World Book Day
We're proud sponsors of World Book Day®, the reading for fun charity.
Other ways we support reading
World Book Day champions the fun of reading, because it seriously improves lives. Reading for fun is the single biggest indicator that a child will grow up to enjoy a happier and more successful life – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational backgrounds or their income.
But here's the challenge, it's at an all-time low, with only 1 in 3 children now saying they enjoy reading. Children are more likely to read if they enjoy it, so together we're on a mission to encourage children to see reading as an entertaining, social and fun thing to do. Our sponsorship helps the charity to encourage more children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to grow up with a life-long, life-changing habit of reading for fun, and all the benefits this brings.
The charity promotes reading for fun by offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own. Every year they distribute more than 15 million £1/€1.50 book tokens across the UK and Ireland each year. 1 in 4 children receiving Free School Meals say the book they 'bought' with their £1/€1.50 book token was the first book they had of their own.
World Book Day encourages children to discover reading on their own terms, and adults to let go of pressure and expectations to give children a choice – and a chance – to enjoy reading. World Book Day supports children to read for fun by encouraging 6 behaviours:
1. Being read to regularly
2. Having books at home and school
3. Finding time to read
4. Having trusted help to find a book
5. Giving children a choice in what to read
6. Making reading FUN!
Source: National Literacy Trust, Annual Literacy Survey 2025
The next World Book Day takes place in the UK and Ireland on Thursday 5th March 2026.
Our gift cards
We know that having a choice in what to read, and trusted help to find a book, are two key components of children enjoying reading. That's what makes a National Book Tokens gift card the perfect gift: children can choose the books they want, from bookshops whose expert booksellers are on hand to provide brilliant book recommendations.
Design a National Book Token 2026
It's time to GO ALL IN on reading and get creative!
To celebrate World Book Day and the UK's National Year of Reading 2026, we're inviting children of all ages to DESIGN A NATIONAL BOOK TOKEN for our annual competition. This year's winners will be selected by three very special guest judges: bestselling authors and illustrators Paddy Donnelly, Nadia Shireen and Sonia Leong!
The National Year of Reading theme, Go All In, is all about diving deeper into the things you already love through reading. Whether you're passionate about football, animals, space, fashion, gaming, history, music or making people laugh, books can bring your interests to life in exciting new ways.
We're challenging children across the UK and Ireland to create a bold, eye-catching gift card design that celebrates their interests and shows how books help them explore ideas, spark imagination and go further through reading, and they could win prizes galore.
So get the pencils, pens and paints ready… and let's GO ALL IN this World Book Day.
Prizes
OVERALL WINNER (chosen from the three first prize winners):
- a £10/€12 National Book Token for every child in their class, featuring their winning design – plus the opportunity to visit a bookshop, in person or virtually, to support them in choosing which books to buy with their prizes!
FIRST PRIZE in each age range wins:
- £350/€400 National Book Tokens for the school
- £100/€115 National Book Tokens for the pupil
SECOND PRIZE in each age range wins:
- £200/€230 National Book Tokens for the school
- £50/€60 National Book Tokens for the pupil
World Book Day® is a registered charity, company and trademark.
Meet the guest judges!
Paddy Donnelly (Up to 8 Years)
Paddy Donnelly is a bestselling, award-winning author and illustrator from Ireland who now lives in Belgium. Not only was his popular book, Fox and Son Tailers, chosen as one of the official books for World Book Day 2025, Paddy is also the illustrator of one of the official 2026 books, Rose Ayling-Ellis's The Big Bang! In 2025, he illustrated a National Book Token inspired by his charming picture book, Badger Books; the gift card is a delightful celebration of the magic of bookshops.
Nadia Shireen (9-12 Years)
Nadia Shireen is an Official Ambassador for the National Year of Reading 2026. She has won awards for her picture books, including the UKLA Book Award for Good Little Wolf and Barbara Throws a Wobbler, which has been described as a 'little doorway of joy' by Caitlin Moran. Grimwood is her first series for older readers, and also features on a brilliantly bonkers National Book Tokens gift card! The latest book in the series, Grimwood: Rock the Vote! is out in paperback this February.
Sonia Leong (13-16 Years)
Sonia Leong is a comic book and manga artist, and author of popular drawing guides, including Draw Manga: Complete Skills and Beginning Manga. Her award-winning debut graphic novel was Manga Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet. She also illustrates for children's books, fashion, advertising, film and television, appearing on CBBC's Britain's Best Young Artist as a judge. In 2025, she designed the exclusive Manga Heroes gift card for National Book Tokens; packed with dynamic energy and irresistible characters, it's the perfect gift for manga fans everywhere!
We're proud to support the National Year of Reading
If you're into it... read into it! In 2026, every adult, young person and child are invited to Go All In – to discover how reading can make the things you already love even richer.
Supporting reading for everyone
We believe that everyone should have access to the books they want and need, and we're committed to encouraging and supporting reading for pleasure. That's why we work with literacy charities, organisations, and prizes, and invest in high street bookshops.
Who we work with
