World Book Day in Yorkshire

World Book Day 2024 is on Thursday 7th March. Want some Yorkshire inspiration for your celebrations? Look no further…

Yorkshire as a region of literary inspiration

World Book Day is a cherished global celebration of reading, storytelling, and the enduring power of books. It’s a day dedicated to authors, illustrators, books, and, most importantly, reading. The aim is to encourage people, especially the younger generation, to discover the joys of reading and to explore the vast landscapes of literature that await them. In Yorkshire, this day takes on a special significance as we pay homage not only to the universal magic of stories but also to the rich literary heritage rooted in our own scenic and diverse region.

Yorkshire, with its rolling dales, historic cities, and rugged moorlands, has long been a fertile ground for literary inspiration. The county’s breathtaking landscapes and unique cultural history have given birth to some of the world’s most beloved narratives and characters. From the Brontë sisters, who immortalized the wild moors of Haworth in their unforgettable novels, to the contemporary voices shaping modern literature, Yorkshire’s contribution to the literary world is both profound and unparalleled.

As we celebrate World Book Day, we turn the spotlight on Yorkshire’s settings and authors, inviting readers of all ages to delve into the stories that have been woven from the very fabric of our region. It’s a day to honor the legacy of the literary giants who walked these lands and to discover new voices that continue to capture the essence of Yorkshire’s spirit and landscape.

Join us as we embark on a literary journey through Yorkshire, exploring the settings that have inspired generations of writers and the tales that have emerged from this land of natural beauty and historical depth. Whether you’re revisiting old favorites or finding new adventures, World Book Day in Yorkshire is an opportunity to celebrate the power of books to transport, transform, and transcend.

Books featuring Yorkshire settings and characters (sorted by year of publish)

1. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, 1839
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, 1847
3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, 1847
4. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë, 1848
5. Shirley by Charlotte Brontë, 1849
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker, 1897
7. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1910
8. Inheritance by Phyllis Bentley, 1932
9. South Riding by Winifred Holtby, 1936
10. The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell, 1937
11. Testament of Friendship by Vera Brittain, 1940
12. An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley, 1945
13. Venetia by Georgette Heyer, 1958
14. Billy Liar (Billy Liar #1) by Keith Waterhouse, 1959
15. A Kind of Loving (Vic Brown Trilogy #1) by Stan Barstow, 1960
16. The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer, 1962
17. Kirkland Revels by Victoria Holt, 1962
18. A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines, 1968
19. All Creatures Great and Small (If Only They Could Talk) by James Herriot, 1970
20. A Clubbable Woman (Dalziel & Pascoe #1) by Reginald Hill, 1970
21. A Long Way from Verona by Jane Gardam, 1971
22. Saville by David Storey, 1976
23. A Woman of Substance (Emma Harte Saga #1) by Barbara Taylor Bradford, 1979
24. A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr, 1980
25. The Woman in Black (The Woman in Black #1) by Susan Hill, 1983
26. Gallows View (Inspector Banks #1) by Peter Robinson, 1987
27. Possession by A.S. Byatt, 1990
28. Bones and Silence (Dalziel & Pascoe #11) by Reginald Hill, 1990
29. A Share in Death (Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James #1) by Deborah Crombie, 1993
30. Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson, 1995
31. In a Dry Season (Inspector Banks #10) by Peter Robinson, 1999
32. The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps by Michel Faber, 2001
33. My Summer of Love by Helen Cross, 2001
34. The Peppered Moth by Margaret Drabble, 2001
35. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor, 2002
36. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, 2004
37. Harriet by Jilly Cooper, 2005
38. Raven’s Gate (The Gatekeepers #1) by Anthony Horowitz, 2005
39. Sovereign (Matthew Shardlake #3) by C.J. Sansom, 2006
40. My Best Friend’s Girl by Dorothy Koomson, 2006
41. The Damned Utd by David Peace, 2006
42. The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Hogwarts Library) by J.K. Rowling, 2007
43. God’s Own Country (Out Backward) by Ross Raisin, 2008
44. The King’s Grace by Anne Easter Smith, 2009
45. The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison, 2009
46. Ours Are the Streets by Sunjeev Sahota, 2011
47. A Countryman’s Lot: Tales From The Dales, 2011
48. Walking Home: A Poet’s Journey by Simon Armitage, 2012
49. The Lavender Garden (The Light Behind the Window) by Lucinda Riley, 2012
50. The Inn at the Top: Tales of Life at the Highest Pub in Britain by Neil Hanson, 2013
51. To Catch A Rabbit (Sean Denton #1) by Helen Cadbury, 2013
52. The Gospel of Loki (Loki #1) by Joanne M. Harris, 2014
53. The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota, 2015
54. The Lost Child by Caryl Phillips, 2015
55. Common Ground by Rob Cowen, 2015
56. Neither Nowt Nor Summat: In Search of the Meaning of Yorkshire by Ian McMillan, 2015
57. A Fine Summer’s Day (Inspector Ian Rutledge #17) by Charles Todd, 2015
58. The Ballroom by Anna Hope, 2016
59. Crowned and Dangerous (Royal Spyness #10) by Rhys Bowen, 2016
60. House of Secrets by Lynda Stacey, 2016
61. The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor, 2017
62. Elmet by Fiona Mozley, 2017
63. Miss Moonshine’s Emporium of Happy Endings by Mary Jayne Baker, 2018
64. A Summer of Secrets by Lorna Peel, 2018
65. The Girl at the Window by Rowan Coleman, 2019
66. A Class Act by Gervase Phinn
67. Last Day of School by Jack Sheffield, 2022

…and if you’ve read all that, it’s time to take a walk.

Non-fiction Yorkshire books

• Julian Norton, Yorkshire Vet
• The Yorkshire Shepherdess
• Ross Patterson, The Yorkshire 600

Visit a historic library

• Leeds library
• British library in Wetherby

Well-known Yorkshire book characters for fancy dress

• The Vet from All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, 1970
• Vampire from Dracula by Bram Stoker, 1897
• DCI Banks (shabby suit) from the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson, 1987
• A kestrel on the arm from A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines, 1968
• Historic poor boy costume from Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, 1839
• 1800’s lady from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, 1847
• 1800’s lady or man from Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, 1847
• 1800’s lady from The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë, 1848
• 1930’s labourer from The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell, 1937
• Woman in black from The Woman in Black (The Woman in Black #1) by Susan Hill, 1983

What’s your favourite Yorkshire book?

Tell us about your favourite Yorkshire book in the comments below.