Playing by the book

Reviews of kids' books and the crazy, fun stuff they inspire us to do

Looking forward to World Book Day with a giveaway

Posted on | February 25, 2013 | 88 Comments

This giveaway is now closed




wonderful-world-book-dayThursday March 7 is World Book Day, and I can’t wait!

So what is World Book Day? Well, it’s a UNESCO designated worldwide celebration of books and reading, and is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. Now in its 16th year, World Book Day aims to ensure as many children as possible explore the pleasures of books and reading, so you can see why I’m so keen on it.

Here in the UK, school children are entitled to receive a World Book Day £1 Book Token (or equivalent €1.50 Book Token in Ireland) to exchange for a FREE £1 World Book Day book (or it can be redeemed against any book or audio book costing £2.99 or more at a participating bookshop or book club).

World Book Day is a perfect excuse to do something fun around books. I’ll definitely be watching The Biggest Book Show on Earth but maybe you’ll find the perfect activity for your family or class in NurtureStore’s 50 ideas for World Book Day, or perhaps you might prefer to get creative in the kitchen and create a dish inspired by your family’s favourite book, and enter it into my Edible Book Festival.

Whatever you do, why not enter the competition I have for you today – to win an entire set of the World Book Day books:

  • Alfie’s Shop by Shirley Hughes
  • Giraffes Can’t Dance Colouring and Puzzle Fun by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
  • Horrid Henry’s Guide to Perfect Parents by Francesca Simon and Tony Ross
  • Tony Robinson’s Weird World of Wonders: Funny Inventions by Tony Robinson and Del Thorpe
  • The Diamond Brothers in….Two of Diamonds by Anthony Horowitz
  • Hang In There Bozo: The Ruby Redfort Emergency Survival Guide For Some Tricky Predicaments by Lauren Child
  • Tom Gates: Best Book Day Ever! (So Far) by Liz Pichon
  • The Chocolate Box Girls: Bittersweet by Cathy Cassidy


    • All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is leave a comment on this post!

    Please note:

  • This competition is open to UK and Eire residents only


  • The competition closes on World Book Day, March 7th, at 6pm. I will contact the winner that evening by email. If I do not hear back from the winner within one week, a new winner will be drawn.


  • If you want extra entries to this competition you can:
    *Tweet about the competition, perhaps using this text: Win a complete set of @worldbookdayUK books over at @playbythebook’s blog http://www.playingbythebook.net/?p=24420
    *Follow @worldbookdayuk on twitter
    *Share this competition on Facebook

    For any of these to count, you must leave a separate comment on this blog post for each extra entry.


    • Good luck!

    This giveaway is now closed




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    Category: Book Charities, Book Festivals, Books / Libraries, Guest Posts, World Book Day

    Comments

    88 Responses to “Looking forward to World Book Day with a giveaway”

    1. Carmen Haselup
      February 25th, 2013 @ 6:20 am

      Lovely idea for a comp. Thanks, Zoe.
      Carmen Haselup recently posted..Doodle Bites by Polly Dunbar

    2. Damyanti
      February 25th, 2013 @ 7:13 am

      We are getting excited about World Book Day too, costumes are being planned, cake will be baked & son’s school are taking them to the library & doing a book exchange so lots of celebrations ;)
      Damyanti recently posted..Imagine Festival 2013

    3. Kayleigh
      February 25th, 2013 @ 7:15 am

      Awesome competition! I bought Giraffes Can’t Dance and my niece loved it so it would be great to see whether the other books are just as good!

    4. Emily Branch
      February 25th, 2013 @ 7:44 am

      I remember getting my World Book Day Token as a child and the excitment of choosing and buying my own book.

    5. Stephanie
      February 25th, 2013 @ 7:57 am

      Amazing competition! I can’t not enter!!

    6. Catherine
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:59 am

      What a great competition! So lovely that children will be getting a World Book Day book token, hopefully it will give children who don’t normally get into bookshops the chance to have a visit :)
      Catherine recently posted..Tamara Small and the Monsters Ball by Giles Paley-Phillips

    7. Emily Fellah
      February 25th, 2013 @ 9:04 am

      I’ve just seen the World Book Day website- very exciting. There is a great selection of books, and my 9 year old son will definitely be getting his hands on the Tom Gates and Tony Robinson titles. The free online book festival is a great idea, and I’ll be visiting ‘Discover’ for the first time to attend some of the author/illustrator events.

    8. Perry
      February 25th, 2013 @ 9:07 am

      Great competition. My daughters are also very much looking forward to world book day.

    9. Emily Fellah
      February 25th, 2013 @ 9:18 am

      Hi Zoe, I’ve re-tweeted your competition tweet, and tweeted about the World Book Day events.

