There’s always a reason to celebrate the joy of books! When someone tells me they don’t like to read or books are boring, I know they haven’t found the right book for them. When they do – mind blown. It’ll change their lives.
Around the world, people have a passion for books and giving others a way to enjoy them, too.
These are some of my favorite book holidays.
FEBRUARY 14 is Library Lovers Day. This day started in Australia but happens across the world. People are encouraged to dress as their favorite book characters, get a group together to talk about favorite books, and hold fun events for everyone to get involved.
It’s a love fest for literature.
MARCH 3 is World Book Day, which is a charity event funded by publishers and booksellers in the UK and Ireland. They’re on a mission is to give every child and young person a book of their own. Wow!
How wonderful.
JUNE is Audiobook Appreciation Month – you can read a book in many ways. How about with your ears?! Try an audiobook this month and enjoy the immersive experience of listening to a story. It still counts as reading.
SEPTEMBER 6 is National Read a Book Day – now we have an official day to indulge (although every day is read a book day in my world.) Books take us on risk-free adventures, so long as we don’t doze off and drop them on our faces. Hands up anyone who’s given themselves a nosebleed by whacking themselves with a hard book or an e-reader.
Books provide affordable escape portals from all the chaos. So grab one, and dive in.
NOVEMBER 18 is High Five a Librarian Day – in the UK, many libraries are run by teams of dedicated volunteers after funding cuts threatened thousands of libraries in smaller towns and villages. Book lovers united, protested on the steps of city councils, and stepped forward to stop the bureaucrats stealing books and cutting off free educational and reading opportunities for the most vulnerable and isolated in our communities.
My local library is run by 30 friendly, helpful volunteers, and I always make sure to thank them. Books and the joy of reading must stay available to all.
DECEMBER 24 is Jolabokaflod, also known as the Christmas Book Flood in Iceland. This is the fabulous tradition of gifting children a book on Christmas Eve. It’s a wonderful tradition and I fully support getting this started all over the world.
Do you have a favorite way to celebrate books? Do you gift books on Christmas Eve?
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K.E. O’Connor is the author of the Every Witch Way series, the Witch Haven mystery series, the Crypt Witch cozy mysteries, the Lorna Shadow ghost mysteries, the Holly Holmes baking mysteries, the Zee Town paranormal cozy series, and the Old Sarum mystery series, along with other titles available if you cast the right spell. She can imagine dragons, taste cookies when they aren’t even there, and hear the crack of a witch’s broom at a hundred paces.
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K.E. O’Connor is the author of so many books she can't remember them all. Noteworthy mentions include:
Every Witch Way series (a talking familiar as the lead character, anyone?)
Witch Haven mystery series (14 books of fabulous witchy mayhem)
Crypt Witch cozy mysteries (17 books of murder, a talking hellhound, and a big old demon issue)
Lorna Shadow ghost mysteries (13 books of ghostly mystery)
Holly Holmes baking mysteries (9 books of delicious cake, murder, and stunning British jollies)
Zee Town paranormal cozy series (5 quirky, fun books with murder and friendly zombies in Cornwall)
Along with other titles available if you cast the right spell.
She can imagine dragons, taste cookies when they aren’t even there, and hear the crack of a witch’s broom at a hundred paces.
Visit her website for more bookish, magical fun
