Books And Where To Read Them

It’s National Book Day, and to mark the date our friends at Kidzania have organised a terrific three-day event. Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th will be days full of book cover designing, story telling and character writing for the little ones.

On Saturday 9th there will be two workshops; the first one will be lead by Tracey Corderoy, author of the One Stop Story Shop. We’ll try to find out where stories come from, following Knight and Ferret on their adventures. The kids will also be able to create their own One-Stop Story Shop sign to take home.

Join Holly Webb, author of The Perfect Kitten, for the second writing workshop.  She’ll share her top tips for writing stories and children will celebrate World Book Day by creating their own book cover starring their perfect pet.

For those who still enjoy reading, but don’t have family plans in mind for their Book Day celebration, we’ve put together a list with some of our favourite books. What about putting a little book club together, so you can comment them more in depth?

And because the setting can make all the difference, we’re also pairing them with the best places you can read them (and get a nifty freebie with the ENTERTAINER app!);

About A Boy – Nicholas Hornby

This wonderful rite of passage story tells us the story Marcus, an unpopular kid who wants, more than anything, to make friends and complete his complicated family, and Will, a self-proclaimed island of a man who tries to stay away from people, and to remain as independent as possible. Life brings them together, perhaps giving them a chance to shake things up a little.

Head to North London and enjoy a handful of pages from this book while sipping a coffee at Kobo Cafe. Voted Healthiest Cafe in North London, Kobo has an amazing menu that both Marcus (a vegetarian) and Will (a coffee connoisseur) could thoroughly enjoy. And we’re sure you will too!

North & South – Elizabeth Gaskell

Do you love a romance and defeating capitalism? Then go for this Gaskell 1854 classic, where southerner gentry Margaret Hale has cultural shock when she moves to the industrial North and meets factory owner Mr Thornton. Think of it as Pride & Prejudice with less bonnets and more social debate!

The fictional city of Milton, where this novel is based, was inspired by Gaskell’s own move to Manchester, so we recommend you to head to Katsouris Deli, where you can enjoy their Full British while catching up with the romance between Margaret and Mr Thornton.

Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones

Most of you will be familiar with the animation film by Studio Gibli, but Howl’s Moving Castle is a riveting fantasy tale with witches, dimensional travel, curses and things that definitely are not what they seem…

To recreate the valleys where the Moving Castle roams, we hope you visit the Brecon Beacons, and stay for a weekend (or longer!) glamping at Grange Farm while enjoying your book.

Outlander – Diana Gabaldon

Most of you would have already heard about Outlander, thanks to the series adaptation starring Catriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. The original novel is a proper page-turner, full of time-travel, action and ahem, quite steamy romance between the main characters. Diana Gabaldon has a way with historical narration and complex timelines, she truly makes it very difficult for the ready to let go of her novel.

Enjoy Outlander sipping a glass of scotch at the Smokin’ Fox in Glasgow, or visit Pure Spa in Edinburgh and advance a couple of chapters while waiting for your pamper!

Wall & Piece – Banksy

Bristol has the claim on the world’s most famous graffiti artist, but his book Wall & Piece takes you on a trip around the whole country and beyond, one wall at a time.  Banksy’s works can be scathingly critical or hopeful, but they are always a mirror to ourselves and the world we live in. Going through the pages of this book will leave nobody indifferent.

Take it with you to BSB Bar in Bristol, and have a go at it while enjoying a cocktail and staring at the Bristol Bay.

Whatever your taste in books might be, we hope you have an awesome page-turning National Book Day! Happy reading!

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Amanda Rosowski