On Tuesday 11th June the Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge DBE MP hosted a reception to celebrate and showcase the impact of World Book Day 2019.
Authors, illustrators, booksellers, publishers, members of Parliament and of the House of Lords, and other industry figures – all of whom are passionate about the importance of sharing stories – gathered in the Members Dining Room at the Houses of Parliament.
The event was compered by author Steven Butler and inspiring speeches were given by these World Book Day supporters:
Dame Margaret Hodge, who said, “Instilling a love of reading and giving every child their own book is the one of the most important things anyone can do for the next generation.”
David Kendall, Director of Loud and Clear Productions, who spoke about the impact of distributing £1 World Book Day books in prisons: “One of the comments that has come up repeatedly this year was how great it was to see families start reading together, and then take those books away to carry on reading at home.”
Patrice Lawrence, one of our World Book Day authors is passionate about the importance of books and reading for children from all backgrounds: “World Book Day is not snobby about books. It lets children know that ALL books are valid.”
Victoria Linke, Deputy Headteacher of Chesterton Primary School who visited 10 Downing Street for World Book Day, said, “World Book Day goes beyond the gift of a book – it promotes the importance of books and the sharing of stories to children and young people across the world.”
Rob Biddulph, our official World Book Day illustrator read out a heartfelt letter from a grandmother whose granddaughter had been inspired by World Book Day. He said, “It’s all about getting the books into the hands of children. It can really change people’s lives.”
To finish, Tim Godfray, CEO of the Booksellers Association, praised the extraordinary collaborative effort that makes World Book Day happen. “It’s the biggest book show on earth,” he said.
