5/3/20 - Happy World Book Day!

Hello everyone! Today is one of my favourite days of the year: World Book Day, a chance to celebrate the art of literature, dress up as our favourite characters and praise the craft of words! I am incredibly nostalgic about this event, and look forward to seeing my social media flooded with photos. I can't deny that my favourite character to dress up as was Matilda: Reader of Books from Matilda by Roald Dahl, that was my go-to costume during primary school. Oh if only celebrations of this event were encouraged in Secondary School and college!

But, I'm not here to prattle on about my favourite costumes - no, I'm here to share my all-time favourite children's book. It was the story that inspired a love of literature, and one that I begged my father to read to me almost all the time. The story was Allan Ahlberg's 'The Bravest Ever Bear'!

'The Bravest Ever Bear' came out in 1999, and I still have the beaten up copy of this picture book in my bedroom now, twenty years on! My sister and I loved how my dad would use voices and embrace the surreal humour of this story, that became a household classic - to the point our mother wasn't allowed to read it!

The story follows a bear, who is desperate to have an interesting story, and becomes exasperated by the nature of the simple children's book, and consequently decides to write his own story - a true invitation to embrace the surreal and exciting. I adored hearing about all of the adventures that the bear went on during his, very long day telling his story.

Even now, as a twenty-one year old, I think fondly of 'The Bravest Ever Bear' and in the three moves since my parents purchased the book, I have refused to part with it!

Although the story is old, it is golden, and I wholeheartedly recommend purchasing this funny tale of the misadventures and heroism of The Bravest Ever Bear!

Thank you for reading! Have a great World Book Day!

And remember:

Per Ardua Ad Astra!

- Imogen. L. Smiley