CHILDREN across Bradford will be dressing as their favourite literary characters on Thursday as libraries and schools across the district celebrate World Book Day.

As well as events in schools, Bradford's libraries will host events for children, and some big name children's authors will pop in to talk about their creations.

And one train company will even be converting a carriage into a library on rails for the day.

The day was set up to inspire children to pick up a book and get more involved in reading and writing, and books will be given out to children attending some of the local events.

Grand Central Rail and the National Literacy Trust have teamed up to create the special book themed rail carriage, that will transport school children from Bradford to Doncaster and back on the unique library.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Joanne Dodds, will greet the children on Thursday morning before they get on the train with Yorkshire authors Mike Pannett and Irene Lofthouse, who will help the children write about what they see on their rail journey.

Clayton Library is holding a morning of Kipper stories and crafts for the under fives from 10am to 10.30am, as well as after-school activities from 3.30pm to 4.30pm with a Hidden Book Trail, making bookmarks, a colouring competition and World Book Day quiz.

Wibsey Library will be making treasure books from 3.45pm and both Haworth Road Library and Keighley Library are looking to “the force” with children invited to make Star Wars lightsabers at Haworth Road from 3pm to 4pm and write Star Wars storybooks at Keighley from 3.30pm to 4.15pm.

World Book Day story times are taking place at Baildon Library at 2.30pm as well as Bingley Library at 3.45pm, while Holmewood Library will be making bookmarks from 3.30pm – 4.30pm. At Eccleshill Library they will be doing a World Book Day craft from 3pm to 4pm.

Ilkley Library have a World Book Day story time for under 5’s tomorrow from 10.15am with Menston Library having an after school event at 2.45pm today.

Thornbury Library will be making sugar mice on Friday at 2.30pm, related to Roald Dahl’s The Great Mouse Plot, copies of which they will have for the children to keep. At Thornton Library, children will be looking for Hidden Books after school from 3.30pm to 4.30pm on Friday.

Silsden Library will be having fun with Wibbly Pig and balloon painting on Saturday from 11am – 11.30am. Haworth Road Library hosts another Star Wars lightsaber again on Saturday at 10.15am – 11.15am. Laisterdyke Library will be making Supertato potato models on Saturday at 2pm.

Some libraries have invited schools to join them in celebrating World Book Day, with Shirley Manor Primary visiting Wyke Library and Bowling Park Primary visiting Bolling Hall Library.

Caryl Hart, an award winning children’s author, who has written over twenty children’s picture books including the popular Albie series, will be visiting Manningham Library. She will be reading and talking about her book How To Catch A Dragon.

Margaret Mulligan, author of Katy Parker and the House That Cried, will be visiting City Library, reading extracts from her book and discussing events with the children. She will be at City Library for two sessions from 9.30am – 10.30am and 10.45am – 11.45am. Children from Lady Royd Primary, St Francis Catholic Primary, Fagley Primary and Peel Park Primary will be taking part.

The National Literacy Trust Hub in Bradford is also celebrating World Book Day by asking local role models including the chief executive of Bradford Bulls, Robbie Hunter-Paul, and the directors of the Bradford Literature Festival to send in selfies of them holding one of their favourite books.

Imran Hafeez, Manager of the National Literacy Trust Hub in Bradford said: “World Book Day is a great time to celebrate authors from Yorkshire who aim to inspire a new generation to engage in the art of storytelling and to enjoy reading more books.”

For more information about this week's events, visit www.bradford.gov.uk/libraries or call 01274 433915.