    10. Nicola Richardson
      February 25th, 2013 @ 9:37 am

      I am organising my first World Book Day in school, and so excited! Making story related food for a cafe, character parade, and sharing books with each other across the whoole school. Determined to help the children get the reading bug!

    11. Katrina Winning
      February 25th, 2013 @ 9:45 am

      World Book Day- anything that encourages reading is a great idea

    12. Hilary the librarian
      February 25th, 2013 @ 10:23 am

      We love to share World book Day, so as well as handing out free £1 tokens, our school holds a charity second-hand booksale to raise funds for Book Aid International, so that children in Sub-Saharan Africa can have a fab school library too!

    13. Library Mice
      February 25th, 2013 @ 11:32 am

      Yes please, we never manage to get a full set :0)
      Library Mice recently posted..MY LIFE IN BOOKS: Maudie Smith

    14. Library Mice
      February 25th, 2013 @ 11:33 am

      I have tweeted about it!
      Library Mice recently posted..MY LIFE IN BOOKS: Maudie Smith

    15. Syanne
      February 25th, 2013 @ 11:40 am

      Great competition :)

    16. Library Mice
      February 25th, 2013 @ 11:50 am

      And I have posted it on my Facebook page :0)
      Library Mice recently posted..MY LIFE IN BOOKS: Maudie Smith

    17. Leanne
      February 25th, 2013 @ 2:30 pm

      I’m so excited for World Book Day/Night.
      It’s my first school-world-book-day as a staff member, and as a librarian I’m intending on making a big deal of it. The £1 books are such a good idea- going to be giving out the tokens next week :)

    18. B Blomquist
      February 25th, 2013 @ 3:58 pm

      Thank you for the wonderful resources!

    19. Jacqueline Harris
      February 25th, 2013 @ 4:22 pm

      I’ve always loved the Alfie books- and now my little boy loves them too. Hopefully World Book Day will open up the world of Alfie to a whole new set of readers.

    20. Barbara Mojica
      February 25th, 2013 @ 4:38 pm

      Looking forward to celebrating World Book Day with my grandchildren!

    21. Asa Jomard
      February 25th, 2013 @ 6:05 pm

      What a lovely idea!
      Asa Jomard recently posted..Babies and the Meaning of Words

    22. Sam
      February 25th, 2013 @ 7:13 pm

      I’m not sure if my son’s pre-school are doing anything as yet but I hope so as I’d like to make him a costume for the day.

    23. Sam
      February 25th, 2013 @ 7:17 pm

      Have tweeted – https://twitter.com/HappyHomebird/status/306120535211900930

    24. Sam
      February 25th, 2013 @ 7:18 pm

      Following World Book Day on Twitter as @happyhomebird

    25. ashwini
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:02 pm

      I am a huge fan of your blog! We have created so many amazing projects from your inspiration. wonderful and amazing give away for the celebration of books and reading…looks like loads of fun.

    26. Lauren
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:05 pm

      World Book Day is hardly even noticed in the US! I wish there were more awareness of it! If I win the books, I plan on donating them to an underprivileged/underserved school!

    27. ashleigh
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:26 pm

      Great books – would love to win these for the kids!

    28. ashleigh
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:27 pm

      I follow world book day on twitter as @ashlallan

    29. ashleigh
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:28 pm

      I have tweeted as @ashlallan

    30. Anna Miz
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:37 pm

      Please enter me @anna8301

    31. Anna Miz
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:39 pm

      Have tweeted @anna8301

    32. Jo Welsh
      February 25th, 2013 @ 8:50 pm

      Some great books listed here my little girl will love the Alfie book.

    33. Susan Reuben
      February 25th, 2013 @ 9:12 pm

      Lovely competition idea. World Book Day so much better now there are no longer those odd 2-books-in-one. Go Kirsten Grant!

    34. dominique
      February 26th, 2013 @ 9:32 am

      great prize! Following world book day on twitter @dominiquecarlo

    35. Louise
      February 26th, 2013 @ 12:01 pm

      My boys do love their books @astrongcoffee1
      Louise recently posted..Legoland Hotel in February

    36. Louise
      February 26th, 2013 @ 12:02 pm

      Following world book day on twitter @astrongcoffee1
      Louise recently posted..Legoland Hotel in February

    37. Louise
      February 26th, 2013 @ 12:03 pm

      Have tweeted https://twitter.com/astrongcoffee1/status/306373664776019968 @astrongcoffee1
      Louise recently posted..Legoland Hotel in February

    38. Ann Scott
      February 26th, 2013 @ 12:47 pm

      I have tweeted the competition and put it on our facebook page! We are looking forward to taking part in the Edible Cake Competition too.

