"It's always a great selection and this year is no different."

The manager of Newham Bookshop has waxed lyrical about this year's World Book Day offering, with hundreds of books in store ready to be distributed to Newham children.

Vivian Archer, whose independent shop soon celebrates its 43rd birthday, is proud to have been part of the initiative since its inception: "We’ve been doing it from the start. Giving children a free book is a great initiative, especially in an area like Newham where some may not own a book."

Each year - since the day was first celebrated in 1997 - schools have come into the shop in slots, with children having a book read to them in a reading circle, before exchanging their vouchers.

This year will be a little different, with children unable to visit the store in person today (March 4) as it remains closed due to the pandemic.

But Vivian's excitement hasn't abated, particularly given the strong selection, which includes titles such as Protect The Planet by Jess French, Kill Joy by Holly Jackson and The River Whale by Sita Brahmachari.

With schools not reopening until Monday (March 8), Vivian expects to be exchanging vouchers over the coming weeks.

The roadmap out of lockdown suggests this is the only World Book Day that will be celebrated in this less conventional way, with Vivian glad to see something of a return to normality in sight.

While the bookshop has thrived during this period, she and her colleagues do crave human interaction: “We have had such support for the shop but we want to talk to people again, make recommendations to people."

Beyond World Book Day, this period is shaping up to be an exciting one for the much-loved shop. Not only are signed copies of Michael Rosen's Many Different Kinds of Love: A story of life, death and the NHS due to arrive on March 16, but Newham-based authors continue to thrive.

Currently available are signed copies of Salena Godden's Mrs Death Misses Death and Courttia Newland's A River Called Time, with Vivian pleased to report that both books are "selling like crazy".

To contact the bookshop please visit newhambooks.co.uk/ or @NewhamBookshop on Twitter.