World Book Day is on March 1.

Schools are encouraged to organise events that celebrate reading (book fairs, author visits, displays and assemblies on favourite books) and there are lots of ideas in the World Book Day pack which has been sent to schools.

Packs also include a list of Super Reads nominated by publishers and booksellers and ideas for activities based on them, photocopiable worksheets from educational publishers, a Book Aid poster and a design-a-book-token competition.

Extra copies of the pack are available at pound;5 (cheques to World Book Day Limited) from World Book Day Schools’ Pack, Education Direct, Unit 11, Lakeside, Neptune Close, Rochester, Kent ME2 4LT. For details of local events, see www.worldbookday.com and check with bookshops and libraries.

Book Aid International , which supplies 750,000 books a year to under-resourced schools and libraries worldwide, is being supported by fund-raiding and book collection on the day. Tel: 020 7733 3577 for an information pack or see www.bookaid.org

Pupils can redeem their pound;1 World Book Day book tokens (sent to schools with the packs) at participating bookshops until March 10.

Four paperbacks are being published at pound;1 in a limited World Book Day edition. There’s The Gruffalo Song (based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s award-winning picture book) for under-fives; primary pupils can choose between humour Little Wolf’s Postbag by Ian Whybrow) and fantasy ( Cloud Wolf , an extract from The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell), and Shop Dead by Kate Cann for secondary readers (a girl-friendly choice: a short story about Melanie, who lives for the latest look).

The minimum purchase using a token apart from these pound;1 offers is pound;1.95. Tokens helpline: 01634 729810, fax: 01634 290175, wbd@education.co.uk nbsp;In Wales, fax: 01970 625385; email: delyth.humphreys@wbc.org.uk

World Book Day falls in Bedtime Reading Week, February 26 to March 4, which is intended to promote the art of the spoken word and the benefits of sharing books. See www.bedtimereading.co.uk for a different animated bedtime story every night of the week, and book lists for all age groups.

The organisers - the Arts Council of England, the BBC, Forward Literature Trust, Book Trust and the National Reading Campaign - want participants of all ages to read aloud for 15 minutes a night. Tesco supermarkets are setting up reading areas, hosting events and offering money off books.

Free fact sheets from the Bedtime Reading information line on 0845 650315