Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin… by telling you what to look forward to for World Book Day this year, including a story by Kent entertainer and children’s author, Julian Clary.

World Book Day is 21 years young this year, and is ready to party – literary style.

The world’s biggest celebration of reading, which aims to address falling literacy levels and create readers of the future by making us all lovers of literature and encouraging everyone to read a little – even if it’s just 10 minutes a day – has new stories on offer, and schemes and plans to get everyone reading.

Launched in 1997, more than 290 million £1 book tokens have been given out since then. Last year, more than £670,000 was raised for charity in association with the event and more than 1.2 million £1 book tokens were redeemed.

Schools also have the chance to win a library of books. Teaming up with Piccadilly Press, the award is themed on the Flying Fergus series by Sir Chris Hoy, Joanna Nadin and Clare Elsom. All three will join the judging panel, with £20,000 of books to be bought in local bookshops to be won. This year every child that enters will also receive a certificate signed by the Flying Fergus team and the winning school will be visited by the three judges to present their prize.

Well known authors will be taking part in a tour and having their titles featured. They include Aldington entertainer and children’s author Julian Clary, whose book is The Bolds’ Great Adventure, illustrated by David Roberts (Andersen Press).

Other titles include Paddington Turns Detective and Other Funny Stories by Michael Bond, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum (HarperCollins Children’s Books); Mr Men: My Book About Me By Mr Silly written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves, with original concept by Roger Hargreaves (Egmont); Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story by Bake Off’s Nadiya Hussain, illustrated by Clair Rossiter (Hodder Children’s Books) and The Girl Who Thought She Was a Dog by Clare Balding, illustrated by Tony Ross (Puffin) and Marvel Marvel Avengers: The Greatest Heroes by Alastair Dougall (DK).

There are also a series of new titles for teens and young adults. They are An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (Penguin); Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan), I Have No Secrets by Penny Joelson (Egmont), Summoner: The Novice by Taran Matharu (Hachette) and Gangsta Rap by Benjamin Zephaniah (Bloomsbury). The special edition full-length titles will be available for £2.50 or £1.50 with a World Book Day token.

DETAILS

World Book Day is on Thursday, March 1. Children across the country have been given £1 vouchers from their schools and nurseries this month to claim their free World Book Day title in bookshops and supermarkets between Monday, February 26 and Sunday, March 25, or to put towards the £2.50 special edition YA titles, which then cost £1.50. Visit worldbookday.com for details.

Here, Kent's own creator of children’s stories, Julian Clary, talks about his book family, The Bolds, writing and what makes a good story.

Tell us about your book for World Book Day.

This book is the latest in a series of books about The Bolds family – Mr and Mrs Bold and their twins, Bobby and Betty. They are rather unusual, being hyenas living disguised as human beings in Teddington. They have to make sure their hyena instinct doesn’t give them away - tails and ears must be hidden, the temptation to laugh and cackle suppressed and the urge to rub their bottoms on lamp posts ignored.

How did you hear about World Book Day?

I wish there had been a World Book Day when I was a child. What a wondrous thing! I’ve always loved reading and escaping into a fictional world. And this has proved very hand now I’m (sort of) grown up. Sometimes people tweet pictures of themselves dressed up as The Bolds for World Book Day which amuses me no end.

What inspired you to start writing? What was the first story you wrote?

At school we had a teacher who used to play us music and ask us to write a story about whatever the music made us think of. I love this. I wrote a story about a cat who was lost in the woods. There was a big thunderstorm and the poor, frightened creature had to dodge falling branches and puddles, run and jump. Eventually soaking wet and hungry, the bedraggled animal made it home to her owner (me), and sat purring by the fire, eating something tasty. The music was the enigma variations by Edward Elgar. I was in tears.

If you were to recommend one book to read this year, what would it be?

I love appointment in Arezzo by Alan Taylor. It’s about his friendship with Muriel Spark, my favourite author. I would also have to say The Bolds in Trouble by...me. It’s out in April.

What advice would you give to any budding writers on how to start writing a book?

Even if you don’t know what you want to write about, think of the beginning of a sentence and off you go. Never read back what you’ve written until you’ve finished, or show it to anyone else until you’re ready. Criticism, from others or from yourself, is not helpful. The first draft is where you are telling yourself the story, and it is a private matter. Once the characters or the voice of the storyteller are formed in your mind they speak to you and tell you what to write and what is going to happen. I’m often taken by surprise.

What do you think makes a good story?

Reading is escapism and entertainment for me. I like to be transported, to laugh and cry and care about the characters. Then at the end of the book, feel I have experienced and learnt something useful. The house the Bolds live in is just the same as ours was growing up. When I’m writing I am eight years old again, living in that sunny, leafy suburban world and everything is as it was.

Do you always know what the ending will be when you start to write a book?

I might think I know the ending but I’m often wrong. I love it when the writing goes off in an unexpected direction and things happen or words are spoken that I could never have predicted. I write at least 1,000 words a day once I start a book and think about it and dream about it when I’m not typing. The Bolds books are about 25,000 words long – then I send it to my editor and she sends me some notes for the second draft. The best part is about six months later when the book has been illustrated by David Roberts and I get to see what he has drawn and what the things and placed and people I’ve written about actually look like. When I had the layout for The Bolds in Trouble and there was Miss Paulina, an otter who wants to become a nun, wearing a wimple made out of a pillow case. The joy this gave me is hard to describe.

NEW THIS YEAR

To give everyone ideas of what to read next, World Book Day have launched a nationwide poll to find the nation’s favourite #storiestoshare – the ultimate list of the nation’s 100 favourite stories. You can vote for your favourites across four categories - picture books, five to eights, nine to 12s and teenagers. Aimed at inspiring discussion and debate, if any personal favourites are missing, you can suggest them. The final list of the Top 100 Stories To Share will be revealed on World Book Day.

The Share A Story theme also aims to get everyone reading a little, and asks the nation to Take 10, recognising the positive impact that reading together for 10 minutes a day can have on a child’s outcome.

Bookclubbing is also a new movement encouraging teenagers to spread the word about their favourite stories and make a noise about books online and in real life.