International Children’s Book Day 2024: Date, theme, history and significance

Every year, the International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated in honour of the Danish author Hans Christian Anderson. The aim of the day is to encourage children’s love of reading through the use of books. Each year, the International Bureau of Children’s Books (IBBY) chooses a new department to be the international sponsor of ICBD. The IBBY selects a theme and asks a well-known writer from the host nation to pen a letter to young readers everywhere. This message is then accompanied by an illustration by a renowned illustrator on a poster. Many strategies are used to promote books and reading with the resources produced by IBBY. From date to history, scroll down to know more. (Also read: Chaitra Navratri 2024: Is Chaitra Navratri starting from April 8 or April 9? Know correct date of the Hindu festival )
Every year International Children’s Book Day is observed on April 2 and this year it will be celebrated on Tuesday. IBBY Japan (JBBY) is honoured to be the official sponsor of ICBD 2024, under the theme “Cross the Seas on the Wing of your Imagination”.
Well-known Japanese writer and 2018 HC Andersen Award recipient Eiko Kadono wrote a letter to all children worldwide. The poster was made by Japanese artist Nana Furiya, who resides in Slovakia and has an international outlook. The keyword for ICBD 2024 is imagination. JBBY believes that fostering imagination will lead to mutual understanding and a spirit of tolerance.
ICBD was initiated by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a non-profit organization founded in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1953. The organization aims to promote international understanding through children’s books, as well as to advocate for children’s right to access quality literature.
The idea for International Children’s Book Day was proposed by Jella Lepman, a German writer and journalist, who founded the International Youth Library in Munich in 1949. Lepman strongly believed in the power of children’s literature to foster empathy, understanding, and cultural exchange, especially in the aftermath of World War II.
The first International Children’s Book Day was celebrated on April 2, 1967, coinciding with Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, the renowned Danish author best known for his fairy tales. Andersen’s works have had a profound influence on children’s literature worldwide, making his birthday a fitting date to celebrate children’s books.
International Children’s Book Day is important because it encourages children around the world to read for pleasure and to become more literate. This annual event, organised by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), celebrates children’s literature and the continuing legacy of authors such as Hans Christian Andersen. Through books, children are given the opportunity to discover many points of view, spark their imagination and develop a lifelong love of reading, helping to create a brighter future through the power of storytelling.