£1 books available across Wales in celebration of World Book Day

World Book Day 2026 is being celebrated across Wales today, inviting children, families, schools and communities to celebrate reading for fun.

As part of the celebrations, £1 books will be available in participating bookshops across Wales from 12 February to 15 March 2026.

Children can swap their World Book Day £1 token for any of the official World Book Day £1 books or use it to get £1 off a full-price book or audiobook (on titles that costs at least £2.99).

In Wales, World Book Day is supported by the Welsh Government Education Department under the Curriculum for Wales Grant Support Programme.

This year’s £1 Welsh language book is Un i Ti ac Un i Fi by Aneirin Karadog and Matt Abbott, published by Rily, commissioned as part of the World Book Day 2026 campaign.

A special launch event was held on 4 March at Pontyberem Primary School, where the author and illustrator joined pupils to celebrate.

Indeg Griffiths, Headteacher of Pontyberem Primary School, said: “It was a privilege to launch a new book by a local author here at the school.

“The pupils had a wonderful day reading this fun book. Reading for pleasure is essential to children’s development – and experiences like this help to nurture a love of reading that can last a lifetime.”

A spokesperson for Rily said: “It was a pleasure to join Pontyberem School to launch our new title for World Book Day 2026, a beautiful picture book about sharing.

“As well as reading, the children took part in creative activities, and a hamper of books was presented to the winning class.”

Other £1 books available this year are ‘Ha ha Cnec!’ by Huw Aaron, ‘Na, Nel! Un tro…’ by Meleri Wyn James, and ‘Cyfres Cyw: Darllen gyda Cyw’ by Anni Llŷn.

World Book Day 2026 forms part of the National Year of Reading, Go All In, which encourages people of all ages to immerse themselves in reading throughout the year – in schools, homes, libraries and communities.

Bethan Jones, Head of Children’s Books at the Books Council of Wales, said: “World Book Day is more than an annual celebration – it’s an invitation for every child in Wales to pick up their favourite book and share the joy of reading with others.

“It’s also a special opportunity to encourage children, families and communities to immerse themselves in books, nurture a love of reading, and celebrate the power of stories together.

“This year, the celebrations also align with national efforts to promote reading across Wales, adding to the wider work aimed at inspiring more children to enjoy books in their everyday lives.”

For those planning their own celebrations, the Books Council of Wales Ideas Pack is available, full of practical resources, creative ideas, and fun activities for children.

You can support the campaign by sharing your World Book Day celebrations on social media via @Books.Wales | #lovetoread #worldbookday.