With only two days left until World Book Day, primary school children up and down the country will spend this week focusing on reading and writing stories; and Green Street Green Primary School is no exception to this. To alight their imagination even more, they got the special opportunity to meet and talk to characters from the books they have been reading in class: from Alice in Wonderland to the Tiger who came to tea.

Six students from Newstead Wood School offered to spend their time as these characters this afternoon and were first hot-seated with the children asking questions from “what’s your favourite colour?” to “why do you always say off with their head?” (a question for the Queen of Hearts clearly). They then got to help the children with their reading in groups, an activity that not only benefitted them but also took some of the pressure off the teachers for the afternoon. Vanessa Obetzanova, who dressed up as Superwoman and visited the reception children, thought that these activities promoted an uplifting and positive message. “Not only do they say to young people you can be anything you want to be, but also that your imagination can take you anywhere... and I think this is really important to teach.”

World Book Day is a registered charity with the aim of giving every child a book of their own- it’s the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world. And since it is the 22nd year a World Book Day has been celebrated it only seems right that more events like this one are encouraged so that children are taught the power of the imagination.