Thousands of children and their teachers, dressed up as their favourite character to mark the 19th year of World Book Day.
Schools across Alderley Edge, Wilmslow and Handforth joined in the biggest celebration of authors, illustrators, books and reading, which has now spread to over 100 countries all over the world.
An army of Harry Potters, Hungry Caterpillars, Gruffalos, Gangsta Grannys, Willy Wonkas, Cats in the Hat, Dennis the Menaces and Where's Wallys could be seen across the town as hundreds of excited children, and teachers, made their way to school dressed as characters from one of their favourite books.
At Alderley Edge School for girls they took part in lots of activities celebrating books and a love of reading whilst dressed as their favourite character on Thursday, 3rd March.
Every class enjoyed English lessons planned especially for World Book Day and Year 2 pupils used the iPads to research their favourite books whilst the dalmatians in Year 6 were in fear for their lives.
Whilst at The Ryleys celebrations took a twist with the children creating potatoes of their favourite book characters. They also held a book quiz and in the afternoon the children from the prep read stories to the little ones in pre-prep.
Alderley Edge Community Primary School celebrated World Book Day on Friday, 4th March, by allowing the children and staff to dress as their favourite character from their favourite book. The children dressed as everything from Harry Potter and the Gruffalo to traditional characters such a Pippi Longstocking.
During the morning the children attended a whole school assembly led by Headteacher Mr Perry, who explained what he loved about books and how very often the opening of a story is crucial to hook the reader in.
During assembly Mr Perry also read Mick Inkpen's story 'Nothing'. The story is about a little creature who lies in the attic, alone and forgotten. It cannot even remember its own name. One day the attic door is flung open, and so begins Nothing's search to discover who he really is. This built on assemblies throughout the last few weeks about valuing things, valuing others and children valuing themselves.
Mr Perry said, "The assembly went really well and the children seemed to absolutely love the story I read. Every child from 4 years of age to 11 years listened really well. The children also were totally engaged when we discussed what makes a great book."
As part of World Book Day Year 2 visited The Storybarn at Calderstone Mansion, Liverpool. They spent the morning exploring an enormous Iron Man, floated off in a hot air balloon, met different characters from their favourite books, listened to and took part in shared reading, completed a huge Iron Man puzzle and finally created a collage meal for The Iron Man.
Whilst there the Year 2 also got the chance to enter the Wonderful World of Oliver Jeffers, an exhibition that allowed the children to become immersed in the interactive, life size pages of his most popular books The Long Way Home and How to Catch A Star.
