International Children's Book Day
Next: April 2, 2027
Give a child a story.
The story
Where it comes from
International Children's Book Day has been held since 1967 by IBBY, the International Board on Books for Young People, on or around 2 April, the birthday of the Danish fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen, born in Odense in 1805. IBBY grew out of a meeting in Munich in 1951 organised by the journalist Jella Lepman, who believed that children's books could build bridges of understanding between peoples after the Second World War. It was registered in Zurich in 1953, with Astrid Lindgren and Erich Kästner among its founders.
How it's celebrated
Each year a different national section of IBBY sponsors the day. It chooses a theme, invites a well-known author from its country to write a message to the children of the world, and asks an illustrator to design a poster. Schools and public libraries use them for readings, meetings with authors and illustrators, writing competitions and book awards. At home, it is a lovely day to read a story aloud or give a child a book.
Did you know
- IBBY's Hans Christian Andersen Award, often called the children's Nobel, was first given in 1956, to the British writer Eleanor Farjeon.
- Astrid Lindgren, a founding member of IBBY, won the Andersen Award herself in 1958.
- Asian winners of the author award include Michio Mado of Japan in 1994, Nahoko Uehashi of Japan in 2014, Cao Wenxuan of China in 2016 and Eiko Kadono, creator of the young witch Kiki, in 2018.
Coming up next
- The First Mobile Phone Call · April 3, 2027
- Taiwan Children's Day · April 4, 2027
- International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action · April 4, 2027
- Qingming Festival · April 5, 2027
- International Day of Conscience · April 5, 2027
- International Day of Sport for Development and Peace · April 6, 2027