World Book Day

 Happy World Book Day, everyone! 

What is World Book Day? Well, this day is about celebrating one of the most wonderful things in the world: The book!

I love reading. I have loved reading ever since I was a kid. It's why this day has special meaning to me. I have tons of novels and trade paperbacks, and I enjoy reading them all the time. 

So, how did World Book Day start? Well, its history can be traced back to Barcelona, Spain, and a man named Vicente Claval. Claval was in a bit of a pickle. He worked for a publishing house, and he wanted to get more people to buy books. He then got an idea. 💡

In 1922, he decided to take the day of October 7th as a special "book day". This was also the birthday of Miguel de Cervantes, considered the greatest Spanish author of all time. He wrote Don Quixote, if you didn't know. In 1930, the day was moved to April 23rd, the day Cervantes died. It's still celebrated today as the Day of Books and Roses.

The first World Book Day as we know it was celebrated in 1995. UNESCO declared this day World Book Day because not only was it the day that Cervantes died, but English author William Shakespeare and Peruvian author Inca Garcilaso de la Vega also died on this day. So, yeah. That's quite a spooky coincidence.

Books are incredibly magical. They can transport you to new worlds. They can help you find a piece of yourself. Books can open your mind and expand your horizons. Perhaps, a good book can also inspire you to take a shot at writing a story you always wanted to. I know it did that for me.

This day is all about promoting reading, so enjoy your day, and curl up with a good book! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!