
Children's Book Week®, 2024
With our 2024 Children's Book Week theme; Reading is Magic, we're celebrating reading stories and their amazing power to transport minds. We are encouraging kids to be curious about the wonders in our world. It is a positive and affirming message for our young people. The magic of reading also lies in its power of enticement; a good story provokes conversations. Talking about the stories with others connects the reader with other readers. Wrapped around all of this are the "tricks" and skills of our amazing writers and illustrators, as they use all their powers of language and illustration to engage the reader in this world they are building.
2024 theme and dates
Saturday, 17 August to Friday, 23 August 2024
Reading is Magic!
Feature Artist: Jess Racklyeft
Join the conversation and share the joy: #CBCA2024 #ReadingIsMagic
Official Children's Book Week® Merchandise
The CBCA is a not-for-profit organisation that supports itself financially through the sale of a range of merchandise including Children's Book Week® merchandise and our iconic Book of the Year Award stickers. Head to our eStore in early 2024 to see our stunning new Children's Book Week® range featuring original artwork by the talented Jess Rackyleft. The range includes posters, bookmarks, bunting, badges and more.
Children's Book Week® promotional resources
Come July 2024, a selection of social media and digital files, artwork and other resources, advertising and celebrating the Reading is Magic 2024 Children's Book Week® theme, will be made available via a link on this page. So feel free to bookmark it now for easy return access.
Children's Book Week® History
Children's Book Week® has had a slogan since 1945. Until 1987 CBCA Branches had created their own posters to illustrate the themes and promote events. Since 1987 there has been a national theme which is chosen and voted on by the CBCA members. Artwork is developed by a winner of the previous year's CBCA Book of the Year Awards and used for Children's Book Week® promotional material and Book Week activity and display and activities.
Please note that the Children's Book Week® artwork is subject to copyright. The artwork we supply as part of our Children's Book Week® resources is made available in good faith. We ask that you do not alter the artists illustration or image in anyway and preserve the CBCA logo and brand. You can read about using our logo and reach out to us if you would like to extend the use of the resources supplied.
Previous Children's Book Week® themes
Year |
Theme |
Dates |
Illustrator |
2023 |
Read, Grow, Inspire |
19-25 August |
Matt Ottley |
2022 |
Dreaming with eyes open... |
20-26 August |
Jasmine Seymour |
2021 |
Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds |
21-27 August |
Shaun Tan |
2020 |
Curious Creatures, Wild Minds |
17-23 October |
Gwyn Perkins |
2019 |
Reading is My Secret Power |
17-23 August |
Bob Graham |