Celebrate World Book Day with a Literary Adventure

Whether you are a keen reader or looking to get back into a good book, World Book Day offers a huge amount of activities designed to get us to put down our smartphones and read a real book.

While the event is largely aimed at encouraging reading among children, it is also important for adults. World Book Day takes place Thursday, March 3 ,in the United Kingdom, and April 23 in other parts of the world.

The event was started by booksellers in Spain to honor writer Miguel de Cervantes on the day of his death. As a result, Cervantes’ Don Quixote is often read and the Spanish King presents the Miguel de Cervantes prize.

Elsewhere, the day is used as a tool to promote reading, with authors participating in events including book signings and readings. Many bookshops offer large discounts, and in the UK a selection of books are available for just $1.50. In fact, each child of school age receives a $1.50 book token, which they can either trade for a book on the list or put toward a more expensive title.

In the Internet age, it is not uncommon for people to go months without reading a real, physical book. It’s important to take a break from the screen every so often and not just for the health of your eyes, but in order to escape the barrage of emails and notifications that rule our lives.

What better day to start a new book than World Book Day?