Reading resources Introducing the World Book Day 2024 books An amazing selection of books by some really cool authors for just £1, or FREE with the World Book Day tokens given out at school - what's not to love we hear you say! World Book Day gives every child the chance to buy a book of their choice with a £1 book token, gifted to all children through their schools. But sadly, there are some children who, for whatever reason, have decided they don't like books, don't need books in their lives or who simply don't want to be anywhere near books or reading - which is a shame when there are so many wonderful World Books Day £1 books, with fantastic authors and super illustrations just waiting for them to take home. So, because at Coram Beanstalk we know all about trying to engage children who are 'switched off' to reading, the team at World Book Day asked us to come up with a few clever ideas to open the door to each book, before a child even has to open the front cover. And who knows, they might just want to take a closer look afterwards! Take a look at the selection of wonderful books available this year and download the activity sheets for each book to help the children you read with enjoy it even more... Elmer and the Patchwork Story Written by: David McKee Publisher: Andersen Press This World Book Day, come on a brand new adventure with Elmer the patchwork elephant and discover the joy of telling, sharing, and making up stories! Do you know the story about the magic biscuit? Neither does Elmer! But the baby elephants want to hear it, so Elmer and his friends race to remember it before bedtime . . . For over 35 years and across 30 stories, Elmer has spread a message of confidence, friendship and compassion to children all around the world. Download the activity sheet Greg the Sausage Roll: Lunchbox Superhero Written by: Mark and Roxanne Hoyle (aka LadBaby) Illustrated by: Gareth Conway Publisher: Puffin BRRRIIINNNG!!! It’s the first day of school! Greg The Sausage Roll is chilling in the bakery when a little boy comes in with his family, looking for something special to put in his lunchbox to help calm his nerves. In the blink of an eye, Greg gets scooped up and before you can say ‘SAUSAGE-ROLL CALL’, he’s off to school for a SUPER exciting adventure! Greg is over the moon . . . music, science, PE – he’s ready to try it all! But can Greg, Gloria and the mini sausage rolls help the little boy make a new friend and have the BEST FIRST DAY EVER?! Social media phenomenon LadBaby have created this laugh-a-minute mini picture book adventure especially for World Book Day 2024. Download the activity sheet Charlie McGrew and the Horse that he Drew Written by: Rob Biddulph Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books Grab a pen and get ready for some drawing with this brand-new story from bestselling and award-winning Rob Biddulph! Charlie McGrew is one creative kid, and when he decides he’s going to draw a pet horse, he discovers he must also find ways to keep his new friend happy… Written in rhyming text and full of Rob’s signature combination of comedy and charm, this imaginative picture book also includes space to add your own brilliant drawings and is perfect for all the family. Download the activity sheet Dinosaur Club: On the Trail of a T.rex Written by: Rex Stone (Jane Clarke) Illustrated by: Louise Forshaw Publisher: DK Travel back in time and explore the prehistoric world with this special World Book Day edition of the thrilling Dinosaur Club series. Jamie and Tess are members of Dinosaur Club – a network of kids around the world who share dinosaur knowledge, help identify fossils, and talk about all things prehistoric. One day, while exploring their home of Ammonite Bay, Jamie and Tess discover a secret cave with fossils all over the walls. They go through a tunnel at the back and discover some dinosaur footprints. When they walk along them, the two friends find themselves back in the time of the dinosaurs! It’s amazing, but dangerous, too – they’ll definitely need help from Dinosaur Club… In Dinosaur Club: On the Trail of a T. rex, Jamie and Tess come face-to-face with the king of the dinosaurs – the fearsome T. rex! Do you have what it takes to join the club? Download the activity sheet InvestiGators: High Rise Hijinks Written by: John Patrick Green, with Christopher Hastings and Pat Lewis Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books Crack the case with Mango and Brash in InvestiGators: High-Rise Hijinks, a laugh-out-loud special World Book Day adventure with black-and-white illustrations! This comic book series by John Patrick Green is perfect for fans of Bunny vs Monkey. A mysterious figure has robbed the bank – but it’s not just the money that’s gone missing, the whole building has disappeared! – and it’s up to secret agents Mango and Brash to go undercover and solve the mystery. Armed with super hi-tech spy technology, the InvestiGators are on the tail of Dr Doodledoo – a fowl scientist who also happens to be a giant chicken! But are they clucking up the wrong tree? Join this comic crime-fighting duo on another one of their missions in more InvestiGators adventures, each one packed