World Book Night 2013

World Book Night is a celebration of reading and books which sees tens of thousands of passionate volunteers gift specially chosen and printed books in their communities to share their love of reading. World Book Night is celebrated on April 23th, the anniversary of both Shakespeare’s and Cervantes’ death, in the UK, Ireland and the USA.

World Book Night is about giving books and encouraging reading in those who don’t regularly do so. But it is also about more than that: it’s about people, communities and connections, about reaching out to others and touching lives in the simplest of ways, through the sharing of stories.

Each year 20,000 volunteers are recruited in the UK to hand out 20 copies of their favourite book.

This year I too was chosen as one of the "Givers" and I decided to hand out "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier, one of my favourite novels and authors. After collecting a box of books from the small library in my village, I prepared posters and bookmarks, and decided to distribute the books to the young mums of our local playgroup. With its subtle and intriguing story and its very beautiful and captivating cover, I thought it would have been an ideal novel for young women, but I had underestimated the dislike towards reading that some young women feel. While most young mums were quite happy to receive a free book, a couple of them did literally "a runner", when I tried to give them the book. I’m pretty sure that they would have not behaved like that if I was trying to give away free toothpaste or makeup!

Fortunately my postwoman was quite thrilled to get a copy and other ladies I met on my way  home were as enthusiastic, while admitting that they usually read magazines only or prefer watching TV. But they promised to give the book a try. Fingers crossed. Mission accomplished or not?