805.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-300x191.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-994-Words-for-Life-girl-pointing-on-alphabets-3662805.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-1024x651.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-994-Words-for-Life-girl-pointing-on-alphabets-3662805.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-768x488.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Finding time each day to look at a book is good not just for your child’s development, but to give you precious moments to bond and interact. We all know how busy family life can be, but quiet time flicking through pages can help them to concentrate and learn words – and lower your blood pressure!



Touch and feel, lift the flap and picture books with sound can make the experience more interactive – or let your child hold the book and turn the pages as you read, perhaps making animal noises or using different voices for each character. Sharing a book together in an unexpected place also adds to the excitement and children will begin to think of books as adventures. Perhaps read together in a den, treehouse or out on a picnic. Building story time into daily routine can be a great tool for letting them know it’s time to wind down, like just before afternoon naps or bedtime.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-visit-the-library">Visit the library</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="956" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-National-Literary-Trust-Peek_a_boo_book.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1.jpg" alt="World Book Day storytelling" class="wp-image-2305" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-National-Literary-Trust-Peek_a_boo_book.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-National-Literary-Trust-Peek_a_boo_book.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-300x191.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-National-Literary-Trust-Peek_a_boo_book.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-1024x653.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-956-National-Literary-Trust-Peek_a_boo_book.2e16d0ba.fill-728x464-1-768x489.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Libraries are welcoming and fun places to spend time with your child whatever the weather – and they&#8217;re free! You can borrow a wide range of books for your kids at zero cost. Just remember to bring them back on time! Staff will be delighted to suggest books and there are often storytelling sessions or activity workshops to entertain children. You might even get a 10-minute break to browse the shelves yourself!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-story">What&#8217;s the story?</h2>



<a href="https://libraries.leeds.gov.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leeds Libraries</a> are holding their inaugural <a href="https://www.leedsinspired.co.uk/collection/leeds-storytelling-festival" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leeds Storytelling Festival</a>, in partnership with <a href="https://www.wrongsemble.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wrongsemble</a> and <a href="https://livewirepoetry.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LIVEwire Poetry</a>, until 8 Mar, which neatly incorporates both World Book Day (6 Mar) and International Women’s Day (8 Mar). Designed especially for families and children, the festival aims to spark imaginations and bring communities together through the transformative power of stories.



The exciting line-up includes a special appearance by Kate Pankhurst, best-selling author of Fantastically Great Women (we can’t agree more) at <a href="https://libraries.leeds.gov.uk/libraries/central-library" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leeds Central Library</a>. The event will focus on the incredible women who have fought for the right to take part in sport across the globe and will include dressing up, lots of props and draw-along.



Other programme highlights include costume-making workshops, children’s author talks with Hiba Noor Khan and Ashley Thorpe, as well as a premiere of Three Little Vikings, inspired by award-winning author/ illustrator Bethan Woolvin’s picture book.



There will be three World Book Day Gifting Hubs as part of the festival. Just bring along your World Book Day token before 22 Mar and exchange it for a free book to keep for ever. Participating venues are: <a href="https://libraries.leeds.gov.uk/libraries/compton-centre" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Compton Centre Community Hub and Library</a>, <a href="https://libraries.leeds.gov.uk/libraries/halton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halton Library</a> and <a href="https://libraries.leeds.gov.uk/libraries/holt-park" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holt Park Community Hub and Library</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-get-in-character">Get in character</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-Room-on-the-Broom-Harrogate-Theatre-1U7A9671-Edit-scaled-1.jpg" alt="Room on the Broom Harrogate Theatre" class="wp-image-2306" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-Room-on-the-Broom-Harrogate-Theatre-1U7A9671-Edit-scaled-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-Room-on-the-Broom-Harrogate-Theatre-1U7A9671-Edit-scaled-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-Room-on-the-Broom-Harrogate-Theatre-1U7A9671-Edit-scaled-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-Room-on-the-Broom-Harrogate-Theatre-1U7A9671-Edit-scaled-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Literary heroes don’t just end up in films (hello Paddington and Harry Potter) but on the stage, too, and a trip to the theatre or cinema is a great way to inspire your child to read the book first or afterwards.



A fun-filled adaptation of children’s favourite Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler will be brought to life by Tall Stories at <a href="https://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harrogate Theatre</a> on 8 &amp; 9 March, ideal for ages 3+.



Or visit Leeds City Museum for a free exhibition until 7 Sept to celebrate the 70th birthday of the iconic picture book bunny <a href="https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/pQdMnCd/miffy-s-70th-birthday" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miffy</a>. She&#8217;s not aged a day since I was a tot, I wish I knew her secret!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trust-your-instinct">Trust your instinct</h2>



<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Trust</a> is joining in the fun for the first time this year, with a range of Book Day celebrations at up to 80 properties across the UK. Events include a national story writing competition for youngsters aged 7 to 15 years old as well as book and poetry readings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-question-time">Question time</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1084" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1084-Words-for-Life-Football_activities.2e16d0ba.fill-415x300-1.jpg" alt="Footie World Book Day" class="wp-image-2307" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1084-Words-for-Life-Football_activities.2e16d0ba.fill-415x300-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1084-Words-for-Life-Football_activities.2e16d0ba.fill-415x300-1-300x217.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1084-Words-for-Life-Football_activities.2e16d0ba.fill-415x300-1-1024x740.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1084-Words-for-Life-Football_activities.2e16d0ba.fill-415x300-1-768x555.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The National Literary Trust’s <a href="https://literacytrust.org.uk/about-us/world-book-day-national-literacy-trust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Great Big Footy &amp; Booky Quiz</a> is a popular annual event for World Book Day, back for its fourth year running. You don’t need to be a football fanatic to take part (though it probably helps for half the quiz).



Held on 6 March from 9.30 – 10.45 am, the quiz features two rounds of questions (one football themed and one reading themed) pitched by soccer and author heroes. Schools have a chance to participate live, win prizes and have a ball (couldn’t resist)!



Visit <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Book Day 2025</a>, <a href="https://literacytrust.org.uk/about-us/world-book-day-national-literacy-trust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Literary Trust</a> and <a href="https://wordsforlife.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Words For Life</a> for more inspiration, activity packs, competitions and book reviews.



Or spend your £1 World Book Day tokens at the following participating independent bookshops in Yorkshire:



<a href="https://www.thestripeybadger.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Stripey Badger Bookshop</a>, Grassington



<a href="https://www.paper-people.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paper People Books</a>, Pateley Bridge



<a href="https://www.kempsgeneralstore.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kemps Books</a>, Wetherby and Malton



<a href="https://www.waveofnostalgia.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wave of Nostalgia</a>, Haworth



<a href="https://thewonkytreebookshop.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Wonky Tree Bookshop</a>, Leyburn



<a href="https://www.theworks.co.uk/Store?storeId=1169" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Works</a>, Hornsea Garden Centre

Screens down! Get the family reading with World Book Day 2025

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