Britain celebrates World Book Day today (ahead of the rest of the world which celebrates on April 23rd) and more titles are added to the excellent series of Quick Reads aimed at providing accessible reading materials for the less than less than fluent or time strapped reader.The World Book Day website has some pretty good book-related games for kids (which - ahem! - might appeal to adults too.)
I found though an unpardonable blooper in their quiz for adults. Can you spot it too?
The first Book to Talk Award, organised in conjunction with the event has been given to Boy A by Jonathan Trigell. The longlist was drawn up by publishing industry experts and librarians, and then the shortlist and final winner were decided by public vote.
Trigell's novel has certainly sparked off some controversy. According to the Guardian it is :... a sympathetic account of a young man released from prison after committing an appalling crime as a child. After a peculiarly sheltered childhood, the protagonist has a strange innocence, and struggles not only with his atrocious memories but also to build a new life under his assumed identity. ... The book's plot has clear similarities to the true story of toddler James Bulger's juvenile killers, and unsurprisingly provoked much heated discussion on the Books to Talk About website. The polarised opinions made it a natural contender for a prize rewarding books that inspire discussion, both in book clubs and among individual readers.There's nothing to mark the day in Malaysia this time round but it's still a good excuse for a book buying spree and Times Bookstores have a World Book Day special: 20% off all titles and an extra RM10 voucher if you spend over RM200.
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