World Book Day

World Book Day is designated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a "worldwide celebration of books and reading", and is marked in over 100 countries.It is a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and most importantly it's a celebration of reading. It's the biggest event of its kind.

Reading  is more important to children’s success.The main aim of World Book Day is to encourage children of all ages to explore the pleasure of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own.The date for World Book Day 2013 is Thursday 7 March. 

Watch Tony Robinson's invitation to the Biggest Book Show

World Book Day is a partnership of publishers, booksellers and interested parties who work together to promote books and reading for the personal enrichment and enjoyment of all.

List of Short Stories to Read for Free

World Book Day Special Free Books!

Start Reading from today.Short stories for you to download for free from Booktrust. (To download these stories, click on the title and save to your desktop/device).

> Naomi Alderman 'Jewfish' 
> Naomi Alderman 'Other People's Gods' shortlisted for the 2009 BBC National Short Story Award> Trezza Azzopardi 'Sticks and Stones'

> Richard Beard 'Guidelines for Measures to Cope with Disgraceful and Other Events' shortlisted for the 2008 BBC National Short Story Award
> John Burnside 'Something Like Happy'
> Kate Clanchy 'The Not Dead and the Saved' shortlisted for the 2009 BBC National Short Story Award
> David Constantine 'Tea at the Midland' winner of the 2010 BBC National Short Story Award> Linda Cracknell 'The Lost Son'

> Anne Donovan 'But' originally published by Artlink and Scottish Book Trust
> Anne Donovan 'Sleepers'
> Aminatta Forna 'Hayward's Heath' shortlisted for the 2010 BBC National Short Story Award> Jane Gardam 'The People on Privilege Hill' shortlisted for the 2008 BBC National Short Story Award

> Niven Govinden 'We Are Always At Your Service' originally broadcast on BBC Radio 3's The Verb

> Dominic Green 'The Clockwork Atom Bomb' originally published in Interzone 198
> Romesh Gunesekera 'The Library' originally published in Underwords: The Hidden City (MAIA press)
> Sarah Hall 'Butcher's Perfume' shortlisted for the 2010 BBC National Short Story Award

> Peter Hobbs 'Deep Blue Sea' from I Could Ride All Day In My Cool Blue Train (Faber)
> Nicholas Hogg 'How the Tiger Lost Its Stripes' editor's choice 2009 Raymond Carver Short Story Contest

> Tove Jansson 'Snow' from A Winter Book (Sort Of Books)
> Adam Kamiński 'The Girl from the Train' translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones

> Jackie Kay 'My Daughter, the Fox' originally published in Endangered Species
> Etgar Keret 'Magic & Childhood: three tales of innocence from Israel' 
> James Lasdun 'It's Beginning to Hurt' winner of the National Short Story Prize 2006

 > Alison MacLeod 'The Will Writer' originally published in Fifteen Modern Tales of Attraction (Penguin)
> Alison MacLeod 'Coupling' originally published in Fifteen Modern Tales of Attraction (Penguin)
> Jon McGregor 'If It Keeps On Raining' shortlisted for the 2010 BBC National Short Story Award
> Sara Maitland 'Moss Witch' shortlisted for the 2009 BBC National Short Story Award

> Katherine Mansfield 'The Daughters of the Late Colonel'

> Patrick Ness 'The New World' exclusive short story from his tenure as Booktrust writer in residence
> Courttia Newland 'Smile Mannequin, Smile' originally published in Music for the Off-Key (Peepal Tree Press)
> Rebecca O'Connor 'St. John of the Miraculous Lake'

> Helen Oyeyemi 'My Daughter, The Racist' shortlisted for the 2010 BBC National Short Story Award> Ian Rankin 'An Afternoon'
> Janes Rogers 'Hitting Trees With Sticks' shortlisted for the 2009 BBC National Short Story Award> Lionel Shriver 'Exchange Rates' shortlisted for the 2009 BBC National Short Story Award> Erin Soros 'Surge' shortlisted for the 2008 BBC National Short Story Award
> Adam Thorpe 'The Names' shortlisted for the 2008 BBC National Short Story Award
> Ricardo Waale 'A Special Day' translated by Christina MacSweeney
> John Waddington-Feather 'The High Master and Little Billy Clough' 
> Jack Wallsten 'Something Light' originally published in Aesthetica Magazine
> Clare Wigfall 'The Numbers' winner the 2008 BBC National Short Story Award
> Clare Wigfall 'Before Their Very Eyes' written as part of her online residency
> Gerard Woodward 'A Tray of Ice Cubes'

> Evie Wyld 'The Whales' exclusive short story from her tenure as Booktrust writer in residence

   Happy Reading!