with brilliant full colour artwork! InvestiGators, InvestiGators: Take the Plunge, InvestiGators: Off the Hook, InvestiGators: Ants in our P.A.N.T.S, InvestiGators: Braver and Boulder, InvestiGators: Heist and Seek, and InvestiGators: All Tide Up. The InvestiGators series is a hit with all ages and covers themes like: Teamwork Resilience Problem-solving Download the activity sheet Marv and the Ultimate Superpower Written by: Alex Falase-Koya Illustrated by: Paula Bowles Publisher: Oxford University Press When Marvin puts on his superhero suit he becomes the unstoppable, invincible MARV! Marv can run at super speed, fly through the air, and freeze baddies in their tracks, but all these powers are nothing without kindness—the ultimate superpower! This World Book Day 2024, join Marv in five action-packed mini tales as he embarks on his latest adventures—we’ll hear from his trusted robot sidekick Pixel, learn that even super-villains have moments of selflessness, and hear Marv’s own super-powered advice on being kind. From rising star Alex Falase-Koya, Marv and the Ultimate Superpower is fast-paced storytelling and adventure with vibrant illustrations— perfect for all young superheroes! Download the activity sheet Can you get Jellyfish in Space? Written by: Dr Sheila Kanani Illustrated by: Liz Kay Publisher: Puffin You’ve probably heard of dogs in space. Maybe even chimpanzees. But jellyfish? Almost certainly not! Join Dr Sheila Kanani as she discovers a weird and wonderful cast of animals who have travelled into space, from Ham the chimpanzee to Félicette the cat, and the 60,000 jellyfish who have orbited the Earth (did you know you can also get jellyfish-shaped galaxies?). You’ll meet the microscopic creatures that can survive in the vacuum of space, and wonder – could aliens really exist? This fantastical journey into the wild and surprising realms of space weaves together astronomy, physics and biology, and is sure to inspire space-obsessed and animal-loving kids everywhere. Download the activity sheet Loki: Tales of a Bad God Written by: Louie Stowell Publisher: Walker Books After Norse god Loki played one too many tricks in Asgard, Odin banished him to live on Earth as an eleven-year-old school boy. With Thor, Heimdall and the giant Hyrrokkin pretending to be his family, Loki must record his deeds in a magical (slightly sarcastic) diary to prove he’s learning how to become more virtuous. It’s a bit of a work in progress. In this diary entry, Loki recounts three spectacular stories, including:1) Triumphs (and failures) as Loki and Thor take on three tasks for Heimdall.2) The Norse tale of Thor almost marrying a giant.3) Loki as a robot. Sort of… Download the activity sheet Onyeka and the Secret Superhero Written by: Tọlá Okogwu Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books A superpowered World Book Day story in the action-packed ONYEKA series from bestselling author Tọlá Okogwu. Perfect for 8+ fans of Percy Jackson, Marvel and DC! Twelve-year-old Onyeka is enrolled at the Academy of the Sun, a school for superheroes called Solari. When she’s sent on a mission with her friends to investigate a series of freak weather incidents in a remote village, they aren’t expecting to find a top secret Solari with extraordinary superpowers. But is this new Solari friend or foe? There’s only one way for Onyeka to find out . . . Download the activity sheet The Amazing Edie Eckhart: The Friend Mission Written by: Rosie Jones Illustrated by: Natalie Smillie Publisher: Hachette Children’s Group Hi! I’m Edie Eckhart. I’m a little bit different. I have a disability called cerebral palsy, so I talk slowly and fall over a lot. It’s never really bothered me because I’ve never known anything else. It’s the start of Year Eight and there’s a new girl in Edie’s class from America! Edie can’t wait to get to know Mia and her twin brother, Benjamin. This is Thrilling with a capital T! Especially as Mrs Adler sits Mia next to Edie in class. Mia has a hearing impairment and wears hearing aids. She seems shy and Edie knows how scary it can feel to join a new school. Maybe Edie can be the jam to Mia’s jelly? It’s time for… THE FRIEND MISSION! Download the activity sheet Dread Wood: Creepy Creations Written by: Jennifer Killick Publisher: Farshore Dread Wood High is a school like no other! Angelo and his friends are used to battling horrifying creatures at school – giant spiders that fire poison darts, brain biting worms that burrow into your flesh and vampire birds that drink your blood! These terrifying beasts were brought to life by crazed caretakers-slash scientists, the Latchitts. And they aren’t finished yet. . . In this exclusive World Book Day story, Angelo and the rest of Club Loser must venture deep into the tunnels underneath Dread Wood High to rescue their favourite teacher, Mr Canton. But more hideous creations live in the Latchitts’ old laboratories . . . and they’re hungry! Can Club Loser stop these creatures from escaping into the world and make it out of the tunnels in one piece? Read it and see, if you dare! An epic, pulse-racing, nail-biting, sci-fi adventure, perfect for readers aged 9+. For more edge-of-your-seat