At Sutton High, World Book Day 2026 was a joyful celebration of reading, creativity and community, with students across the school taking part in a wide range of activities designed to bring books vividly to life.
As part of the National Year of Reading 2026 and Go All In, this years celebration reflected our commitment to making reading visible, enjoyable and meaningful for all. From outreach work with younger pupils, to library activities, form time challenges and classroom engagement, World Book Day was an opportunity to celebrate not only books themselves, but the imagination, curiosity and conversation they inspire.
One of the most special parts of the day was our visit to Robin Hood Juniors, where we dressed up and helped share the excitement of World Book Day with pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6. This year, we purchased 600 World Book Day books from Heath Books to help ensure that books reached children directly and could be taken home to keep and enjoy. We were delighted to make sure that every pupil in those year groups received a book to explore. Our Year 7 students also contributed by designing bookmarks for the younger pupils, adding a thoughtful and personal touch to the books they received.
Heath Books 600: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DVvn01mjYai/
Back at school, we opened the library doors to welcome our own Year 6 and Year 7 students for a lively World Book Day Fun Fair, with a carousel of activities that transformed the space into a hub of reading inspired fun. Students took part in Giant Book Guess Who, Giant Jigsaw Puzzles, Book Murder Mysteries, Book Pairs and Book Snap, all of which proved extremely popular. Alongside these energetic games, there was also a quieter creative area where students could design bookmarks, decorate book bags using book themed stencils, complete a Draw the Missing Piece activity, and contribute to a large collaborative murder mystery dot and finger painting display.
The celebration extended into form time, where students were invited to complete a World Book Day Challenge by finding as many words as possible containing the word book. With approximately 224 possible answers, this sparked a great deal of enthusiasm and healthy competition. The highest score achieved in just 60 seconds was an impressive 36, so very well done to Ms Midmore’s and Mr Wheeldon’s Year 9 form.
Staff were also encouraged to include something reading related in their lessons during the day, further reinforcing the importance of reading across all disciplines and throughout the wider pupil experience. This was a valuable reminder that reading does not belong to one subject alone. It underpins learning, broadens understanding and enriches school life in countless ways.
Every student also received a digital World Book Day token, encouraging them to continue exploring books beyond the school day and helping to extend the celebration even further.
The day was also captured through a series of wonderful Instagram posts and reels. One featured students jumping from side to side according to their reading preferences – watch here, while another saw students using their bodies to form the words World Book Day – watch here. Together with a gallery of images from the activity stations, these posts captured the fun, energy and sense of shared celebration that made the day so memorable – watch here.
World Book Day at Sutton High was far more than a one day event. It was a celebration of the wonderful world of books and a reminder of the many ways reading can inspire, connect and empower young people. Whether through games, creativity, discussion or simply the pleasure of taking a new book home, the day created opportunities for students to engage with reading in ways that were exciting, inclusive and purposeful.
We were so proud to see our students embrace the day with such enthusiasm and joy. It was a wonderful reminder that when reading is made visible, accessible and engaging, it becomes something that students do not simply take part in, but genuinely enjoy.
Just a few of our fabulous Prep ‘World Book Day’ costumes!
