7 of the Best World Book Day Resources for Secondary Schools

Each World Book Day social media is awash with young children dressed as Harry Potter and various characters from Roald Dahl and David Walliams books, and it may seem like it’s got very little to do with your KS3 and 4 classrooms. But that absolutely does not mean that World Book Day isn’t for you.

This year, in fact, on top of the usual selection of £1 books, there are four full novels and a poetry collection for older children and teens, priced at £2.50 (or £1.50 with your £1 book token) that your students can enjoy.

They are:

• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
• Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
• Gangsta Rap by Benjamin Zephaniah
• I Have no Secrets by Penny Joelson
• Summoner: The Novice by Taman Natharu

You can find out a bit more about World Book Day and how to get involved at worldbookday.com, and if you’re after some inspiration and ideas, here are some excellent resources you can use.

1. World Book Day official secondary resources

On the World Book Day site you’ll find a resource pack, a secondary assembly and accompanying guidelines.

Check out all of the secondary resources here.

2. 20 WBD activities

Stuck for ways to celebrate World Book Day? Well this PDF produced a few years ago features 20 failsafe ideas for secondary schools. Pick and mix according to your setting and schedule.

You can download it on the Guardian Teacher Network here.

3. GCSE set texts resources

If you’re already in the midst of studying Pride and Prejudice, Animal Farm, Never Let Me Go, or you’ve got Shakespeare lined up for next term, then head down our resource rabbit hole with this selection of lesson ideas and tools for these texts and more.

Click here to explore.

4. LGBT-themed reads

As February is LGBT History Month, why not carry on any work you’ve done in this area into March and World Book Day?

LGBT Youth Scotland has put together a list of recommended reads with LGBT+ themes that are suitable for secondary-aged pupils.

Download it here.

5. Author resources

Staying north of the border, the Scottish Book Trust has a range of resources around specific authors’ works. Here are just a few of those available:

• Michael Morpurgo
• Lauren Child
• Chris Riddell
• Phil Earle
• David Almond
• Malorie Blackman
• Charlie Higson
• Jacqueline Wilson
• Eoin Colfer

Find these and more here.

6. Book to Film comparisons

This resource from Film Education has a range of activities comparing popular KS3 and 4 texts with their film adaptations, such as Sherlock Holmes, War Horse and Wuthering Heights.

It looks at genre, and differences between the mediums of film and literature, and there is a fantastic activity where students have to think about how they would adapt their favourite book into movie form.

Plus, there’s even a long list of books/films for inspiration, each with links to teaching for resources.

You can find all this here.

7. Promote reading for pleasure

Stuck for ideas on reluctant readers? Try this lesson plan Karl Vadaszffy that will help you promote reading for pleasure by introducing students to books they won’t find in the school library.

Download the free PDF for this lesson plan here.

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