The event at Leigh Library is part of a free World Book Day event to encourage children to discover the joy of reading. It is hosted by the charity World Book Day and supports the 2026 National Year of Reading, aiming to boost literacy by making reading fun and accessible. , and Sheena Dempsey, author and illustrator of Pablo and Splash: The Castle Quest.
Christopher Lloyd and Sheena Dempsey will talk to children about how they found their love of reading and encourage them to explore books for fun. The specific activities or schedule planned for the event at Leigh Library on March 4 have not been detailed. Libraries are central to this year’s World Book Day efforts, with many serving as community token exchange hubs where children in areas of disadvantage can collect a free book using their £1 World Book Day book token.
This outreach is part of a larger push to raise reading levels and address falling enjoyment of reading among children, as recent research shows only one in three children say they enjoy reading, the lowest figure since 2005. Across County Durham, Darlington, Teesside and North Yorkshire, local libraries are holding themed storytimes, book swaps and creative writing workshops to mark World Book Day. World Book Day encourages children to discover the power of books and reading, and it has become a much-loved fixture in the calendar for families and teachers alike since its inception in 1998.
Many schools will be handing out £1 book tokens, giving youngsters the chance to choose from a special range of titles or put the voucher towards any book of their choice. The exact titles or details of the free books available through the £1 token exchange at libraries have not been specified. World Book Day aims to inspire a lifelong love of reading.