Schoolchildren across Chester have been celebrating World Book Day today (Thursday, March 6) by dressing up as their favourite book characters.
Our gallery features a plethora of crazy characters, awesome authors and brilliant books.
A second gallery, a third gallery and a gallery of photographs from Ellesmere Port have more of your pictures.
World Book Day was first celebrated in the UK in 1995 and takes place on the first Thursday in March.
Since its inception the idea has spread around the world but in the majority of other countries, World Book Day is actually celebrated on April 23.
The United Kingdom's own version of World Book Day formally began in 1998, launched by Prime Minister Tony Blair at the Globe Theatre in London.
Several million schoolchildren in Great Britain were given a £1 special World Book Day Book Token which could be redeemed against any book in any UK bookshop. A specially created WBD anthology priced at £1 was also published.
Since then, World Book Day UK has followed a similar pattern, gradually growing each year to encompass more initiatives, such as Spread The Word, Quick Reads Initiative and Books for Hospitals.
Every year, the number of children receiving a World Book Day Book Token has increased.
In 2000, instead of a single £1 special anthology, four separate £1 books were published, covering a wider age-range. Since then, each year has seen a new set of special £1 books published.
In 2006, World Book Day began its support of and association with the Quick Reads initiative for adult emergent readers.
In 2007, World Book Day celebrated its 10th anniversary with the publication of 10 £1 books. Since then every child in full-time education in the UK is entitled to receive a £1 World Book day Book token every year.
They can swap their World Book Day token for one of specially-produced £1 WBD books or they can get £1 off a full-price book or audio book priced £2.99 or more.
