World Book Day
We're proud sponsors of World Book Day, a charity that changes lives through a love of books and reading.
Other ways we support reading
National Book Tokens have been proud to sponsor World Book Day for almost three decades. Our sponsorship helps the charity to encourage more children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to have a life-long habit of reading for pleasure and the improved life chances this brings them.
The last World Book Day took place in the UK and Ireland on Thursday 7th March 2024.
Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child's future success – more so than their family circumstances, their parents' educational background, or their income.
World Book Day supports children to read for pleasure by encouraging 6 behaviours:
- Being read to regularly
- Having books at home and school
- Finding time to read
- Having trusted help to find a book
- Giving children a choice in what to read
- Making reading FUN!
World Book Day also offers every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own. 1 in 5 children receiving free school meals say the book they receive with their £1/€1.50 book token was the first book they had of their own. World Book Day distributes more than 15 million £1/€1.50 book tokens across the UK and Ireland.
A visit to a bookshop with a National Book Token can help children discover the joys of reading for pleasure by giving them the opportunity to choose books of their own – with expert booksellers ready to give trusted recommendations and advice.
Find a bookshop near you
Design a National Book Token 2024
This World Book Day, we invited children of all ages to get creative and share their love for books and reading by designing their own fabulous National Book Tokens gift cards!
The winning entrants received HUNDREDS of pounds worth of National Book Tokens for their schools and themselves. The overall winner won a £10/€12 National Book Tokens gift card in their winning design for every child in their class… and the opportunity to spend them in a visit to a local bookshop!
Every reader is different and there’s no right or wrong way to enjoy reading. This year, children designed gift card around the theme of 'Read Your Way'.
Overall Winner
Up to 8 Years Winner
Jodie, age 8 (Thorpe Acre Junior School, Loughborough)
Up to 8 Years Runner-Up
Isaac, age 7 (Brooklands Primary School, Sale)
9-12 Years Winner
Emmeline, age 10 (The Aldgate School, London)
9-12 Years Runner-Up
Olesia, age 10 (Hearsall Community Academy, Coventry)
13-16 Years Winner
Alisa, age 15 (St Louis High School, Dublin)
13-16 Years Runner-Up
Isabelle, age 13 (Bullers Wood School For Girls, Kent)
Prizes
OVERALL WINNER (chosen from the three first prize winners):
- a £10/€12 National Book Token for every child in their class, featuring their winning design – plus the opportunity to visit a bookshop, in person or virtually, to support them in choosing which books to buy with their prizes!
FIRST PRIZE in each age range wins:
- £350/€400 National Book Tokens for the school
- £100/€115 National Book Tokens for the pupil
SECOND PRIZE in each age range wins:
- £200/€230 National Book Tokens for the school
- £50/€60 National Book Tokens for the pupil
Supporting reading for everyone
We've been proud sponsors of World Book Day for nearly 30 years. We also support other literary charities and prizes, work with schools to promote reading for pleasure, and invest in high street bookshops.
Who we work with
