Unfortunately I won't be doing much bookish things this year, I haven't really done much in the past few years though. However, I am writing this post because World Book Day means a lot to me, and even though I have dissertations and essays to write, I want to share with you what World Book Day means to me.
I have always have fond memories of books in general from when I was younger, but World Book Day is something that does stand out. The only thing I don't like about World Book Day is that it kind of goes off your radar once you finish secondary school and if you no longer work with children or books. There is not much around for adults on World Book Day, it's very focused on the children. Which makes me sad because books aren't just for children, I guess once a lot of people leave school they leave reading behind with it. But not me :) But I don't mind the focus on children for World Book Day, without it I wouldn't have so many fond memories of it.
First thing is the dressing up! Now me and my family took dressing up seriously. We made costumes and put together things we had around the house for World Book Day. Going into school with all the teachers and all the students (apart from the odd few) dressed up as character and having to guess what book they were from. Trying to remember all the different costumes I wore over my childhood years is impossible. But I remember in Year 6, dying to dress up as Tracy Beaker from Jacqueline Wilson's books and the BBC TV series. The frustration of this, was for a girl who had dead straight hair that refused to curl, it was kind of difficult to dress up as a girl with black crazy curls. Yet, despite the let down in my basic biology, I still dressed up as Tracy Beaker for the day.
Another of my memories of dressing up for World Book Day comes from me and my sister dressing up as the queen of hearts. Now I have to say my mum is pretty amazing at helping with these costumes, she would find simple things and make them look amazing. We had our own little trays with Jam Tarts on (not real ones though) and little hearts painted on our cheeks. For me the whole part of dressing up on World Book Day was really opening up your imagination with it, really getting stuck in with your creativity and immersing yourself into the world of fictional characters. I have other days at school where we dressed up and I loved them all, I can't remember whether some of them was for World Book Day or not though. The two instance above though I remember as distinctly being World Book Day.
The funny thing is, on my 18th birthday... it may not have been World Book Day, but I basically created that... Everyone had to come dressed up as a book character and the whole party was book themed as much as we possibly could. Thanks to my mum again who even though probably would say she isn't but she is. She is such a creative person and comes up with some amazing ideas to create costumes and food and decorations. I think she has really taught me that it's the simple silly details that make it all worth it sometimes, in life particularly. I was dressed up as Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice <3 I think I need to write a post about dressing up as looking back through old pictures, so many fond memories of just dressing up. I mean who doesn't love a bit of fancy a dress... okay I know not everyone does. But it's a bit of fun and I love it :D AND CHECK OUT BUZZFEED'S 2015 WORLD BOOK DAY COSTUMES!!!! THE CUTENESS!!! http://www.buzzfeed.com/patricksmith/kids-who-are-winning-world-book-day?bffb&utm_term=4ldqphz#.hprOPj2JY
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Next up is the Book fairs! Oh how I loved having the school hall filled with books and wondering around looking at all the endless possibilities there were, the endless amounts of worlds, characters and journeys I could embark on. I brought some good books from those fairs. If only I could remember some of them right now!
Okay next up is a little thing and it may be a little materialistic but oh well.... it's the £1 off book Tokens! I don't even think it was the fact I got a £1 off a book or could get a book for free out of a small chosen selection. To me it was all part of the package that is World Book Day. Sadly, I am too old to get a pound of a book, but then again I have the money to pay an extra pound anyway. But that little voucher was one of the best presents you could get... Well me anyway. When I got into secondary school I remember as the years went on, less and less people wanted the book vouchers and knowing I was such a book obsessed person, I would end up with a pile of book tokens people no longer wanted. I wasn't complaining :PI generally love the idea of World Book Day. Books are such a big part of my life, they may not be a big part of other people's lives... and I won't ever disrespect them because of that. But I feel like everyone has a memory of reading a book they loved, whether at school or later in life. And if they haven't, I believe that book is still out there waiting for them. Because I honestly believe with the millions and millions of books out there, there is at least one book that will suit you, whether non-fiction, romance, YA, fantasy and sci-fi, crime etc... You will find your book if you haven't.
So my plan for today may not be very book involved, but I hope in the future to become a big part of World Book Day. I want to promote reading and the love and enjoyment of books. I am currently looking at library jobs for after Uni and if I do go into that career, I really really can't wait for World Book Day as a librarian :)
Image sources: Photographs - My own, Book Token: http://www.judgemeadow.leicester.sch.uk/_files/images/Learning/English/World%20Book%20Day%202013/446E99235E872CF6ED362D9998544787.jpg,
World Book Day Logo: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/510377084967866368/nMRh8YrN_400x400.jpeg
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