adventures check out the whole Dread Wood series – Dread Wood, Fear Ground, Flock Horror and Deadly Deep, plus more adventures to come in 2024. Download the activity sheet The Doomsday Date Written by: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Illustrated by: Bex Glendining Publisher: Usborne On the day before the world is meant to end, Sanjeet dyes his hair pink… He’s determined not to die without ever having really lived, so he’s come up with the Doomsday List. Ten things he needs to do before the sky comes crashing down. Sola knows the world’s not going anywhere. But, as Sanjeet’s best friend, she’s decided to help him out. As the seconds tick down to midnight, Sanjeet will need all his courage – and Sola’s – to finish the list. Especially number ten. The one that scares him the most. One night, two friends, and a list that will change everything… The world-ending love story that will give you fireworks, from the bestselling author of ACE OF SPADES, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. Download the activity sheet The Curious Case of the Irish Yeti: Molly Malone and Bram Stoker Written by: Alan Nolan Illustrated by: Shane Cluskey Publisher: The O'Brien Press Dublin’s dogs are mysteriously disappearing! No guard dogs means thieves are running riot, and with no sheepdogs to herd the animals in Smithfield market, the city is overrun with sheep and goats … and even worse, Dublin’s cats are having an absolute field day! The dwindling doggy population is being blamed on a curious creature known as the Irish Yeti, a tall, terrifying shaggy beast with snow-white fur and red, glowing eyes. Bram Stoker, Molly Malone and the Sackville Street Spooks are fascinated by this mysterious monster, but when Molly’s own dog goes missing, the friends decide enough is enough – they have to go on the trail of the Yeti … Can Molly & Bram solve the mystery of the disappearing dogs? Download the activity sheet Inis Mara Written by: Tristan Rosenstock Illustrated by: Mark Wickham Publisher: LeabhairCOMHAR The people of Inis Mara had a lovely life and everyone was happy. But when ‘an Santóir’ becomes the leader, everything goes downhill and he ruins the beautiful island with dirty air. There is a brave girl on the island who inspires everyone to take a stand and Éabha decides to do her best to stop ‘an Santóir’. This is a modern adventure story about climate change, the value of working with others, and the importance of the truth. Readers both young and old will enjoy and benefit from Éabha’s adventures as she tries to save her community from the crooked leader who is destroying the island. And the story reminds us over and over again that no man is an island. “A topical, enjoyable and inspiring story … with messages that really affect the reader.” – Anne-Marie Kelly, Director, Dublin UNESCO City Of Literature Bhí saol breá ag muintir Inis Mara agus bhí gach duine sona sásta. Ach nuair a cheaptar an Santóir mar cheannaire, téann gach rud in olcas agus milleann sé an t-oileán álainn le haer salach. Tá cailín cróga ar an oileán a spreagann gach duine chun seasamh a thógáil agus beartaíonn Éabha a dícheall a dhéanamh chun an Santóir a stopadh. Scéal comhaimseartha eachtraíochta atá anseo a bhaineann le cúrsaí athrú aeráide, leis an tábhacht a bhaineann le bheith ag comhoibriú le daoine eile, agus le tábhacht na fírinne. Bainfidh léitheoirí óga agus aosta taitneamh agus tairbhe as eachtraí Éabha agus í ag iarraidh a pobal a thabhairt slán ón gceannaire cam atá ag milleadh an oileáin. Agus meabhraíonn an scéal dúinn arís is arís eile gur ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine. “Scéal tráthúil, taitneamhach agus spreagúil … le teac Download the activity sheet Ffeithiau Ffiaidd Y Corff Written by: Mari George and Kevin Payne Publisher: RILY Bydd yn barod am daith sy’n archwilio’r corff dynol ffiaidd ac afiach. Mae’n ddigon i droi dy stumog. Llyfr ffeithiau doniol i blant sy’n caru unrhyw ffeithiau rhyfedd ac ych-a-fi! Byddi di’n rhyfeddu at y ffeithiau gwych a gwallgof hyn am bi-pi, pw, chwys, afiechydon, snots gludiog a llawer mwy! Oeddet ti’n gwybod bod gan y person cyffredin tua 10,000 o flasbwyntiau ar ei dafod? Wyt ti’n gallu dyfalu hyd pw hiraf y byd? Defnyddia’r llyfr gweithgaredd hynod erchyll hwn i ddysgu am yr holl ffeithiau ffiaidd hyn! Yn llawn ffeithiau, posau a gemau, byddi di’n siŵr o wingo a chwerthin nes dy fod ti’n wan, wrth ddarllen a dysgu am y corff dynol. Get ready to go on a stomach-churning journey exploring the gross and ghastly human body. An alternative fun fact book for kids who love any gross and bizarre facts. Have your mind blown by these weird and wonderful things about poo, wee, sweat, diseases, bogies and lots more! Did you know that the average person has around 10,000 tastebuds on their tongue? Or can you guess the world’s longest poo? Learn about all these gross facts, with this fantastically gruesome activity book! Packed with facts, puzzles, and games, readers are sure to laugh-out-loud and cringe whilst having a fun reading and learning about the human body. Download the activity sheet Download ALL the activity sheets in one PDF here Manage Cookie Preferences