In Review: The Week Of World Book Day 2023

The week of World Book Day at the start of March is always the busiest time of year for me and my fellow storytelling children’s authors, and 2023 was no different…

Once again I was fully booked, with primary school author visits taking place every single day of the week. I travelled far and wide from my base near Manchester to meet hundreds of excitable children, bookworms and budding authors at six different primary schools.

The week kicked off with an overnight stay in Luton, ready for my Monday morning assembly at Parklea Primary School. Not only did I get to share my first book Fred The Fire-Sneezing Dragon with Key Stage 2, but I also got Foundation and Years 1 to 3 flapping their flippers along with my latest story Dave The Whale.

Day two saw a welcome return visit to Wincham CP School in Cheshire, after I last stopped off here to read Bob’s Beard back in 2019. I had a whale of a time sharing my latest rhyming picture book with all the Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children. Everyone enjoyed helping to bring my story to life and had fun flapping their flippers as they swam along with Dave The Whale.

Day three was double the fun, with author visits to TWO primary schools to help celebrate World Book Day Eve. I spent a busy morning at Moss Park Infant School in Trafford, Greater Manchester where I kicked off my visit with a whole school assembly, and a sneeze-along with Fred The Fire-Sneezing Dragon. Next it was time for every year group from Nursery through to Year 2 to meet Dave The Whale in a series of interactive storytelling sessions. I then took Fred and Dave over to Grange Valley Primary in Haydock, St Helens in the afternoon for some more sneezy-flipper-flapping fun.

On World Book Day itself I made a return visit to Stanton Primary School in Burton upon Trent to share my latest book Dave The Whale with all the pupils. My last author visit here in 2022 fell on the very same morning that the Ofsted inspector had decided to pay the school a surprise visit.

This year it was lovely to see all the teachers and pupils having fun dressed up as their favourite book characters. The visit marked my SEVENTH World Book Day as a children’s author, after my inaugural primary school author visit way back in March 2017.

I rounded off another crazy-busy World Book Day week with a return visit to Inspire Academy in Ashton-under-Lyne. It was lovely to be based in the school’s newly revamped library space for the day, where I met all the Nursery, Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 children and introduced them to Dave The Whale. It was a flipper-flapping frenzy and an absolute joy to receive so many wonderful ‘thank you’ hugs from the children!

Since the launch of my very first rhyming picture book Fred The Fire-Sneezing Dragon in 2017, I’ve continued to offer and deliver interactive storytelling sessions throughout the school year. Now with well over 200 primary school author visits under my belt, my mission to help make EVERY DAY a day to celebrate books and reading is well established and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved.

If you know a primary school that would enjoy a fun and interactive storytelling session then please get in touch.