World Book Day is arriving on April 23. As someone who spent their childhood staying up late with a flashlight and making friends with my local librarians after coming home with dozens of books at once, I’ve found some great books you can read to celebrate with your family! We’ve got something on this list for everyone. 

Matilda By Roald Dahl

Matilda is a classic and well-loved. The story is about a little girl who was born into a cruel family. However, she begins to find herself and make friends when she begins to go to school. She also develops magical powers that she uses to help her friends from a principal who is horrible to kids and parents alike. 

Encyclopedia Brown By Donald Sobel

This is another oldie but goodie. The books have mysteries that you can solve. It’s at a middle-grade reading level, and the mysteries are complicated enough to make you think but not enough to frustrate you. These were a big part of my love of reading, and I bet your children will love them, too! A bonus? They can be found at any library, thrift store, or used bookstore, which always has them for pennies. The reason it’s not listed with the series list, even though it is one, is because with these books, you don’t need to go in order, and if you miss one, it doesn’t matter because they’re written in a way that each book is unique to itself.

My Classroom Bill Of RightsRights by Imani H. Campbell 

This book is about a little girl, Akili, who loves to ask questions. But one day, her teacher is having a bad day and embarrasses poor Akili in front of everyone. Akili needs to figure out what to do. But, through a teacher who cares, she learns that she needs to find her voice and ensure that no student goes through what she did. This is an excellent book for children to realize that you must find your voice and defend yourself when needed. I highly recommend this one. The author herself experienced issues like this and wanted to be a voice for others. 

Fruits and Veggies By The Thompson Family

This book is charming and fun. Fruits and veggies didn’t always get along, and because of that, a writer named Tiny the Tomato wanted to write the most fantastic book of food history ever told. Unfortunately, he didn’t know where to start. So he visited Meat Metropolis, Dessert City, and even Sweet Cream City to find the answer to his question. This is such a cute book that has brought laughter to children. 

We Were Liars By E. Lockhart

Now, this one is for young adults, so I’d recommend it for teens aged fifteen to seventeen as there are bigger themes. The story revolves around a teen named Cadence. She has an extremely wealthy grandfather and is the oldest grandchild. Her grandfather owns his own island, and his three daughters come every year with their children. Cadence is joined by her cousins Johnny and Mirren, and her grandfather lets their friend Gat come every summer. 

One summer, Cadence can’t remember what happened during summer 15. At 17, everything on the island had changed, and suddenly, Gat and her cousins were different, her aunts were different, and her grandfather was sad and withdrawn. Whatever happened during the summer of 15 changed her family forever. 

Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless By Liz Czukas 

Chloe is having a bad day. She’s working the morning shift at her market, and she crashed a cart into a car (and ran away to avoid getting caught). Her crush doesn’t have a clue she’s interested. Add the fact that ten thousand dollars are missing from the charity box, and now her coworkers aren’t having a good day either because now six of them are suspects. This book is super fun for teens fourteen and up, and it gets bonus points from me because it highlights a character with diabetes and has diverse characters. 

Book Series That Will Inspire A Love Of Reading 

There are many books that can inspire a love of reading, including mysteries, thrillers, contemporary books, and more. Check these out for your children, and I bet you’ll be making weekly library trips before you know it.

  • The Babysitter’s Club – The original covers are in every library and thrift store because love for them is returning. It follows a group of friends who love to babysit, and the books showcase the issues that they deal with, including racism, eating disorders, autism, diabetes, and more.
  • Goosebumps – Entertaining and semi-scary, these books are so fun, and if you read them as a kid, you’ll have instant nostalgia.
  • Nancy Drew – Nancy Drew loves to solve mysteries and has gotten quite good at it. These books are perfect for curling up on the couch with a great book.
  • Junie B. Jones – This little girl has opinions, is loud, and has a way of thinking. The books are easy to read and fun for the whole family. 
  • Ramona Quimby – Like Junie has her way of thinking, and this series shows her adventures with her sister Beezus. 
  • Dear America – A series of beloved books that are read in diary form. It’s historical fiction, and it’s fun to read. The books cover historical events like the Titanic, the American Revolution, the Mayflower, and many more. Some of these books are more mature, so we’d recommend them for teens between fourteen and seventeen. 
  • The Royal Diaries – This is part of the Dear America series, but they cover princesses. Some historical fiction diaries include Princess Elizabeth, Cleopatra, and Marie Antoinette. 

A Love Of Reading Will Stay With You

A love of reading can stay with you and your family forever. The books on this list are thought-provoking as well as fun and engaging. My love of reading started with many of these books, and I was able to get my friends and family into reading as well. I hope these books make your World Book Day one to remember!