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Pupils across Hartlepool are being encouraged to take advantage of a charity book scheme and get reading for World Book Day 2024.

World Book Day 2024 is being celebrated on Thursday, March 7, with the World Book Day charity giving children free tokens which they can exchange for books.

This year, Hartlepool Borough Council has been chosen as one of a number of local authorities around the country to be given 1,200 free books.

The book offer is part of the charity’s national mission to improve children’s access to books and provide them with opportunities to develop a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure.

Priscilla Deane, assistant hub coordinator, community outreach and engagement, and Councillor Bob Buchan encourage pupils to get involved in World Book Day 2024.

This comes as research by the National Literacy Trust shows that nationally less than half of children say they enjoy reading.

Councillor Bob Buchan, chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s adult and community-based services committee, said: “We are delighted and grateful to receive these fantastic books.

“Reading a book is a lot of fun and can take you on endless adventures and journeys of discovery, both real and imagined, but encouraging a child to discover the magic of books is so much more important than that.”

Pupils at all primary and secondary schools across Hartlepool can exchange their World Book Day token for a World Book Day book of their choice at Community Hub Central, in York Road, from Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm up until the end of March.

Children can also exchange their tokens at Community Hub South, in Wynyard Road, on Saturday, March 9, between 10am and noon.

Further World Book Day details are available from 07768 841306 or online at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/libraries

Hartlepool pupils encouraged to get free books for World Book Day 2024