International Children’s Book Day 2024

On April 2nd, the children’s book community around the world celebrates the joy of reading. The 2024 International Children’s Book Day is sponsored by IBBY Japan (JBBY) under the theme “Cross the Seas on the Wing of your Imagination”.

Imagination is the key word for ICBD 2024. JBBY believes that fostering imagination will lead to mutual understanding and a spirit of tolerance—a perfect message to proudly celebrate JBBY 50th year of existence!

This year’s poster was designed by Nana Furiya, an international-minded Japanese artist living in Slovakia. Eiko Kadono, a prominent Japanese author and winner of the 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Award for writing, has composed a letter to the children of the world:

Stories travel, riding on wings,
Longing to hear the joyful beat of your heart.

I’m a traveling story. I fly anywhere.

On wings of wind, or wings of waves, or sometimes on tiny wings of sand. Of course, I also ride the wings of migratory birds. And even those of jet planes.

I sit beside you. Opening the pages, I tell you a story, the one you want to hear.

Would you like a strange and wondrous story?

Or how about a sad one, a scary one, or a funny one?

If you don’t feel like listening right now, that’s fine too. But I know someday you will. When you do, just call out, “Traveling story, come. Sit beside me!”

And I’ll fly right there.

I have so many stories to share.

How about a story of a little island tired of being alone who learned to swim and set off to find a friend?

Or the tale of a mysterious night when two moons appeared.

Or the one about Santa Claus getting lost.

Oh, I can hear your heart. It’s beating faster.

Flitter-flutter, thumpity-thump, pitter-patter, bumpety-bump.

The traveling story has jumped inside and set your heart racing.

You’ll become one yourself next, spreading your wings to fly.

And so, another traveling story is born.

Now, let us ask you; how have you let your imagination fly today?

Edited by Rhiannon Jelley