Today, April 23, is World Book Day, a day that was created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This day is special because it is the day that three authors – Cervantes, Shakespeare, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega – all died in 1616. It is also the birth or death date of some other prominent authors. It’s a day in which UNESCO wanted people to celebrate books, especially young people, so that they’d gain a new found appreciation and love for reading.

On this day, many are celebrating their love for reading. I know I am. I actually didn’t know about it until I saw it was trending on Twitter, but that’s okay. I’m still celebrating my love of books by currently reading “Clockwork Angel” by Cassandra Clare (among others at the same time, one e-book, one audiobook).

World Book Day is a wonderful thing and I think we should all celebrate in our own way. Reading is a door to other lives, to the past, present, and future; to other worlds, dimensions, time periods; to every gender and color and species under the sun. Reading is beautiful and fun and magnificent.

Please pick up a book today and enjoy the love of reading. Read something you love, something that’ll make you cry, get angry, feel all mushy inside. Whatever you pick up, just remember how much you love books. Read diversely, read series, read comics, read non-fiction, read religion, read politics, read whatever makes you happy.

Happy reading and happy world book day!