Schools across the country were full of characters yesterday as youngsters celebrated World Book Day.
The annual event celebrated the impact of authors and illustrators on young bibliophiles.
Pupils were encouraged to dress up as their favourite literary character to mark the occasion.
In Moray, the library in Elgin hosted a story competition for local children with the theme ‘Enter Into Outer Space’, with staff dressing up as aliens and other extraterrestrial creatures.
Pupils across the country were also issued with £1 book tokens, which are valid until March next year.
“These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.”
― Roald Dahl (Matilda)Happy World Book day everyone! pic.twitter.com/uFSfKJm87M
— Bon Accord Aberdeen (@bonaccordcentre) March 7, 2019
Pupils from schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire visited city book stories to spend their vouchers yesterday.
Kemnay Academy pupils headed to Forbidden Planet on Schoolhill, to learn more about the comic industry and its place in the literary world.
Kirsten Grant, director of World Book Day, said: “A love of reading can transform a child’s future, helping them to do well at school, get a good job and live a happy and successful life.
“Our ambition is to restore reading for pleasure as a celebrated national pastime for all.”
Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and Oscar-winning actress Rachel Shenton used yesterday’s anniversary to highlight the need to include more disabilities in children’s stories.
They stressed that it was “incredibly important” that disabilities such as deafness were featured in children’s books.
They came together to launch a National Deaf Children’s Society competition.
For more details about the competition, visit www.ndcs.org.uk
