Net Dad – World Book Day

I've just packed the kids off to school and after a manic morning of face painting my children to look like assorted characters from Roald Dahl books for their school's World Boy Day celebrations I am experiencing a brief moment of clarity amidst the doom and gloom that seems prevail in the book industry at the moment.

High street bookshop and library closures, publishing companies going bankrupt and the constant pressure of the bottom line and deadlines are all part of the daily dialogue for those who work in the book industry at the moment. However, what is really great about World Book Day is that it helps embittered book industry stalwarts to take a breath and to remember why they entered the book business in the first place.

I won't be shattering anyone's dreams when I mention that the book industry isn't the most well paid sector to work in. Many talented individuals who are working in the book trade (from bookstores and libraries to publishing companies) could be earning far more money in other industries. However, I feel sure that most of us entered the trade due to a common passion; reading and a genuine love of the written word. Seeing my own children's animated faces at the prospect of participating in WBD and hearing them talk enthusiastically about all of the reading events which they will be doing over the course of the day struck a real chord with me and enabled me to set aside my cantankerous streak and to reflect on joy that can be derived from books.

On World Book Day, it makes no difference if the reading pleasure is derived on a digital platform or in a printed book. As long as adults and children are enjoying the written word and are being transported out of their everyday existence to magical lands, other worlds, different times, places and into different cultures (and enjoying the written word's capacity to achieve this miraculous feat) then the book industry has a great future.

Long live books and the joy which they bring to us all.