February 14th is International Book Giving Day. This is a wonderful initiative run by volunteers with the aim of “getting books into the hands of as many children as possible” (International Book Giving Day 2019, n.d.). The official website has lots of information on how to get involved and how to organise events to celebrate the day, along with free downloads for bookplates, posters and bookmarks. This year, there are two posters: one created by Priya Kuriyan and the other by Chris Haughton. If you use any of these resources, please acknowledge the illustrator, because ‘pictures mean business‘.
International Book Giving Day 2019 poster by Priya Kuriyan

Image used with kind permission of International Book Giving Day
International Book Giving Day 2019 poster by Chris Haughton

Image used with kind permission of International Book Giving Day
We know from literacy organisations that there are many children who do not own books, so this initiative really does have the potential to change lives. Once you are hooked on reading, your life outcomes improve, along with your social capital and wellbeing. So, make a difference by giving a child a book on International Book Giving Day!