World Book Day reading

Thursday 6th March is World Book Day, where we will see children all over the world dressing up as their favourite literary characters and indulging in, reading lots of stories. With the opportunity to snap up some great children's books for just £1, families can discover new tales and enjoy quality story time together. It is great fun to see children reading and talking about their favourite stories and it is always interesting to see the variety of books that children class as ' the best book ever '. As it is ' World 'Book Day that we are celebrating, we  thought it would be good to share some of our favourite books from around the world.

Starting with my favourite Barefoot Book, Mama Panya's Pancakes. The book give sue a glimpse into the life of Mama Panya, her son Adika and the wonderful community spirit in the small Kenyan village they live in. With a strong message about the importance of sharing, as well as tasty pancake recipe at the end of the book, adults will love this book just as much as children.

Barefoot have a great range of books that explore world cultures, with Indian Tales being another favourite of ours. The collection of tales, from various regions of the country, gives us an insight into the colourful and varied cultures that each area brings to the India. As with many Barefoot Books, as well as containing engaging tales to share, the book has end notes that are both educational and fun.

The Wise Fool is another top choice, with wonderful illustrations and heartwarming fables from the  Islamic world. In the book we meet Mulla Nasruddin, a legendary character whose adventures and misadventures are enjoyed across the Islamic world. This witty collection of stories portrays his eccentric, engaging and irreverent character. Nasruddin always has a twinkle in his eye, a sliver of wisdom in his ramblings, and a few good surprises up his sleeve!

Jumping from country to country with the help of stories from different cultures is fun, fascinating and free spirited but deep down we know that we are ultimately all the same wherever we live. My World, Your World, is a vivid and engaging book, where we see children explore different aspects of their friends culture and accept the differences for what they are.

For older children the beautiful Mysterious Traveller is a moving tale of camels, lost princesses and the strength of wisdom and knowledge. The book illustrates the bond between a child and the man who brought her up like a daughter. Both deliciously exotic and yet portraying warmly familiar and universal truths.

The Weight of the Water is another strong book for independent readers. Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother head for England. Life is lonely for Kasienka. At home her mother's heart is breaking and at school friends are scarce.But when someone special swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there might be more than one way for her to stay afloat. The Weight of Water is a startlingly original piece of fiction; most simply a brilliant coming of age story, it also tackles the alienation experienced by many young immigrants. Moving, unsentimental and utterly page-turning, we meet and share the experiences of a remarkable girl who shows us how quiet courage prevails

Whatever you and your children read this World Book Day I am sure you will learn something, have fun and hopefully you will open your eyes to something new. 

Happy World Book Day!