Three children reading a book. Copyright Gretta Schifano
I wrote this in 2013, when my kids still had to engage in World Book Day at school. I’m truly thankful that they no longer have to do that, as it was always a trial!
So it’s World Book Day and the eldest has gone to school dressed as that classic hero of teenage fiction, Harry Styles. (She was hooking up with Niall and the rest of the band on the train.) She usually goes as a Muggle but this year, in a dramatic move worthy of Lord Voldemort himself, Muggles have been banned.
The transformation into the One Direction singer involved curling her hair and wearing jeans and a white T-Shirt. In order to go to school like this she needed a pound, she told me. I thought World Book Day was meant to be about giving children free books, so I have no idea who the money was for – Simon Cowell, maybe?
The youngest is very literal and was indignant about her outfit: ‘She doesn’t look anything like Harry Styles’, he said, correctly. At least he didn’t have to dress up, which he hates, but he did have to make a book character puppet on a lolly stick. He insisted on making Julia Donaldson’s Stick Man, as he was adamant the puppet should be the same size as the lolly stick which his teacher had given him.
In the spirit of not-reading-books-but-alluding-to-them-vaguely I’m thinking of a different bedtime routine for the youngest today. Instead of reading a book, I think that this evening will be the perfect time for us to go online and start planning our summer trip to Florida. I’ve heard that there are some book characters to be seen there but I’m not sure about The Stick Man or, indeed, One Direction.
I share your lack of enthusiasm for World Book Day, but kind of miss it now J doesn’t have to dress up. I have no idea who Harry Styles is (I’m a Dino) but anything that lets you get away with a T shirt and jeans gets my vote (well, maybe not Simon Cowell).
I like the idea behind World Book Day though – that’s great.
I think reading in any form counts, be it travel planning websites and tools or a leather-bound tome. For years my daughter only wanted to read those DK books on science and the body, all very heavy on pictures. She’s graduated to more text-heavy books but this World Book Day we chose the costume first then picked a book to fit.
I agree – my youngest reads he can find anything about football.
I’m always a bit bah humbug about World Book Day. I love the idea and to inspire children to read is a worthy goal, but the dressing-up palaver has always caused a fuss in our house. In an effort to avoid it, my son once went as Charlie Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so he could just dress in jeans and a jumper.
My youngest will only dress up if he has a proper costume – I’ve bought him a Willy Wonka outfit which he’s agreed to wear for all such occasions until he leaves school.