September is World Kid Lit Month: a month for everyone of any age to explore the world through international children’s books.

How do you take part? It’s simple, just read a book for young people from another country. If you use social media, share what you’ve enjoyed with the hashtag #WorldKidLitMonth. Are you a seasoned explorer of children’s literature? Then why not take the Explorer Challenge, and push your reading boundaries with the World Kid Lit bingo charts of ideas of books from, or set in, other countries, and books translated into English from other languages. You’ll find hundreds of book reviews and creator interviews at World Kid Lit blog, introducing you to children’s and YA books from over 180 countries and translated from over a 100 different languages.

Whether you celebrate at home or at school, in your library or bookshop, or on social media, September is the perfect time to expand your reading horizons and find a more inclusive selection of books for the young people in your life. I have earmarked a couple of books on my heaving ‘TBR’ shelves and will, I hope, be able to share my thoughts on them over the next month. Happy travels wherever you fly by book!

New for 2025: Reading Challenge Award for Schools

This is an inspiring way to start the academic year and promote reading and its many benefits. The World Kid Lit Reading Challenge Award, launching in September 2025, is a new competition for schools to promote international and inclusive reading. In 2025, the pilot year, schools anywhere in the world can enter, as long as English is one of the main languages of instruction. Students can read any books that fit the description of “world literature for young people”, and the Award is for the most imaginative, innovative or inclusive presentations where students reflect on what they’ve read. See here for more details, including how to enter.