The Books Team Experiences Grew Up Reading and Loving

Celebrated since 1998 in the UK, World Book Day honours the promotion of reading and publishing, and in this country is traditionally marked by each primary school age pupil in the UK and Ireland being given a special voucher to spend on a book.

We dare say it's either bringing back memories of coming into school as your favourite book character and visiting the book fair - or filling you with dread at memories of the last minute rush to get a costume ready for your own little readers!

However, the power of a good book and the worlds it takes us to can't be disputed - so we've bookmarked some of the titles that our team here at Experiences HQ divulged from cover to cover as kids…

Alex MacGregor - Senior Creative Content Writer

I was and still am a massive bookworm, and I credit that entirely to my parents and regular trips with them to the library when I was a kid. I have distinct memories of Roald Dahl's George's Marvellous Medicine and The Twits being read to me when I was 5 by my eldest sister, who always had a warm, mellifluent narrative tone and different voices she'd put on for all the characters (some of which were based on people we knew growing up - least said soonest mended!). I was also fond of Kenneth Grahame's timeless The Wind In The Willows, and Jill Tomlinson's The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark.

But one book that did have a major impact on me when I was able to read by myself was by Dick King-Smith, the prolific children's writer who was best known for his stories involving animals. The Sheep Pig is probably the most famous of all these, as it was subsequently made into the Oscar winning film Babe.

However, it was all about another of his titles - The Queen's Nose - for me. My familiarity with it was owing to the hugely successful BBC TV adaptation that was done of the book, and it's still one I can practically memorise word for word. It follows the story of 10 year old Harmony Parker, who is longing for a pet of her own, despite constant rebuttal from her parents and her elder sister, Melody.

She is given a 1972 50p coin by her Uncle Ginger, but after a treasure hunt learns that when the nose of Queen Elizabeth II is rubbed (hence the title), it will grant her one of seven wishes, which, as she soon discovers, has consequences, both good and bad. It's a bit of a morality tale, but it was this and the combination of magic, humour, drama and animals and his descriptive writing that still make this a winner for me. And still to this day, whenever I come across a 50 pence piece, I always rub the Queen's nose on it and make a wish - just in case…

Beth Webb - Creative Content Writer

There are so many books I loved growing up, but let's start at the very beginning. When I was a baby, my mum and dad would read me the Mr. Men books by Roger and Adam Hargreaves. I loved them so much that we ended up with two boxed collections—each containing over 30 stories about the lovable characters. These books were a huge part of my childhood and remain a cherished memory.

When my brother came along and we got a little older, my dad would sit on the landing between our two rooms and read to us. Sometimes, we'd help him, too! One of my favourite memories is him sharing a book from his own childhood, The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I was completely captivated by the magical world and its unique characters, and I could listen to those stories for hours.

As I got older, I discovered the Harry Potter series, which holds a special place in my heart. Another book that means a lot to me is In 27 Days by Alison Gervais. Originally published online, I followed the story as each chapter was released. It was an incredible experience to watch it gain popularity and eventually get a publishing deal.

I have to admit, I've fallen off the reading train a bit — it's hard to fit into my daily routine. But it's definitely something I'd love to get back into because nothing quite compares to holding a physical copy of a favourite book and getting lost in a story.

Lucy Jobson - Content Writer / Editor

I'd love to say that, as a writer, I spent my childhood buried in books, but that would be a massive lie. Honestly, reading just wasn't my thing. World Book Day, for me, wasn't about celebrating stories - it was about getting a day off from my school uniform.

Unfortunately, my mum had other ideas and insisted on dressing me as a Victorian orphan, claiming I was Lucy from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In reality, I wanted to turn up looking like the actual Queen of Narnia - fur coat, crown, regal attitude and all. To this day, I couldn't tell you the plot of that book, but I do remember being deeply offended by how frilly my socks were. To be fair, I was always way more into films anyway - maybe that's why I ended up studying it later on.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy a book or two. George's Marvellous Medicine had me absolutely hooked - not just because George was a little genius of chaos, but because, compared to my older sister, I was definitely the wild child. I wasn't exactly a troublemaker, but I did cut my mum's hair once, and in hindsight, I really should've blamed George as a bad influence.

Then there were the Rainbow Magic books - the holy grail of girlhood. We collected them like Pokémon cards, desperately trying to find the fairy that shared our name and secretly hoping we'd wake up one morning with a pair of iridescent wings. If I read one now, I'd probably cringe myself into another dimension, but some tiny part of me would still wish for a sparkly dress and the ability to flit through the garden like my imaginary fairy friends once did. Those books weren't exactly literary masterpieces, but they were mine, and that was enough.

These days, my bookshelf looks a bit different. Fiction has kind of taken a backseat, and I mostly reach for non-fiction - history, philosophy, or just random interesting facts I'll never actually need.

But every so often, a book comes along that reminds me why stories matter. Charlie Mackesey's The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is one of those books. It's simple, it's beautiful, and it's got that quiet kind of wisdom that sticks with you. Maybe I'll never wake up with fairy wings, and maybe my days of (accidentally) cutting hair are behind me, but a good story - whether it's in a book or on a screen - will always have a place in my life.

What was your favourite book growing up as a kid? Perhaps you think you've got the hand to bring to life the World Book Day characters of the future? Our Children's Book Writing Course is under £30 in our Online Course packages and could be just the thing to help kickstart your creative journey. Or for a World Book Day with a difference, there’s always our range of Walking Tours centred around much loved characters including Mary Poppins, Harry Potter and Paddington Bear!