Ahmedabad School World Book Day Celebration Wins Hearts
Ahmedabad World Book Day Celebration Inspires Young Creative Minds
Delhi Public School-Bopal celebrated World Book and Copyright Day with great enthusiasm, promoting a deep appreciation for reading and creative expression among students across all grades. This global day, marked every year on 23 April, is supported by UNESCO and is widely observed in schools around the world. It aims to encourage young readers to build a daily reading habit, which studies show can improve vocabulary, focus, and emotional understanding from an early age. Schools that celebrate this day often report higher student interest in books and better classroom engagement.
The highlight of the celebration was an engaging interaction with noted author Ms Pooja Saran, who is also a communication coach, mental well-being trainer, and certified soft-skills expert. Across many schools in India, such author interactions have become an important way to connect students with real-life writers. Research shows that when children meet authors, they begin to see writing as a real and achievable skill rather than just a classroom task. Through captivating storytelling sessions for junior students and thought-provoking discussions with senior students, she inspired young minds to explore creativity, self-discovery, and the art of effective expression. Experts in child development often stress that storytelling helps children build imagination and confidence. Her guidance on channelising emotions into writing and enhancing storytelling skills added significant value to the sessions, especially as emotional expression through writing is now seen as a helpful tool for mental well-being among students.
Students from Grades I and II enthusiastically explored books from their class libraries and participated in sharing sessions, where they spoke about their favourite characters and memorable stories while also learning the importance of caring for books. Early reading habits play a strong role in shaping a child’s learning journey. Studies suggest that children who are exposed to books at a young age tend to develop better language skills and stronger memory. Activities like speaking about favourite characters also help improve confidence and communication skills. Teaching children to handle books with care builds respect for shared resources and encourages responsibility from a young age.
Students of Grades III to V engaged in joyful reading activities, including sharing their favourite books and writing letters to beloved literary characters. Writing letters to fictional characters is a creative method used in many schools worldwide. It helps children think deeply about stories and understand different emotions and viewpoints. Education experts often recommend such activities because they improve both reading comprehension and writing ability. It also allows children to connect personally with stories, making reading more enjoyable rather than a forced task.
For students of Grades VI to XII, a variety of creative activities were organised, such as bookmark making, silent comic strip creation, book presentations (Book Buzz), book cover designing, character sketching, and DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) sessions, encouraging them to think critically and express their ideas creatively. These types of activities are widely used in modern education systems to move beyond textbook learning. For example, comic strip creation helps students simplify complex ideas into visuals, while book presentations improve public speaking and confidence. The DEAR activity, which is popular in many schools across the UK and other countries, encourages students to pause all work and focus only on reading. Research has shown that even 15–20 minutes of daily reading can improve concentration levels and reduce stress among teenagers.
Character sketching and book cover designing also help students connect art with literature, making learning more balanced. Experts believe that combining creative arts with reading can improve overall brain development and keep students more engaged in school activities. Such programmes also prepare students for real-world skills like presentation, creative thinking, and communication, which are highly valued today.
The celebration concluded on a high note, successfully instilling a love for reading and inspiring students to develop a lifelong bond with books. In a time where digital screens often take up much of a child’s day, events like these play an important role in bringing books back into focus. Many educators believe that schools must actively create such opportunities to keep reading alive among young learners. By combining fun activities with meaningful learning, Delhi Public School-Bopal created an environment where books were not just studied, but truly enjoyed.