The 23rd of April is celebrated annually as World Book and Copyright Day and was inaugurated by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1995. It is commemorated worldwide, except in the UK, where World Book Day is celebrated on the first Thursday in March. The date of 23 April was originally chosen because it happened to be the date of death for a number of influential authors and poets, such as Miguel Cervantes, William Shakespeare (according to the Gregorian calendar), Henry Vaughan, William Wordsworth, Halldór Laxness, Josep Pla, Gaspara Stampa, Vladimir Nobokov and Maurice Druon. After World Book Day was instated, two more prominent authors died on 23 April: P.L. Travers and Romana Scarpa. Some also suspect the 23rd of April to be the birth date of Shakespeare, although this has not been proven.
According to UNESCO, the aims of World Book Day are: 1
- To annually pay a tribute, world wide to authors and the books they create.
- To promote the enjoyment of reading, especially under the youth.
- To pay respects to the contributions authors make to society.
- To honour authors by promoting respect and observance of copyright placed on works of literature.
In the spirit of World book day, I decided to share two new releases with my readers: one for our very young book lovers and one for the grown-ups. Although they are intended for completely different age groups, these two books have something special in common: they reveal something about the magical worlds that books open to us.
Where is Lulu?
illustrations: Clyde Beech
This little softcover book is suitable for readers aged five to eight years and is 24 pages long. It is written in a large and clear font and is filled with adorable full-page illustrations. It was written by Mohale Mashigo, illustrated by Clyde Beech and released in March of this year.
Lulu is a little girl who has just discovered the joy of books at their local library. However, she likes her borrowed book so much that she is reluctant to return it and hides when her mom says it is time to go to the library. She soon learns that if she returns her book, she can exchange it for other books and read more wonderful stories and therefore isn’t sad for long about returning them. Although this is a very simple and short story, it instils the message that the worlds books open up for us are endless and that one should never stop exploring them.
What makes this book extra special to talk about on World Book Day is the fact that it is published by Book Dash. Started in 2014, Book Dash is a non-profit organisation that strives to publish and distribute affordable or free books to young readers (approximately ages 4 to 10) in South Africa in order to promote language proficiency and book appreciation. Although the organization has full-time employees, all published books are produced by part-time volunteers at special Book Dash events where they work together in teams to create beautifully illustrated stories. Several other charities join forces with Book Dash to not only translate these little books, but also to sponsor and distribute them to underprivileged kindergartens, schools and children.
Where is Lulu? is available to purchase for only R20. It is advertised that all outlets of Bargain Books are supposed to stock these books. However, I visited two branches of Bargain books in Pretoria during the month of April and only found two copies at the second branch, which the staff had to search for quite rigorously. It turned out that they had never heard of Book Dash. I found that somewhat disappointing, as that means that Book Dash’s hard work is not receiving enough awareness and promotion. If you know a young reader under the age of 8 who could benefit from getting this cute little storybook as a present, why not visit your nearest Bargain Books and purchase a copy of Where is Lulu? It will help raise awareness of this organization, support them financially and help a little child become a better reader.
Although Book Dash does not currently have an online shop, Where is Lulu? can be bought online at New Africa Books. This is recommended only for larger quantities of books, as there is a R75 postage fee which is waivered for orders of 25 copies or more.
The Binding
The Binding, written by Bridget Collins, went on sale in February of this year and caused quite a stir under book lovers and clubs. The reason for this is that this book is a novel centered around the art of book binding. However, the story is set in a world where bookbinding is more than just a craftsmanship – it is a magical art that can only be practised by true, born bookbinders.
Emmet Farmer finds out that there is something about him that sets him apart. A destiny, that he was never even aware of. With confusion and dread, he starts his new life with Seredith, an old mysterious lady, after his parents cast him off their family farm.
This story succeeds in making one ponder about the wonder that is books. Books don’t merely tell stories – they let you into another world and into others’ minds and memories. One can get so drawn into a book that one can feel what they feel and see what they see in your mind. This is not only a blessing for readers, but also writers. One often hear writers say that they had to write and share their story; it helped them to work through unresolved feelings and make peace with whatever trials they had to go through.
The Binding focuses on this theme of dealing with one’s past. Is forgetting really the best option if it causes you to lose your gained experience, wisdom and most importantly, a part of yourself?
A small warning: although this book is unhurried and simplistic, it is not for the faint or conservative of mind and contains a good dose of “love story”!
So, celebrate this World Book and Copyright Day and go get yourself a copy of a book about books and the keys that they hold.
1. United Nations. ‘World Book and Copyright Day: 23 April.’ https://www.un.org/en/events/bookday/