International Book Giving Day
Sharing the joy of reading can transport you to far-off lands, introduce you to new friends, and unlock endless possibilities.
Drive book sales and donations by positioning your brand as a champion of literacy and childhood development through gifting campaigns and community book drives.
- Share customer stories of meaningful book gifts that changed a child's life
- Launch a 'Buy One, Donate One' promotion linking retail sales to school/library donations
- Host in-store book-signing events or community book swaps to build engagement
- Create a social media campaign showcasing creative book-gifting ideas for families
Whether you want to admit it or not, you probably enjoy giving and receiving gifts. There is no denying the special moment when you receive a wrapped package and get to find out what’s inside. Or, as the gift giver, when you get to watch someone you love as they smile opening your present. This day is devoted to instilling a lifelong love of reading, especially in children, and providing books for children in need.
This day originally started in the United Kingdom. However, over the years the day has spread and book lovers around the world now partake in the celebrations. The holiday was started by Amy Broadmoore (an American blogger at Delightful Children’s Books) and her son, who conceived the original idea in 2012 after noticing a need for books for children in underfunded areas. The mother-son duo then worked with Zoe Toft to develop the day. After creating the event and working on celebrations and incentives as a volunteer initiative aimed at increasing children’s access to and enthusiasm for books. Since its founding, the event has grown each year.
While Book Giving Day does not host large organized events, they do encourage volunteers to act out of their own goodwill. Volunteers, or holiday celebrators, are encouraged to gift a book to a child. This book can be your favorite book, one you haven’t read, or one you think a child would love. This day is now celebrated officially in over 47 countries, with countries participating in six out of the seven continents!
Give Books as Gifts
As mentioned above, today is all about giving a book to a friend, loved one, or child (as the day was originally intended for). There are multiple ways you can celebrate this day! Consider giving a book to your child or your friend’s or family’s children. If you’re a parent or an older sibling, consider gifting your child or younger sibling a new book to read at bedtime. If you want to extend this past just today, consider buying a new children’s book now and then and making family time out of reading it!
Donate Books
If you do not have children of your own or want to expand your giving, consider book donations. Many book lovers around the world celebrate this day by donating new or used books to children’s libraries, schools, foster homes, or charities. If you’re looking for an even more creative (and anonymous) way to follow the giving spirit, consider leaving a book in a place for those to discover. Some people do this by leaving children’s books in doctor’s offices, waiting rooms, public transit, and other places.
Share Stories About Book Giving
Looking for more ways to get involved? The organizers of Book Giving Day support the event by sharing the stories of those gifting books around the world, as well as offering bonuses for book giving, such as holiday bookplates and other incentives. You can find out about the variety of social media hashtags, community events, and other incentives online. Whether you’re a reader or not, use today to foster the imagination, creativity, and joy of reading in someone you love! So, find a book– new, old, or favorite– and donate or gift it to a child in your life!