The Bookseller and WBD launch bookshop competition

The Bookseller is teaming up with World Book Day to launch a competition for bookshops.

Retailers can win two tickets to The Bookseller Children’s Conference, coverage in the The Bookseller magazine and online, as well as a £100 wine voucher, by creating window and in-store displays that showcase World Book Day (WBD) to customers of all ages.

WBD is taking place on 7th March this year and Kirsten Grant, director of the event, said retailers are at the front line of getting children and reading for pleasure.

“We know that sharing stories together - anywhere, anytime - for just 10 minutes a day has long-lasting positive effects on a child’s future,” she said. “Each year we love to see the creative displays that bookshops produce to bring World Book Day to life. I hope that the combination of a fabulous range of £1 books and an expanded offering of point-of-sale materials this year will encourage more engaging displays that every before, to entice young readers into bookshops.”

POS materials on offer this year include posters, dumpbins, standees, bookmarks, bunting and stickers, all of which feature artwork by this year’s WBD official illustrator Rob Biddulph.

WBD said hundreds of independents and many major retailers have signed up to take part this year with WH Smith is encouraging its stores to run events with local schools. 

Waterstones is running events with authors and Foyles is creating front-of-house and window displays, as well as showcasing the £1 WBD titles and the authors’ backlists, whilst Asda, Tesco and Marks & Spencer are all supporting WBD with activities ranging from selling the books in-store to organising themed events.

In addition, The National Trust is working with Hachette to create a children’s discvoery trail, based on the Ten Little Bookworms £1 WBD book, in 51 properties.

To enter The Bookseller and WBD competition, retailers can apply by posting videos and photos of their WBD displays and events to @TheBookseller using the hashtags #WorldBookDayDisplay, #WorldBookDay and #ShareA Story, between 28th February and 7th March. Three winners will be chosen by The Bookseller and Grant.