Good morning! How ya all doing? Anyone out there with book hangovers from Wednesday night? I have a bit of a headache but that has been holding on for two days… more sinus (thank you Minnesota cold and rain and oh yeah… SNOW yesterday) than book hangover…
However,
Wednesday was World Book Night and I just want us to take a moment and really think about that. (Seriously… take a moment… I will wait.)
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As Thursday mornings Shelf Awareness states:
The third annual World Book Night U.S., held yesterday, was the biggest ever: more than 29,000 givers distributed some 580,000 copies of 39 titles to new or light readers. Each giver handed out 20 copies of one of the books, a range of adult and YA titles that included some of the most popular titles of the past few decades and included, for the first time, a graphic novel as well as a Spanish-language edition, several large-print editions, a collection of poems, Shakespeare’s complete sonnets–a title for just about any interest.
Across the country, givers picked up their books from libraries and bookstores–many independents, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million stores hosted celebratory parties–and then fanned out to hand out the free books at a wide variety of locations, including schools, hospitals, transit centers, nursing homes and shelters.
Isn’t it exciting to live in such amazing times? 29,000 people around the world participated in handing out these special books with special world book night covers to people everywhere!
I was able to participate with our Local Brainerd Public Library being a pick up spot (woo hoo!!!!) and I split a box with Laurel who works there so we each had ten copies of Code Name Verity and Ranger’s Apprentice. Both YA reads and she and I both enjoy YA books very much.
Where did I go?
I went to our local hospital and handed them out to people as they entered or exited the building – looking to target (that sounds so hitmanish….) teens and upper middle grade readers. I also went to a coffee shop and to the Senior Center where they sell doughnuts to the public. Both books would be excellent to encourage more reading. In fact, Ranger’s Apprentice is book one so hopefully our young readers will search out the next one…
Did you participate in World Book Night? If so what book did you have and where did you hand the books out?
Book Journey 
I had read that World Books Night UK was happening, but saw nothing about the US version until we found a copy of Carl Hiaasen’s HOOT on a table in the student lounge area @ Onondadga Community College in Syracuse NY. Obviously SOMEONE had been there, and reports were other books popped up all over campus.
Nice! I think UK started a year before US, but has been at the US for the past three years. 🙂 I love the thought of “books popping up”
I participated the last two years and had a blast. My life is crazy now so I decided to skip this year and I kind of regret it.
I hear you Kathy, I almost forgot about it until the librarian called me to let me know I had not picked up my books….eep! 😀
Such an amazing event!
Really it is 🙂
Here in Northern Nevada 3 of us delivered book in our little community! We had a ball! First we went to the bar, yep a bar, well is also houses a restaurant and is a great little community spot.Everyone ended up being excited and loved having a book! We went to the courthouse as well as a few other local downtown business. This was so much fun! We shared the love of reading and hopefully encouraged some new readers along the way. I hope everyone else had as much fun as we did!
That sounds fun! I would love to team up with a group 🙂
I haven’t heard of this happening in Canada… Hopefully it will at some point so I can join in on the fun!
Good question… I am not sure if it includes Canada, I would have to check the website and look at the map. If not they should 😉
I was so thrilled to participate for the 3rd year. We did a Pub Crawl and had 4 titles among us. My book was Kitchen Confidential and was a big hit! Can’t wait for next year.
How fun and great book!!!
Sorry it’s not available in Canada – glad for your opp for the FuN !
I have not heard of this before, and I don’t think it is known in SA. What a shame, because this is a great event
I’m so jealous! I’d love to be part of spreading books! And the hospital is a great place to hand out books, since especially there people are in need of comfort and what better to give them that then books!
I really wanted to do it this year but it snuck up on me! Definitely next year. Sounds like it went well for you – you picked two excellent books!
Sue
Book By Book
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Sheila, I’m in my library typically several times a week, and this week I happened to pop in on World Book Night! I wasn’t aware of it before then, but saw the pile of books on the front desk with a sign about it. When I learned what it was for, I got SO excited! I actually took 2 books and gave them away 🙂 The one at our branch was THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky. LOVE the whole idea and am so proud of you, all that leg work and passing out literature! 😀