Thursday 2^nd March is World Book Day and the theme for 2023 is ‘you are the reader’, encouraging all children to pick up a book to learn, escape or be entertained. Since it began in 1997, the celebratory day has encouraged young people to express their creativity by dressing up as their most admired book characters. To mark the occasion, Spa Communications have curated this list of team member’s favourite books for adults and/ or children, as recommendations to anyone looking for their next read.

Rory – Harry Potter Books by J.K Rowling and The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

I like these books because they are timeless classics that spark the imagination of children and adults.  For nonfiction books my favourites are ‘The Miracle Morning,’ ‘The Daily Stoic’ and ‘The Art of War’. All three offer what I believe is life-changing advice and lessons in how to challenge your mindset for the better.

Mandy – The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S Lewis

These are my favourite book(s) of all time. I still read the whole set (7 books), at least every other year and they still ‘speak’ to me every time I read them!

Charlotte – The Tiger Who Came to Tea, by Judith Kerr

This was my favourite book as a child, my mum always tells me how I would make her read it to me every night. And now, to make it even more special, I read it to my two boys, wondering if one day they too will read it to their children. This book has a special place in my heart.

Chris – Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman.

Whilst tech billionaires spend fortunes to reverse ageing, this book provides mere mortals with a truly entertaining and philosophical practical guide to making the most of the time you have.

Laura – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

This is my favourite book series, the suspense and tension in the book made it so hard to put down – I finished the series in one holiday!

Bex – Mrs Hinch – Hinch yourself happy by Sophie Hinchliffe

For someone who hates cleaning I seem to enjoy reading about the cleaning queen herself. I have always preferred non-fiction books. Being an avid Mrs Hinch fan, it is insightful to learn about her journey before she became famous.

Conor – The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

I was intrigued by Dan Brown combining history, religion and conspiracies to give me a new perspective on how the modern society was formed.

Simon – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service by Ian Fleming 

The author really got into his stride with this story, with various storylines weaving together. And of course, the ending with a wedding and a death.

Ollie – Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

This will forever be my favourite book.

When I was struggling at school and needed to find something to read and enjoy, I came across the trailer for the film adaptation and was determined to read the book in a week before I went to see it. Three pages in I was hooked and finished the whole five book series in about a month and half, was a nice escape in a hard time.

Lucy – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling

I love re-reading this book (usually whilst on holiday) as it makes me feel nostalgic. It will always be a go-to read for me!

Damien – Burglar Bill by Jane and Allan Ahlberg

This is a classic children’s story that I read to my children as much for me as for them. As soon as I have a grandchild who will sit still long enough, I look forward to sharing Bill and Betty’s light-hearted story of redemption and triumph in re-skilling!

Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

As an adult I’ve always enjoyed the dark humour of John Irving’s writing. The book has a lot to say about the nature of faith, self-belief and purpose, as well as friendship and all it brings.

In the busy lives we lead, it can be hard to find the time to pick up a book. But if World Book Day has taught us anything as parents, colleagues and friends, it’s that reading can be a source of inspiration, education and entertainment, helping us to develop bonds through a shared love of books.

As Einstein famously said, ‘imagination is more important than knowledge’ because while the latter is finite, the former is boundless. We hope our book choices might help you to tap into the infinite.

By Conor Mcnevin, Content and Social Media Executive