We love it when someone hands us a book and says “You have to read this!” When people feel confident enough to shout about a book from the rooftops, you can be pretty sure that it’s going to be great. This is why we’re really excited for a cool new literacy event on Monday. On April 23rd, tens of thousands of volunteers in the US and Europe will be putting their favorite books into the hands of people in their communities, urging them to read it and spreading the joy of reading.
Last year, a book lover from across the pond came up with the idea for World Book Night – a celebration of reading and books – and it’s catching on. This year, millions of copies of great titles by authors like Jeannette Walls, Dave Eggers and Alice Sebold will be given away across England, Ireland, Germany and USA.
One of the goals of WBN is to spread the love for reading, but it’s also about creating awareness among children and adults about the value of reading and inspiring those who have yet to discover the magic of picking up a book on their own.
But you don’t have to wait for a random stranger to hand you one of their favorite books. Here are some of the best audio books from this year’s WBN booklist including some of our favorites like Little Bee by Chris Cleave, Just Kids by Patti Smith and The Kiterunner by Khaled Hosseini.
After you’ve finished listening to the book, tell your mom, sister, friend or the person you’re sitting next to on the bus that they have to check out the book. World Book Night doesn’t have to be a passing event – share the love of reading whenever and wherever you can.
P.S. To find out which bookstores and libraries are participating in World Book Night 2012, click here.