World Book Day March 2023

World Book Day – Thursday 2 March 2023

For World Book Day 2023, I am offering a live virtual event and a free mini-film to share in the classroom. More activities and dress-up ideas linked to my books follow on below …

Thurs 2 March World Book Day Virtual Event
A virtual chat with the Anne Frank Trust about my book “Resist” and the links between Audrey Hepburn and Anne Frank. Catch up now here …

My World Book Day message here

And here is a reminder of what I got up to last year …

World Book Day 2022

To help you celebrate World Book Day, I’ve recorded a free virtual film for assembly/class for schools to show on the day. Filmed from Anne Frank’s Haus, Amsterdam, I’ll be sharing why her diary is one of my all-time favourite books. Watch below or in YouTube…

Free World Book Day Activities

There are lots of free fun quizzes, colouring and a powerpoint for schools to download here and downloadable posters to print for displays or bunting here. Or try these World Book Day dress up ideas … (Permission has been given to share photos of all children).

Dress Up Ideas

Stuck for ideas on costumes? I have written about a variety of characters and if you are stuck for ideas, I hope there will be something for everyone here to dress up as a character from my books …

Sports fans could dress up as a runner from Armistice Runner, a footballer from Football Academy or go to school in your rugby kit as Woody, Owen or Rory from Rugby Academy.

Or history fans could dress up as a soldier, pilot, or sailor or an Iron-age, Viking, Anglo-Saxon or Roman child from one of my other books. There’s lots of ideas below:

Edda from Resist

Elsie Cooper is young Edda / Audrey Hepburn from Resist (with permission)

Elsie here is young Edda from my children’s book Resist, based on the wartime resistance childhood of Audrey Hepburn.

Elsie certainly looks the part with her plaits, continental hat, simple dress and the all important bag to hide her resistance newsletters. Thanks for sharing this with us, Elsie.

Arctic Star

Herbie here is a brave young sailor from the Arctic Convoys.

With a waterproof coat, woolly hat, thick sheepskin gloves, and a life jacket Herbie looks ready to take on the threats above and below the arctic ocean in the Second World War. Not forgetting the addition of a whistle in case he goes overboard.

Thanks for sharing this with us, Herbie.

Lily and the fell runners from Armistice Runner

If you enjoy running with a club or can borrow a running vest & shorts or hoodie and leggings with trainers, you could be Lily and one of her team mates from Armistice Runner.

Maybe add a medal round your neck or pin a paper number to your top.

Lucy and Amelie have been inspired by Lily and have taken up fell running and competed in the impressive Kendal Winter League.

Jake and the team from Football Academy:

The characters in Football Academy are from a wide range of family backgrounds see the team list here to give you more ideas. Kit tips:

football top (ideally red) but other colours could be the away kit or a goalkeepers kit
shorts
long socks
football boots or trainers
a Football Academy book – borrow one from your local library or print a picture of the cover off here

Mateus from Brazil is “Ben” from Reading the Game

Albie is ... Jake Oldfield — Albie is “Jake” from Boys United

“The only character that my son, Albie (aged 7 and in Year 3) wanted to dress up as on World Book Day was Jake Oldfield from Boys United. I was happy to customize a shirt for him, and he couldn’t have been prouder as he went through the school gates this morning.” Emma

More footballers in my books:

Kofi Danquah is a brilliant young African player from a family of cocoa farmers. With Danny’s help he ends up being signed by a top UK club. (Bi
smark Boateng, the player who I met and based my character Kofi Danquah on, is now on the books of Manchester City and is currently on loan in Norway).

any premier league top
a bar of fairtrade chocolate
a copy of Offside cover here

Lily and Khalid love playing football in Secret FC

any sporty top and trainers
a copy of Secret FC cover here

Lilly is “Rocky” from Rocky of the Rovers

Rocky and Roy of the Rovers are older footballers ideal for both girls and boys to dress up as. Kit tips:

Red & yellow kit
A Melchester Badge
Your favourite Rocky or Roy book

White Fear cover

There are other sporty and brave spying girls and boys in my Squad books Black Op and White Fear more here. In White Fear (sorry, spoiler coming) Lesh is in a wheelchair but he still plays a vital role in the Squad team with his skills in gadgetry and computer systems to prevent an international war breaking out.

a wheelchair
a gadget or laptop

Woody and the team from Rugby Academy

Theo pictured here as Woody from Combat Zone.

Kit tips

rugby / stripy top
shorts / tracksuit bottoms
trainers / rugby boots
mouth shield / head guard

History / Forces

Army – soldiers like Jack in my book Over the Line, who served in the footballer’s battallion from the First World War. Kit ideas:

green top & trousers
black boots
print out this medal

Navy – sailors like Frank, Joseph and Stephen from Arctic Star who served on HMS Belfast in the Second World War. Kit ideas :

A big coat
Wellington boots
A snow shovel
A Sowester hat
Fake snow on fake beards or eyebrows
An Arctic Star medal

RAF Pilots – like Jatinder in my book Flyboy or Greg in Spitfire. Kit ideas:

swimming goggles
hat with ear flaps
heavy jacket

you could even make a cardboard sopwith camel or spitfire to wear

Parachutist like Private Emile Corteil who served in the Parachute Battalion with ‘Para Dog’ Glen and took part in the D-Day landings to Normandy on 6 June 1944 and is a character in my book D-Day Dog. (Thanks for the photo Toby Naidoo from Queensland Australia)

RAF / Modern day pilots – like Jess and Maddie in Typhoon. Kit suggestions:

plainish onesie or dungarees
jacket
helmet with pipes coming out of it

Nadiya and Seth super ghost hunters from Defenders:

If you want to go further back in time, how about dressing up as one of the ghostly visions seen by Nadiya and Seth in my Defenders series:

Killing Ground (Vikings & Anglo Saxons)
Dark Arena (Roman Britain)
Pitch Invasion (Iron Age Celts)

Previous World Book Day resources :

Here’s Peterborough United Football Club’s World Book Day film ..

Get in touch if you’d like me to send your school a world book day message. Email me for more information here or use my contact form here.

“The work of this author is making a valuable contribution to improving pupils’ writing.” Ofsted

Buy Books

Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available personalised to order from my local independent children’s bookshop “The Thoughtful Spot” here.