A 10th anniversary World Book Day celebration for Little People, BIG DREAMS

Little People, BIG DREAMS author, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, marked her first-ever World Book Day in the UK with a record-breaking celebration. Thousands of children across the country dressed up as their favourite icons from the bestselling series.

Maria Isabel spent this World Book Day in Birmingham, where over 450 children from 14 schools attended an in-person event. A further 13,000 children from 300+ schools joined a nationwide digital celebration. 

Speaking about the celebration during a recent interview with Educate, Maria Isabel said:

“It was my first World Book Day and I loved it. I’ve always seen it through Instagram with pictures of the children, but seeing it live yesterday was amazing. It is huge!”

Throughout World Book Week, illustrators from the series toured schools across the UK. The total number of children taking part, many dressed as figures from the books, exceeded 16,000. The scale reflects the extraordinary cultural impact of the series, which introduces children to inspiring real-life heroes from across history.

The festivities were part of a wider programme marking the 10th anniversary of Little People, BIG DREAMS. What began as a heartfelt gift from the author to her nieces, has blossomed into a global publishing phenomenon. The Little People, BIG DREAMS series now consists of 150 books with 136 different illustrators and has sold over 14.5 million copies in more than 40 languages and 100 countries.

Maria Isabel said:

“It’s incredible to see how the Little People, BIG DREAMS books have inspired so many children over the past ten years. The UK has always embraced these stories with such love, and I can’t wait to celebrate with readers at festivals, schools and bookshops across the country.”

Coming soon: Exclusive interview with Educate

Educate recently spoke to Maria Isabel about:

• the evolution and success of the Little People, BIG DREAMS series
• the new icons and British legends joining the roster
• the importance of representation and positive role models in children’s publishing

You can read the full interview in the Summer Term (May) edition of Educate magazine.