Make reading the focus of world book day - not dressing up

I had become aware that the 1st of March was some kind of `dress down` day for schools, for every year I would see schoolchildren attired in fancy dress on this date. As time drew on my perceptibility seemed somehow to improve, despite my worsening eyesight, and I observed that the children were dressed as characters from literature: I noticed the Cat in the Hat, The Gruffalo, Oliver twist - and of course Harry Potter with his coterie of chums

I eventually discovered that this annual costume jamboree was `World Book Day,` also known as International Day of the Book, and World Book and Copyright Day. The event was founded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1995. Its chosen date, March 1st, has special significance in the literary world, being the death date of both William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes.

Despite the literary revelry, and the fun that `fancy dress` always brings, many people have raised concerns that the meaning and significance of the day are being obscured by trivialities. Neil Roskilly, the CEO of the Independent Schools Association (ISA), made a judgemental tweet last month, expressing his concerns over what World Book Day was becoming:

`World book day is wonderful, but what a shame that commercial interests see it as an opportunity to sell costumes and some schools pander to this. More unnecessary pressure on some struggling families.`

Many parents have complained that it can be extremely stressful and expensive to acquire the latest outfit for their child. There is also the worry that all with the dressing up, and scoring each other`s costumes (a practice that takes place at many schools) the true meaning of World Book Day is being obscured.

In reaction to this, many schools are curtailing the fancy dress aspect of the day, and choosing to focus more on its literary side. Combois primary school in Northumberland tweeted out a notice, telling all parents that pupils would have to remain in school uniform:

`Reminder we are NOT dressing up on World Book Day this year due to the expense and parental feedback from last year.`

The focus of the day should be to highlight the act of reading itself - the power of the book to transport us to other realms, other times; to give us the most convincing idea what it would be like to inhabit the soul and skin of another human being.

As a child I was an inveterate reader (now I`m merely a compulsive one!) - preferring what was on the pages of my books to anything shining out of the television. I honestly can`t recall my love of literature being kindled by anything I read at school though. I never liked the idea that someone else would be choosing what I would be reading. I believe a lot of people are, in their adult life, averse to reading any piece of fiction, because they associate the practice (the chore) with their schooldays, and think it some arduous task that they will be later tested on. It must indeed be hard to lose yourself in a book if you believe you will later be quizzed on what you have read, set comprehension tasks on certain chapters, and asked to compose a synopsis of the `deeper message` of the text. If children are not given the opportunities to discover books for themselves they may come to classify them as just another academic chore, rather than an endless realm of adventures revealed, characters brought to life, and knowledge disclosed.

There is a general consensus on the importance of parents reading to their children. A recent study published in the Australian journal `Economics of Education Review` concluded that reading to children on a regular basis, at a regular time slot (perhaps just before bed each night) `has positive and significant effects on reading skills and cognitive skills of these children.`

Despite the abundance of evidence that reading to children has lasting positive effects, both behavioural and academic, there are worrying signs that the practice of `bedtime` stories is diminishing.

Nielsen Book Research carries out an annual `Understanding the Children`s Book Consumer survey,` and its findings from last year show that only around half (51%) of pre-school children being read to daily. This is a precipitous drop from its 2013 survey, which had 69% of pre-school children enjoying a daily reading session with a parent.

Despite my curmudgeon judgements, I truly believe world book day to be a wonderful thing. It gives children the chance to express their enthusiasm for reading, and revel in the vast array of fictional characters. I just feel it would be a shame if the spectacle of the event overshadowed what it stands for.