      Keep up the wonderful work!
      Ann Scott recently posted..Rescue Night

    39. Graziela Flor
      February 26th, 2013 @ 1:11 pm

      Today, the school sent the voucher book.
      I hope we win these books, my son loves read. Thank you
      Graziela

    40. Kirstie
      February 26th, 2013 @ 4:28 pm

      What a fabulous idea for a competition, thank you for the chance to enter! I am working on my first children’s novel and some more storybook app ideas for little ones so looking forward to all the buzz of World Book Day!

    41. BooKa Uhu
      February 26th, 2013 @ 6:44 pm

      I’m entertaining two whole schools over three days in WBD week. I just realised that’s about 430 odd children. Oh dear Lordy….!

      Still – all for books and all :)
      BooKa Uhu recently posted..I’ve moved!

    42. anna marikar
      February 26th, 2013 @ 9:35 pm

      would love to enter, can never have too many books! :)

    43. anna marikar
      February 26th, 2013 @ 9:35 pm

      i’ve tweeted here https://twitter.com/ummziyad/status/306517689873084416 for an extra entry

    44. Mary @ over40andmumofone
      February 26th, 2013 @ 9:41 pm

      love anything that encourages reading :)
      Mary @ over40andmumofone recently posted..The joy of reading with my Monkey :)

    45. leigh
      February 26th, 2013 @ 10:24 pm

      We love world book day -my daughter plans to dress up as pippi longstocking & I have the task of finding her shoes exactly twice the length of her feet! Love your blog & i have purchased many books as a result of your reviews.

    46. Sam
      February 27th, 2013 @ 10:33 am

      Hi Zoe
      I’m organising our school’s first ever Book Swap although we are celebrating it the day BEFORE WBD for some bizarre reason (must be something else happening at the school on the 7th!). We’re asking pupils to bring in a book they no longer want and exchange it for a token which they can hand in for a book in the school hall. We’re also using the event as an opportunity to recruit volunteers to help with literacy initiatives in school – reading with and to children, taking them to the school library, etc. Scary but hopefully fun!
      Sam recently posted..Don’t judge a book by its mother

    47. Katherine
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:33 pm

      Great competition, thank you!
      Katherine recently posted..Happy birthday Jon!

    48. Katherine
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:39 pm

      Tweeted too! https://twitter.com/chatiry/status/306866074635354112
      Katherine recently posted..Happy birthday Jon!

    49. claire Toplis
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:44 pm

      we are getting for World book day at school !

    50. claire Toplis
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:44 pm

      its a crazy time when it comes to World Book day
      claire Toplis recently posted..The big blogging fairy cake

    51. claire Toplis
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:45 pm

      I have tweeted out as @needaphone
      claire Toplis recently posted..The big blogging fairy cake

    52. Julie MRB
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:51 pm

      I would love to win these books for my boys.
      Julie MRB recently posted..Overgrown and neglected

    53. Julie MRB
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:53 pm

      Following on twits as @JulieMRB
      Julie MRB recently posted..Overgrown and neglected

    54. Julie MRB
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:54 pm

      And am tweeting now. @JulieMRB
      Julie MRB recently posted..Overgrown and neglected

    55. Tressa Lapham Green
      February 27th, 2013 @ 8:55 pm

      I love World Book Day & think it’s great kids get a free voucher. I love the fact there is a book I can get for my son Alfie!

    56. Helen Dickinson
      February 27th, 2013 @ 11:34 pm

      What a lovely giveaway! We are huge fans of books here. I find reading really important to my son and love world book day!
      Helen Dickinson recently posted..Things To Make You Smile: Family, Friends, Food and… Fleetwood Mac?

    57. Helen Dickinson
      February 27th, 2013 @ 11:36 pm

      I am following on Twitter as @MummyToTheMax and have also tweeted the comp here:

      https://twitter.com/MummyToTheMax/status/306910581825363968
      Helen Dickinson recently posted..Things To Make You Smile: Family, Friends, Food and… Fleetwood Mac?

    58. Suzanne Cooke
      February 28th, 2013 @ 1:19 pm

      I adored books when I was a child and I am so glad my daughter feels the same.

    59. Suzanne Cooke
      February 28th, 2013 @ 1:20 pm

      tweeted as @magicmoondust

    60. anna w
      March 1st, 2013 @ 9:20 am

      a superb comp, we have four children so we have a housefull of books but more never go amiss!
      anna w recently posted..Cooking with kids!

    61. anna w
      March 1st, 2013 @ 9:21 am

      also followed on twitt annawarner5 and retweeted too https://twitter.com/annawarner5/status/307420218093887488
      anna w recently posted..Cooking with kids!

