Happy World Book Day! If you've got little ones, they've probably gone to school dressed as a book character - and if you're a teacher, you may be dressed as one yourself!
I love how the teachers at my youngest daughter's school join in the fun and take part too. This morning, I've seen teachers dressed up as Horrid Henry, Gangsta Granny and Demon Dentist (to name a few) and the school has been gearing itself up for WBD all week by trading teachers for their stories at the end of the day. Isobel has enjoyed the surprise of seeing who is going to read the next instalment of
The Witches to them each afternoon.
The children are going to be taking part in fun activities throughout the day and they're also able to take in books to swap with their friends. Isobel has taken in a couple of books to swap - I wonder what she'll come home with this afternoon!
Isobel has chosen to dress up as
Penny the Pony Fairy from the Rainbow Magic series this year, which was a relief as she'd left it until the last minute to decide and the Penny 'costume' was easy to put together - jeggings, plaid shirt, boots, fairy wings - we had it all already! All I had to do was put little pigtails in her hair. Easy. Peasy.
I have put more effort in over the years, though. Last year, Isobel wanted to go as the cat from
The Owl and The Pussycat (again, we already had a cat costume in the dressing up box), so I made her a little owl to take with her, which she loved.
The year before was super easy, with no creativity needed as she wanted to be Lola from the Charlie and Lola series, and we already had bright clothes and a Sizzle toy.
But her nursery costume took the most effort. Each class had a book theme that year and nursery's was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. So I made Isobel some antennae and dressed her in green (easy) and made her a 'hungry caterpillar' belt of all the food he eats (not so easy).
I was so proud of the belt. Unfortunately, it didn't make it home in once piece - most of the 'food' had dropped off by home time! I also made a caterpillar sticker, which did survive the day.
I've loved looking back on Isobel's World Book day photos, not only because I can see how much she's grown over the past few years, but because it's a reminder of how much fun books and reading can be for children (and grown ups!). It's why I'm so grateful for the schools going to the extra effort to bring reading alive.
As it's World Book Day, I thought I'd share my current read, which is actually a re-read. I've read Jane Green's Mr Maybe numerous times over the years and it's like catching up with an old friend. I love the writing - the warmth, the ease, the fun - and I remember reading Jane's early books for the first time and thinking these are the kinds of books I want to write - and I still think that every time I return to them!
What are you reading? And are you celebrating World Book Day?
