April 2: International Children's Book Day

Céline Arétin, in charge of cultural, women's and environmental topics, April 2, 2025

Origin and goals of this day

International Children's Book Day, celebrated every year on April 2, was established in 1967 by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) to promote reading among young people.

The benefits of reading for children

Reading fosters language development by enriching vocabulary and improving grammatical understanding. Reading also boosts concentration, memory and analytical skills. A study conducted by Ohio State University in 2019 found that children who are read to daily hear about 1.4 million more words than those who are never read to before age 5. This exposure allows children to master around 1,000 more words than their peers by the time they start elementary school.

How to encourage children to read more

Setting up a comfortable reading corner, with shelves at their height, encourages children to take an interest in books. Offering a variety of books suited to their tastes, such as comic strips, picture books or interactive books, can spark their curiosity. Having regular reading time, such as a story every night before bed, helps anchor this habit in the child's daily routine. Finally, leading by example by reading yourself naturally fosters a child's desire to read, by associating reading with a moment of relaxation.

Classics of children's literature

"The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, published in 1943, is one of the most translated books in the world, with more than 500 languages. "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, published in 1865, remains an essential reference in children's literature thanks to its dreamlike, offbeat world. "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak, published in 1963, addresses children's emotions with great subtlety. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl, published in 1964, continues to captivate young readers with its fantastical world. "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling, published from 1997 onward, has become a global phenomenon with more than 500 million copies sold. "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter, released in 1902, remains an iconic work of children's literature. "The Adventures of Tintin" by Hergé, begun in 1929, remains a comic-book classic, with estimated sales of more than 250 million copies. Finally, "Andersen's Fairy Tales," such as "The Snow Queen" or "The Ugly Duckling," have endured for centuries, still moving readers of all ages.