Since 1995 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has celebrated World Book Day to promote reading, publishing, and copyright.

The date was borrowed from the Spanish who have long celebrated books on April 23 to honor the death of Miguel de Cervantes on that day in 1616.

(In a historical coincidence, Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the same date — 23 April 1616 — but not on the same day, as at the time, Spain used the Gregorian calendar and England used the Julian calendar. Shakespeare actually died 10 days after Cervantes died, on 3 May of the Gregorian calendar.)

ATTENTION TEACHERS: There is a ton of educations materials including book reading lists, craft activities, and planners available on the World Book Day website.