What are you reading today?
World Book Day is an initiative to encourage more children to love reading. It’s a charity event run by publishers and booksellers in Ireland and the UK: see World Book Day to win prizes including children’s books and find a range of special €1.50 books.
Encouraging children to read is more important than ever. Research last year by Children’s Books Ireland found that, of the respondents, more than one in five Irish children under the age of four are not being read to, while 24 per cent of Irish teenagers up to age 18, and 19 per cent of boys across all age categories, are not reading for pleasure. Evidence shows that reading with one to two year-olds has long-term benefits on academic achievement in reading and maths for eight to 11 year-olds.
This evening, log out of Netflix (yes, even though Vladimir is streaming now) and read a book instead. Here are four recommendations, for children and adults:
A new children’s book to admire …
The Story of Art (Without Men) by art historian Katy Hessel (Puffin Books), illustrated by Ping Zhu, is published on March 8. It’s an illustrated guide to great women artists through the ages, for ages eight and up. This is a timely International Women’s Day launch that will inspire painting at home and trips to the gallery. As artist Tracey Emin says of Hessel’s 2024 The Story of Art Without Men: “It’s a long way before the balance is truly redressed but this is a good start.”
And treat the young reader in your life to Bill Watterson’s Calvin & Hobbes – this is wisdom for life – and comic books are a great gateway into further reading.
A book for the year …
For grown-ups, John Banville’s Christine Falls has been chosen as the One Dublin One Book for 2026: read more here.
An unputdownable book for now …
We highly recommend the new arrival from bestselling Butter author, Asako Yuzuki. Hooked, translated by Polly Barton, is published on March 12 by 4th Estate. It’s tremendous – an elegantly written and very precise dissection of female friendship, women’s roles and the nature of obsession. Asako has some great insights into how being chronically online can affect us. It’s a compelling story that stays in your head long after you close it. I loved it, and my 19-year-old is now entirely hooked, too.
A book to order now …
Honey by Imani Thompson (The Borough Press), landing May 7, is dark and dangerous. Told in the present tense, it’s a funny, nasty, dark story that’s relentlessly acerbic and sharp, starring the amoral Yrsa, who gets drawn into casual killing; at times it has Promising Young Woman vibes. Be warned: this is generously spiced with vicious one-liners that make you bark with laughter on the bus. Brilliant.
