Book Week NI 2026
Diary Dates for Book Week 2026!
It’s official! Book Week is coming back and we can’t wait to get started.
Recommended Reads
Borrowing, browsing and buying suggestions for Book Week.
Talking about Books
Conversations (and more) about reading.Book Week 2026 Gallery
Photos and links to Book Week-related events.
Book Week Resources
Posters, bookmarks, cards and bunting.Book Week 2026 Ambassadors
An encouragement of book recommendations and enthusiasm.
500 Words
Open for entries from 29 September until 06 November, 2026.
A Box of Delights
Another opportunity to enjoy a special Ulster Orchestra concert from Book Week 2022.
Book Week NI - 2025
Book Week NI 2025
Mark Simpson tells us about Book Week 2025 and the ways that you can get involved.
Recommended Reads
Books library memories and must read recommendations for book week 2025. Guests include: Anna Curran, Mark Simpson, Father Brian D’arcy, Suzie Lee, Gareth Gordon, Jayne McCormack, Johnny Murphy, Louise Cullen, Ali Totten, William Crawley and Ceclia Daly.
Colour and create your own
We've created some downloadable book week resource is for children on young people (and the young at heart! ) - allowing you to create your own book week 2025 posters, bunting and bookmarks. Get creative!
Book Week 2025 Gallery
Our book week 2025 photo gallery includes some of the people involved with the book week busyness so far, including author Rónán Hession and the BBC's Director-General and lots of familiar faces from BBC television and radio.
Talking about books 2025
A selection of interviews, features and reports about Book Week 2025.
Five Fables
An animated version of Robert Henryson's Five Fables, based on Seamus Heany's acclaimed translation. It's narrated by Billy Connolly with original music by Barry Douglas. A television classic with enduring appeal.
Libraries NI
Book Week is a joint initiative with libraries NI. Find out whats's happening in its libriaries, upcoming author interviews and events and how to get involved.
Famous Faces and Firm Favourites from 2025
Book Talk for Book Week
Book talk for book week some recommended reads from across the BBC... including Director-General Tim Davie, Sarah Brett, Adam Smyth, Eve Rosato and David Maxwell.
Mark Simpson reports on Book Week 2025
Mark Simpson reports on book week bus and train passengers urged to get on board for book week.
Peanuts at 75
On the 75th anniversary of the iconic comic strip peanuts, psychoanalyst and author Josh Cohen shared how Charlie Brown and the snoopy gang have become his constant companions dash and how they can help us navigate the frustrating squiggle of life.BBC 500 Words
500 words is a story competition for children. It's all about creativity and fun. And there are lots of prizes to win as well.
Reccommended Books
Books recommended by our book week 2025 contributors.
Listen again on BBC Sounds
When Kevin met Sadie: Chris Page first read Joanne Lingard’s Kevin and Sadie novels as a boy he hears from readers in Northern Ireland about how the stories have shaped their understanding over the past.
The Radio 2 Book Club
Sara Cox celebrates the best in new fiction, with author interviews and listener reviews from across the UK.
The Lion the Witch and the Wonder by Katherine Rundell
In a series of original essays Katherine Rundell explores the world of children's fiction in a journey that reveals its fundamental importance to all of us.
Poetry Extra
Poetry extra has just celebrated its 10th birthday. It features poems and poets from the BBC's archives and is presented by Dalit Nagra. Poetry Extra’s birthday programme included Paul Muldoon and Catherine Heaney.
Take Four Books
James Crawford invites well-known authors to talk about their latest book and to select three other texts that have influenced their writing. Contributors include Wendy Erskine, John Banville, Andrew O'Hagan and Eoin McNamee.
Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History by Adam Nicholson
Adam Nicholson's story of the popular British garden, started in 1932 by grandparents Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson.
Book Week 2024 - 'Must Read' recommendations
Book week 2024 must read recommendations favourite books, library memories and must read recommendations for book week 2024.
Book Week 2024 Ambassadors
Our book week 2024 ambassadors include Ministers from across the executive and other well known people in public life.
Books and Music
As part of book week 2020, we asked the Ulster orchestra to perform a selection of music inspired by books. This performance includes some well-known TV themes, including Jackanory and Katie Morag. It was recorded in Belfast Central Library.
World Book Club
World book club conversations with brilliant writers from around the world. Fascinating insights and lots of new books to discover from the BBC World Service.
Between the Covers
Sara Cox and guests enjoy lively conversations about book recommendations.
More from the NI Book Week archives
A good read
Writers another well-know people choose their favourite books, with Harriet Gilbert.
Open Book
BBC Radio 4's programme about all things book-related, including a new publications, author interviews and lost classics.
BBC News Online - Children 'are the future of NI libraries'
BBC News went to Saintfield library for a visit from the ‘Library Cat’ - and spoke with the libraries NI manager, Patricia Curran.
Hanif Kureishi on This Cultural Life, BBC Radio 4.
Writer Hanif Kureishi talks with John Wilson about the experiences and influences that have shaped his career.
Words and Music
A wonderful, weekly journey of discovery, weaving together a range of music with poetry and prose read by leading actors. Each programme has a different theme.
Book week gallery 2024.
Some photos from book week 2024.
Book week 2023 - Recommended Reads
An anthology of book recommendations for 2023 from guests including Carl Frampton, Petroc Trelawny, Tara Mills and Declan Harvey, Adam Patterson and Declan lawn, Jarlath Burns, and Elaine McGee and Mark Patterson.
Book week 2022- recommended reads
A collection of short interviews in which our guests talk about their reading memories and recommendations. Those taking part include: Diona Doherty, Holly Hamilton, Diarmuid Gavin, Dave Elliott and Lindsay Allen.
More from around the BBC
Discover 100 amazing novels with brand new BBC Sounds podcast
Turn Up for the Books features Bastille vocalist Dan Smith, writer Irenosen Okojie and book vlogger Simon Savidge delving into some of the greatest English language novels of all time with the help of a collection of very special guests.
The novels that shaped the world - coming of age
From Harry Potter finding his feet and fulfilling his destiny in the wizarding world, to newly-orphaned Emily Moon standing up to her snobbish relatives and malicious classmates, the ten Coming of Age novels explore characters growing up and finding their way in the world.
The novels that shaped the world - Identity
These ten remarkable novels about identity have been selected for the 100 Novels That Shaped Our World. They have already sparked passionate discussion about the qualities of books that help us to find ourselves. Explore the ten, then pick one up at a library and join the conversation.
The novels that shaped the world - crime and conflict
The impact of war, violence, crime and struggle unite these ten novels. From Bapsi Sidhwa's exploration of partition in Ice Candy Man, to the second civil war of Omar El Akkad's American War, and Holmes and Watson's fight against the seemingly supernatural in The Hound of the Baskervilles.
