This Friday is Shakespeare's birthday - it's also World Book Day.

All over the world, the day is being marked by a series of events for young people; in Ireland, Eason's is holding a giant schools' event in the RDS concert hall, Dublin. Five authors will delight and entertain more than 900 primary-school students fom the greater Dublin area. They include Marita Conlon-McKenna, the bestselling children's author; Don Conroy, the wildlife expert, of RTE's Den TV; Nick Arnold, author of many popular books on science for children; Steve Skidmore and Steve Barlow, who will be introduced by Mary Kingston of RTE's Disney Club. "A mad scientist and two Viking warriors" will add colour to the proceedings.

Children's Books Ireland and Education and Living will run a World Books' Day competition next week, in which a school can win £1,000 worth of children's books. Look for details in next week's supplement.