Today is World Book Day. I mean everyday is Book Day for me haha.
As I work in a Primary School Setting I do love this Day simply for sharing stories and excitement around books.
Plus, it’s good fun to make a costume and dress up. My favourite part is reading to the children throughout the day though.
What could you do this World Book Day?
Get crafty and make a bookmark for you and or the kids.
Just enjoy a bit of quiet reading time with a new book or a favourite of yours…
Read to the kids! This is my favourite part of world book day at work â¤ď¸đ
Try something new? A new type of book, a new genre. I have recently been enjoying the Heartstopper Graphic Novels which is not a book format that I usually read.
Read your favourite book âĄ
Unfortunately I won’t have time today but, going to a local bookshop and treating yourself to a new book would also be an awesome way to spend it too. Especially if the kids have their book token too!
This year I have reused my Stick Man costume as I put alot of effort into making this last year so I thought I would get one more year out of it!
Whatever you do, I hope you have been able to enjoy a book and share that joy with somebody…theres nothing better âĄ
I thought I would do a halfway through the year, book update!
Every year I have done a reading challenge of sorts, and this year, instead of monthly or quarterly updates I thought I would do two Six month updates.
So, here is my first reading update of 2021, January – June.
[Disclaimer: I’m not that fast a reader sometimes, it comes in fits and spurts, and I’ve had lots of revision to do, so its not as long a list as I’d like]
January – June 2021
The Winter GardenBy Heidi Swain
The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning By Chris Colfer
Because of YouBy Dawn French
The LidoBy Libby Page
Pushby Ashley Audrain
The Holidayby T.M Logan
A Taste of Homeby Heidi Swain
Only Time Will TellBy Jeffrey Archer
The Sins of the FatherBy Jeffrey Archer
Until Next WeekendBy Rachel Marks
The Dead Fathers ClubBy Matt Haig
Saving the Day By Katie Fforde
The MotiveBy Khurrum Rahman
Best Kept SecretBy Jeffrey Archer
My favourites so far are, of course the Heidi Swain novels ‘The Winter Garden’ & ‘A Taste of Home’ as well as ‘Until Next Weekend’ ‘Push’ & ‘The Holiday’ which I could not put down. I love that feeling.
The suprise was the Harry Clifton series by Jeffrey Archer, the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover.
World Book Day snuck in just in time, before the first Lockdown last year, this year wasn’t to be… so, how does your lockdown World Book Day look??
It’s such a shame that we haven’t been able to fully immerse ourselves, as we usually would, at work but it was lovely seeing all the children sharing books, picking them out, listening to stories and writing.
I love watching children enjoying and getting involved with reading a book, it is one of my favourite parts of my job!
So, that was part of my lockdown World Book Day.
I’ve also been sharing a few of my book favourites over on my blogs Instagram (Roseannes Blog)
I also took the opportunity (via Skype đĽ) to read my nephews a few stories for World Book Day
We read ‘I need a new bum’ and ‘The Dinosaur that pooped the past’ some silly & fun books!!
And of course I’m going to make sure that I do one of my most favourite things tonight… cosy down with a good book and just relax and enjoy it.
Whatever you are doing, I really hope that you are getting a moment to read a page or two of a book and you are able to forget about anything else that is happening, just for a moment, whilst you do.
So, this is my last post with the word Christmas in, honest!
Here is my book haul. I was very lucky to receive quite a few lovely books for Christmas this year, my ideal gift, so I thought I would share them with you.
It’s quite a mixed bag so let’s take a look…
Ant and Dec Once Upon a Tyne
I LOVE Ant & Dec, they are my absolute faves so I was super excited to receive this. This one I requested, so I hoped it was on it’s way. It’s really funny so far.
Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas
I had seen this one advertised and heard alot of great things (plus I love a cute, warm, festive story) so I was pleasantly suprised when my sister got me this. I’ve finished it and it was as lovely and heart warming as I’d have hoped. Perfect for Christmas & Blue January!
‘Still Friends’ 25 Years of the TV show that defined an era. By Saul Austerlitz
I can’t wait to start reading this. F.R.I.E.N.D.S is my ultimate fave TV show and my lovely friend bought me this for Christmas, knowing I love both books & friends. Definatly onto a winner with this one.
Collectors editions of: Peter Pan By J M Barrie, A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens & The Railway Children by E Nesbit
I discovered these in my local indie bookshop. They are absolutely beautiful. The covers are amazing đ I have wanted to add some classics to my collection for a while so I picked these out and my Mum and Dad gave them to me for Christmas.
I also got two illustrated Harry Potter books; ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ illustrated edition & ‘Quidditch through the ages’ illustrated edition
If you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know that I’m a MASSIVE!!! Harry Potter fan, so I was super excited to add these to my collection. I had asked for the illustrated ‘Goblet of Fire’ but I wasn’t expecting the ‘Quidditch through the ages’ illustrated version… IT LOOKS AMAZING.
Did you get some books for Christmas?? How are they??
So, here it is! The final instalment of my 2020 reading challenge, and the final quarter…
October, November, December
Let’s have a look at what I have read during this quarter…
Books I’ve read:
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.
Where the Crawdads sing by Delia Owen
The Kindness Club at Mapleberry Lane: A Summer Suprise by Helen Rolfe
The Kindness Club at Mapleberry Lane: An Autumn Promise by Helen Rolfe
Coming home to Glendale Hall by Victoria Walters
New beginnings at Glendale Hall by Victoria Walters
Hopeful hearts at Glendale Hall by Victoria Walters
The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine
The Midnight Library is one of my favourite books that I have read this year. Its fantastic and I have recommended it to so many people already.
It’s so thought provoking and interesting, but gripping too.
I can’t recommend it enough
Alot of these were a similar type of book this quarter, easy readers. These are some of my favourite types of books, cosy, romantic, lovely and easy to pick up and get through, so I was super pleased to discover the Glendale series in particular.
I didn’t get through as many of my festive reads as I would have liked but I have one more on the cards for January, I recieved it as a gift for Christmas, from my sister.
It’s called ‘Finding Love at the Christmas Market’ by Jo thomas.
I haven’t quite decided how my reading challenge will take shape this year yet… maybe I will continue with the quarterly updates or I may go back to a monthly update, either way, keep your eyes peeled for that!
I wanted to update my reading corner recently. I am happy with the theme and colour scheme, as it fits well into the lounge where it is….
… I did however, need more space!
As I mentioned on my Instagram (RoseannesBlog) page, me and my husband recently went to Ikea and there is where I found my new bookcase! As well as a few other little bits to finish off the area
So, let’s take a look!
The new addition to my bookcase is the slim one nearest the wall. This is the Billy Bookcase from Ikea.
This bookcase is from the Billy Bookcase range and is just like my original case (also a Billy), but it works really well as a little case for a small space, or a add on to create a little extra space.
This was perfect for the space that I have for my reading corner.
I can’t wait to fill up my new shelves properly.
Here are some of the little bits that I’ve bought to add to the area.
I bought some plants to decorate the shelves, a cute pink lamp for my desk and a new swivel desk chair.
I’m really happy with the extra book space thats been created, without ruining the area that I have already prepared.
Its still super cosy too…even more so! And I can’t wait to enjoy my books in this area.
Roseanne Byford 