Every World Book Day, €1.50 book tokens are distributed to almost every school age child in the country. Children are then encouraged to visit their local bookshop where they can exchange their tokens for an exclusive World Book Day book or get €1.50 off a full price book*.

Ireland’s leading children’s book publisher, The O’Brien Press, has produced a fantastic book ‘Milo and the Long Lost Warriors by Mary Arrigan’ exclusively for World Book Day Ireland this year.

According to the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA), reading aloud with your young child combines the benefits of talking, listening and storytelling within a single activity and helps to build the foundation for language development. “From stories your child learns many things such as how to listen and concentrate, new words and understand why things happen. They also learn to put ideas in order, develop their memory skills, notice how spoken words relate to words on the page and learn how to predict. Reading gives your child a chance to develop their own opinions, build visual skills and learn how to handle books,” said Inez Bailey, Director, NALA.

“If you can spare 10 minutes a day to read with your child you can make a huge difference to their development. You don’t have to read a book, you could read a comic, magazine article or a story you have made up yourself. The most important thing is that you enjoy it, that way your child will too,” said Inez.

In 2012, NALA developed a website www.helpmykidlearn.ie that brings together relevant information for parents and the wider community to support children’s literacy and numeracy development.

“Not every parent finds it easy to support their child’s learning so this website highlights the positive, everyday things that children learn at home from their families. It mixes the old with the new, from card games and hopscotch that help practise maths, to children’s e-books and apps for reading and pleasure. All you have to do is enter your child’s age and you will find lots of fun reading, writing and maths activities you can do together,” said Inez.

Could you bring a book or buy a book?

The National Adult Literacy Agency is also supporting St. Michael’s House Bring and Buy Book Campaign. St Michael’s House is one of Ireland’s largest providers of community‑based services for children and adults with an intellectual disability.

This campaign asks volunteers to set up ‘Bring a Book, Buy a Book’ locations in their offices, schools, colleges, clubs or homes. Volunteers contribute their second hand books and purchase books donated by their colleagues, fellow students, friends or family at a cost of €2 per book. The campaign encourages reading for all and all funds raised will go directly to St Michael’s House to help provide services to children and adults with an intellectual disability.

*€1.50 tokens are a gift from your local booksellers. Shop local and support your local bookshops.

For media queries please contact:

Jenny Sharif, Kate Bowe PR, 01 652 0143 / 086 087 3408

Clare McNally, PRO, National Adult Literacy Agency, 01 4127909 / 087 6486292

World Book Day Ireland http://www.worldbookday.com/world-book-day-ireland/

St Michael’s Bring a Book, Buy a Book’ campaign was first piloted in 2008 with 15 different locations taking part. The Campaign has since enjoyed growing success, with a total of 15,000 books exchanged and €30,000 raised for St. Michael’s House in 2012. See http://www.worldbookday.com/world-book-day-ireland/st-michaels-house-bring-buy-book-campaign/