    62. juliette
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 9:48 am

      What a great opportunity to experience new authors. I love World Book day – we take the kids to Waterstones or WH SMith with their tokens and spend ages browsing

    63. Rachael Barnard
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 6:52 pm

      What a good idea to give away a complete set – my daughter loves Ruby Redfort

    64. Rachael Barnard
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 6:52 pm

      have tweeted @rachibarnie

    65. Rachael Barnard
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 6:52 pm

      have followed @rachiebarnie

    66. Jane
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 10:05 pm

      Great giveaway! Alfie is my favourite so I’m eager to get my hands on that one!

      Janey x
      Jane recently posted..February on Is That You Darling

    67. Jane
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 10:06 pm

      I’ve also tweeted (@cupidsbow1414)

      Janey x
      Jane recently posted..February on Is That You Darling

    68. Jane
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 10:07 pm

      And I’ve followed WBD on Twitter too (@cupidsbow1414)

      Janey x
      Jane recently posted..February on Is That You Darling

    69. Rebecca Beesley
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 11:24 pm

      fabulous competition! I have two real bookworms in this family so it would be nice to keep them busy for a while – I think they have read every kids book that our local library stocks so they would LOVE some new reads. xxx

    70. Rebecca Beesley
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 11:27 pm

      am following on twitter (@rebeccabeesley). Have just got extremely excited to spot Lauren’s childs new ruby redfort book on that list. Never mind the kids – I ADORE RUBY REDFORT MYSELF!!! Now I have to keep my fingers doubly crossed. x

    71. Rebecca Beesley
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 11:28 pm

      Have tweeted about the competiton for you. Here is the tweet ref: https://twitter.com/RebeccaBeesley/status/307995753731739649

    72. Rebecca Beesley
      March 2nd, 2013 @ 11:30 pm

      have shared on my facebook profile (Rebecca Beesley). thanks x

    73. NicThorpe
      March 3rd, 2013 @ 8:06 am

      What would life be without a good book? Brilliant competition, thanks.

    74. Hannah Marks
      March 3rd, 2013 @ 8:32 am

      Great competition – please enter me, thanks.
      @Hannah_Marks

    75. Alice
      March 3rd, 2013 @ 10:18 am

      What a wonderful competition. A great way to encourage children to read!

    76. Tina Holmes
      March 3rd, 2013 @ 1:00 pm

      Awesome we love books :-)

      @supermommy1983

    77. Hannah
      March 3rd, 2013 @ 2:54 pm

      Have tweeted the comment above! Thanks.
      @Hannah_Marks

    78. Sharon Bailey
      March 3rd, 2013 @ 5:45 pm

      What an inspiring day for encouraging reading for pleasure! As a school we shall have all our book nooks engaged and have encouraged parents to send in pictures of their children enjoying a book in a nook. I have even been inspired to make and bring in some edible books to enjoy as part of this special day. Thanks a lot for all the wonderful ideas and the 23 reasons to read poster…. Just brilliant!!!

    79. Natalie Neylon
      March 3rd, 2013 @ 8:32 pm

      I’m a teacher and very much looking forward to World Book Day :)

    80. vicky M
      March 4th, 2013 @ 8:34 am

      My children are going to miss World boy day at school this year because they have chicken pox :(

    81. Kelly Hockings
      March 6th, 2013 @ 2:11 am

      A fab idea my kids school ain’t doing nothing for world book day this year which is a shame as it’s nice for kids to read books etc and understand how important reading is xx

    82. Kelly Hockings
      March 6th, 2013 @ 2:12 am

      have followed on twitter as @kelz_belz1

    83. Kelly Hockings
      March 6th, 2013 @ 2:13 am

      have also tweeted as @kelz_belz1

    84. Erica Price
      March 6th, 2013 @ 7:23 am

      What a lovely selection of books!
      Erica Price recently posted..Silent Sunday

    85. Erica Price
      March 6th, 2013 @ 7:24 am

      Tweeted @ericahughes
      Erica Price recently posted..Week 9 Project 52

    86. Sarah Matthews
      March 7th, 2013 @ 8:50 am

      Radio 3 has been doing great coverage of World Book Day this morning, with links between books and music.

    87. ReadItDaddy
      March 7th, 2013 @ 10:49 am

      That’s a bum-kickingly great selection of books!
      ReadItDaddy recently posted..When You Were Small / When I Was Small by Sara O’Leary and Julie Morstad (Simply Read Books)

    88. kelli flanagan
      March 7th, 2013 @ 12:57 pm

      Great selection, Would keep my 9 year old bookworm busy for at least a week -

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