Yesterday, when I dropped Julia and Magda off at nursery, I was asked by one of their key workers, what they will be dressing up as for World Book Day on 7th March. I laughed, because I thought she was joking - they're not even 18 months old yet, but she put me to shame by saying 'It's never too early to get them excited about books!'

And it's true. Inspiring a love of reading starts from an early age and it's still scary to hear how many children begin primary school without having a single book of their own. This year, World Book Day is putting more books than ever into its campaign to provide every child and young person in the country with their own books. Their list of £1 books for 2019 caters from toddlers to teenagers and features characters from all around the globe. It brings together brand new stories from well-established authors as well as retellings of favourite tales. All titles are listed at the bottom of this blog post.

I was amazed to find out that World Book Day is currently marked in over 100 countries around the globe. There are already some great activities being planned in schools around the UK – many of these are much more exciting than just dressing up. On the Guardian Teacher Network, there are activity packs for nursery, primary and secondary schools which include ideas such as organising a sponsored ‘read-a-thon’ or acting out a scene from a favourite classic.

The Reading Agency has created a great pack specifically for World Book day, which includes some exciting activities such as making a scrapbook out of your favourite book, putting together a book quiz or playing a game of guess the book charades. There are also some great tips about running children’s reading clubs.

The Biggest Book Show on Earth is included in the line-up of events and is due to tour the country in in the first two weeks of March. Some top authors and illustrators are giving their hints and tips on different aspects of writing and illustration. More about this here. Exciting times indeed!

2019 World Book Day £1 books...

• The Hundred and One Dalmatians: Cruella and Cadpig by Peter Bently, illustrated by Steven Lenton (Egmont)
• Ten Little Bookworms by Mike Brownlow, illustrated by Simon Rickerty (Orchard)
• LEGO® Minifigure Mayhem by Helen Murray, Beth Davies & Paula Regan (DK)
• Claude: Best In Show by Alex T. Smith (Hodder)
• Hubert Horatio: A Very Fishy Tale by Lauren Child (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
• Bad Mermaids Meet The Witches by Sibéal Pounder, with illustrators Jason Cockcroft and Laura Ellen Anderson (Bloomsbury)
• Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo by Rick Riordan (Puffin)
• The Great Rocket Robbery by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, illustrated by Steven Lenton (Macmillan)
• Diary of Greg Heffley’s Best Friend by Jeff Kinney (Puffin)
• Everdark by Abi Elphinstone (Simon & Schuster)
• Snap by Patrice Lawrence (Hodder)
• Nought Forever by Malorie Blackman (Penguin)
• Sam Hannigan’s Rock Star Granny by Alan Nolan (The O’Brien Press)

The Branford Boase Award was set up to reward the most promising new writers and their editors, as well as to reward excellence in writing and in publishing. The Award is made annually to the most promising book for seven year-olds and upwards by a first time novelist. The long listed books for 2019 are below. The short list will be published on the 1st of May, 2019. The winner will be announced on 3rd July at a ceremony in London.