Books by Okogwu, Biddulph and Stowell on World Book Day 2024 £1 book list

World Book Day has announced its list of 15 books, by the likes of Rob Biddulph, Tọlá Okogwu and Louie Stowell, to be made available for free with a £1/€1.50 Book Token on World Book Day 2024, which will take place on 7th March.

Titles by David McKee, Mark and Roxanne Hoyle (also known as Ladbaby), Alex Falase-Koya and Alan Nolan are also among those chosen, across categories spanning “beginning” to “independent” readers.

Cassie Chadderton, c.e.o. of World Book Day, said: “Encouraging children to love reading for pleasure is our charity’s mission. It’s vital we reach more children than ever, so that every child can benefit from the improved life chances that reading for pleasure brings."

She added: "We are confident that these fun and inspirational books will spark children’s interest in discovering more books and reading for pleasure!”

The full list of £1/€1.50 books chosen for 2024 are, in the "beginning" category: Greg the Sausage Roll: Lunchbox Superhero by Mark and Roxanne Hoyle (aka Ladbaby), illustrated by Gareth Conway (Puffin); Elmer and the Patchwork Story by David McKee (Andersen Press); and Charlie McGrew and the Horse That He Drew by Rob Biddulph (HarperCollins Children’s Books).

In the “early” category are: InvestiGators: High Rise Hijinks written by John Patrick Green, with Christopher Hastings and Pat Lewis (Macmillan Children’s Books); Marv and the Ultimate Superpower by Alex Falase-Koya, illustrated by Paula Bowles (Oxford University Press); and Dinosaur Club: On the Trail of the T.rex by Rex Stone (Jane Clarke), illustrated by Louise Forshaw (DK).

“Fluent” readers will be able to choose from: The Amazing Edie Eckhart: The Friend Mission by Rosie Jones, illustrated by Natalie Smillie (Hachette Children’s Group); Onyeka and the Secret Superhero by Tọlá Okogwu (Simon & Schuster); Loki: Tales of a Bad God by Louie Stowell (Walker); and Can You Get Jellyfish in Space? by Dr Sheila Kanani, illustrated by Liz Kay (Puffin).

In the “independent” category are Creepy Creations by Jennifer Killick (Farshore) and The Doomsday Date by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (Usborne), while the “Ireland” category features Inis Mara by Tristan Rosenstock, illustrated by Mark Wickham and published by LeabhairCOMHAR and The Curious Case of the Irish Yeti: Molly Malone and Bram Stoker by Alan Nolan, illustrated by Shane Cluskey and published by The O’Brien Press. The new Welsh-language £1 World Book Day book for the 2024 campaign will be announced in November 2023.

Okogwu said of her book being selected: “Reading is such an enormous source of joy and pleasure and something I enjoy sharing with the many children I meet as well as my own. Each year, World Book Day opens up the world of stories and endless imagination to thousands of children who might otherwise not have such an opportunity. I am incredibly proud that Onyeka will be a part of that and I can’t wait to explore the other books in this year’s line-up with my own children."

The organisers say World Book Day will continue to work with a network of partners to extend its reach and impact, including the National Literacy Trust, BookTrust, Read for Good and Libraries Connected. Last year, these partnerships resulted in over 90,000 £1/€1.50 books given to children in areas of high deprivation and low literacy across the UK and Ireland, with the charity looking to expand on this success in 2024.