It’s World Book Day, and people have been having a word or two on the topic – 21 favourite posts
Happy World Book Day (WBD) to all readers, parents of children still young enough to have to dress up, those children, and – of course – authors, who are heading to a school near you.
The wonderful Susie Dent shared some fun facts pertinent to the day.
Etymology of the day: ‘book’ comes from an ancient root shared by ‘beech’, a wood that people used for engraving inscriptions. ‘Paper’ comes from ‘papyrus’, and ‘volume’ is from the Latin for a ‘roll’ of parchment.
Happy World Book Day.
— Susie Dent (@susiedent.com) March 6, 2025 at 8:04 AM
On social media, people are talking about WBD, sharing photos of their children in costume (and standing in the cleanest part of the house, by a door), complaining about having to make costumes, listing their favourite books, and more.
Some posts are informative, some funny – some both. Here are our favourites.
1.
Things to remember this evening:
You are dust.
Kid’s world book day costume.
To dust you will return.
Bin day.— Sorrel Shamel-Wood (@sorrelmay.bsky.social) March 5, 2025 at 7:25 PM
2.
What is the point of twins if, on World Book Day, they steadfastly refuse to go as Thing 1 and Thing 2?
— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666.bsky.social) March 6, 2025 at 8:24 AM
3.
A list of books that sound rude (but aren’t) for World Erotic Book Day:
7. HARD TIMES (Dickens)
6. THE HUMAN STAIN (Phillip Roth)
5. BE BOLD WITH BANANAS (Unknown)
3. WHAT’S INSIDE OF ME? (Herbert Zim)
2. A WEASEL IN MY MEATSAFE (Phil Drabble)
1. YOUR WOOD CAN LAST FOR CENTURIES (US Forest Service)— Adam Sharp (@adamcsharp.bsky.social) March 5, 2025 at 5:47 PM
4.
7:18 and I’d like to record that my enthusiasm for World Book Day has already peaked.
— Alistair Barrie (@alistairbarrie.bsky.social) March 6, 2025 at 7:21 AM
5.
Reminder that it's World Book Day on Thursday, which means, parents, that it's time to celebrate the great magic of reading and literature by helping your kids cobble together some kind of lacklustre outfit from stuff wot you found in a cupboard.
— Anna Mazzola (@annamazz.bsky.social) March 4, 2025 at 10:54 AM
6.
Me for a couple of decades: yeah we get it parents you dress your kid up for school once a year god what a stress, well done, enjoy your wry little jokes you make about it, jesus
Me this year: I need every TikTok mocking kids demanding to be dressed as some character from a book they’ve never read
— Jim Waterson (@jim.londoncentric.media) March 6, 2025 at 8:01 AM
7.
7:44 and I now actively despise World Book Day.
— Alistair Barrie (@alistairbarrie.bsky.social) March 6, 2025 at 7:44 AM
8.
For world book day I will be dressed as a middle aged academic on sabbatical
— Scott James (@drscottjames.bsky.social) March 6, 2025 at 8:23 AM
9.
This is what World Book Day is all about, right? Frantically painting Papier maché masks at 10pm for your 6 year old. (With apologies, @jamiesmart.bsky.social)
— Emma Price (@tinymaster.bsky.social) March 5, 2025 at 10:14 PM
10.
Happy World Book Day!
Lot's of kids walking to school in their costumes. Saw 3 Harry Potter's, 2 Willy Wonka's, a possible Cthulhu and Ayn Rand on an e-scooter.
— Paul Litchfield (@paullitchfield.bsky.social) March 6, 2025 at 8:07 AM
11.
My parents would dress me up as a copy of The Watchtower every World Book Day, just so I could get used to meeting people.
— Geraint (@geraintg.bsky.social) March 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM