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Hundreds of kids attend World Book Day party

Josh Sandifordin Wolverhampton for World Book Day
News imageBBC A young child in a red racing driver costume and cap grins at the camera, standing in front of a table displaying Little People, BIG DREAMS books including titles on Lewis Hamilton, Stephen Hawking, Nelson Mandela and Cristiano Ronaldo.BBC
Gus, 8, was dressed up as his inspiration Lewis Hamilton

The hall was loud with World Book Day noise.

About 600 children, dressed in an array of colourful costumes depicting characters and celebrities from David Attenborough to Coco Chanel, were singing along and clapping their hands.

Some 14 schools were present at the national event at Wolverhampton Grammar School, which was being live streamed across the country.

It marked the 10th anniversary of the bestselling children's book collection Little People, BIG DREAMS.

The series, created by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, has been a huge success around the world and the author came along to celebrate with the children.

News imageA woman with blonde hair wearing a white shirt smiles at the camera outside a building, with two toy monkeys draped around her neck and a small book badge pinned to her chest.
The global hit series was created by author Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara

Since the first book was published in 2016, it has sold more than 14.5 million copies in over 40 languages. It now consists of 150 books with 136 different illustrators.

Sánchez Vegara said the Wolverhampton World Book Day event was much bigger than London.

"I felt at home," the author said.

"This is the most important, extraordinary day of the year for me.

"The books you read as a child are the ones that shape you and make you a better person in the future."

The first of two performances for the event was taking place at Wolverhampton's Grand Station.

Wolverhampton Grammar School was also due to host a second, digital show, in what organisers hoped would be a record-breaking event.

With more than 100 schools tuning in for a live stream and potentially thousands of pupils taking part in total, it could break the record for the number of people dressed as a storybook character, which currently sits at 739.

The attempt isn't Guinness affiliated, though, because organisers said the number of schools involved would be too difficult to moderate.

News imageHundreds of children in fancy dress costumes sit on the floor of a large hall with arched ceilings and warm lighting, facing a stage with screens and book displays at the far end.
More than 600 children attended the physical performance, with a larger digital event planned later

The celebration comes during the UK's National Year of Reading.

Organisers said Wolverhampton was specifically chosen because it had championed literacy at a time when reading rates were declining among children nationally.

Mayor Craig Collingswood, who attended the event, said: "There's always pockets of deprivation that's not unique to Wolverhampton.

"But the ambition of the city is to develop to educate and to grow and we're on that journey and I'm very proud to be part of that."

Gus, a Wolverhampton Grammar School pupil, came as Lewis Hamilton, and said he had been inspired by the Ferrari racer.

Hamilton is also the subject of a Little People, BIG DREAMS book, which the eight-year-old had read cover to cover.

"I think he's inspiring because he shows people that anyone can do whatever they believe they can," Gus said.

"Reading is important because you can learn new words and different stories."

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