Here's what WBN's website said about the event:
World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks. World Book Night, through social media and traditional publicity, will also promote the value of reading, of printed books, and of bookstores and libraries to everyone year-round. Successfully launched in the U.K. in 2011, World Book Night will also be celebrated in the U.S. in 2012, with news of more countries to come in future years.
What a neat idea! I feel lucky to have been a part of such a special day. I received my box of books about a week ago, and could hardly wait for the day to arrive.
All afternoon and evening yesterday I gave out copies of The Hunger Games to people who weren't getting books at the library. One of World Book Night's main goals was to give books to non-readers, so that's who I looked for.
I gave books to high schoolers working on a project, guys checking out movies (no books!), knitters, even one to a teacher to keep in his classroom.
People were surprised to get a free book (that they could keep! As opposed to free library books...), and I shared a little bit of my love for the series. Hopefully the people who received free books yesterday around the country will discover (or rediscover) a love for reading.
Around 50,000 volunteers distributed books yesterday all over the country. In subways, in stores, on street corners... 30 different titles were given away by people passionate about reading. Check out the list below and pick one up the next time you're in the library!
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Blood Work by Michael Connelly
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Just Kids by Patti Smith
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton
The Stand by Stephen King
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Laura
On behalf of the ACL
That list would make a worthy one to work through! Post it at the library with your blog post for 'summer read' suggestions.
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