World Book Day isn’t just about costumes and dressing up vegetables (yes this is REALLY a thing) in celebration of our favourite books but it is also about promoting long term habits and creating lifetime readers. World Book Day event’s are fabulous and do absolute wonders for getting us talking about books and the special super powers they hold. The events that take place have proven to increase awareness and change reading habits in 62% of primary aged school children, that is pretty epic.
Aside from all the book themed creations, the true mission behind World Book Day Is to give every child and young person a book of their own. It isn’t really about spending lots of cash on costumes to send your kids to school in but about celebrating authors, illustrators, books and most importantly to celebrate reading. Getting the conversation going and the cognitive wheel turning to really bring home to us why reading is so just darn amazing.
This year World Book Day and month is all about Sharing a Million Stories, where it encourages us to spend at least 10 minutes everyday reading, getting us picking up books way beyond our school days. Here at Women Who Do UK we echo the belief that the importance of reading goes way beyond young people, it starts in our younger years but extends all the way through into adult life too.
Reading books is proven to sharpen cognition, increase vocabulary, reduce stress, increase imagination, promote sleep, improve writing skills and reduce episodes of anxiety and depression.
If knowing all of that isn’t enough to convince you to spend World Book Month with your nose in a book then check out what these awesome women have to say about Work Book Day, writing, reading and publishing.
Laura Bland
Laura B Fitness Mentor
Author of Release Your Inner Super Woman https://laurab-fitnessmentor.com/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1678424412?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 “For me, as a child, reading was a way to unleash my imagination, it opened up my mind to all sorts of things. As an adult, reading still brings me joy but in different ways. I can slip away into another world with a good fiction book or I can expand my mind and my knowledge to boost my expertise and provide the best service to clients”
When I decided to create my Nutrition and Fitness journal my focus was on something that would be motivating, practical and full of tips for the everyday woman that just wanted some uncomplicated support in their health and fitness journey. For me a book that you can hold in your hands, that you can write in and that you can refer back to is something much more tangible and useful than something that is based purely on line.”
Alex Preston
Small Business Editor @ Women Who Do
“Like many other women today i wear so many hats with varying demands, I go from mum, to writer, to shop keeper, to wife, to mentor, to friend and volunteer and back again. Life can be hectic and complicated and its so important for me and my well-being, that the right support is in place for me. Books can be the support to literally any part of my life and it fits right in my handbag, holds no judgement and wants nothing more than for me to pour myself Into their pages. If I have had a difficult day, reading a book provides the space to draw away from the world, a safe retreat where i can relax. If I don’t know the answer to something or lack in a skill, books help me up my game and learn what I need too. They connect us through book clubs, provide talking points and I have had the pleasure of witnessing what they mean to the authors who describe the writing process as therapy. They provide magic to life and a safe haven for anyone and everyone and ask for little In return, there isn’t much else that does all of that these days”
Kayleigh McGowan
Author Business Manager of Cherish Editions Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/cherisheditions/
https://cherisheditions.com/
“I am a passionate mental health advocate and am experienced in self-help, personal development and well-being, in my role as Author Business Manager at Cherish Editions I have the pleasure of witnessing what the books we publish mean and do for both our authors and readers, it is one of the best parts of the job. As a reader and publisher I know through experience that books, both writing and reading, are an essential tool for maintaining good mental health and provide so much more than just stories. They provide inspiration, opportunity and help us disconnect from our problems and help us find ourselves. They can mentor us and guide us to become who we want to be.
They provide a great tool for getting connected with peers and children, are conversation starters and can seriously change your life. My life changed for the better after reading The Secret by Rhonda Byrne and Jack Canfields 19 Success Principles. I have fond childhood memories of books like Alice in Wonderland, Each Peach Pear Plum and one my Nan used to read to me called the Golden Penny"
Sara Noel Owner of Stratergize Your Biz Author of Rise of the Mumpreneur https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorise/ https://www.strategizeyourbiz.com/ “I have dreamt of writing a book ever since I was a little girl. Watching children walk into school as their favourite book characters brings back fond memories of my childhood when I used to lock myself away in my bedroom to lose myself in the pages of a book. Books helped me forget about the reality of the world at times. Last year I had the absolute privilege to make my dream come true when I wrote a chapter for the Amazon number 1 best selling book ‘rise of the Mumpreneur’. The process helped me release some pain I was holding onto. Releasing the pain has also led me to fulfill another dream of starting a community interest company to help other women who are trying to overcome adversity in any way shape or form to move forward in business. Now myself and the ladies that have joined me on the Get Ready to Rise project are 1 month into writing a book ourselves to share this new chapter of our lives. So, today I celebrate world book day but I’d also love to celebrate the art of writing because everyone has a story to tell. You never know what magic may happen after that pen hits the paper. You may even become a number one best selling author. Keep reading and keep writing. Happy world book day!’
Keep your eyes peeled for more book chat over the next few days where we will be meeting up with some wonderful authors, industry experts and compiling a list of our top reads for 2020, if you have a book you think we should be shouting about then get in touch and let us know!
That’s a great challenge- books can easily be forgotten with so much access to screens, super glad it’s encouraged you to get reading again!
Loved this article! I set myself a challenge to read 12 books this year (1 a month) and so far I'm on 1 and a half, so I'm lagging behind a little. I'll definitely be picking my book back up after reading this this morning, as I definitely agree that it helps to reduce anxiety when we tend to spend so much time reading the scary goings-on of the world on social media. Thank you ladies, well done!