Art & Culture
Celebrating World Book Day in the Royal Docks
Happy World Book Day 2025! The day is a celebration of authors, illustrators, the wonderful world of books and the joy of reading. It’s especially popular with children, who are encouraged to go to school dressed as their favourite book characters.
In celebration of World Book Day, schools and Newham Children Centres will also be handing out tokens for children to claim a free book at participating shops. Local venues to pick up a free book include Custom House Bookshop and Newham Bookshop. Newham Bookshop is also worth a visit to browse fascinating selection of books about history and heritage in the Royal Docks and the east end.
Here’s our guide to more ways to experience the joys of reading in the Royal Docks:
Connect with the community at Custom House Bookshop
Custom House Bookshop is a popular community hub on Freemason Road. Created by residents, the shop sells a selection of new and preloved books including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, classics and children’s literature. Pop in to browse the range of books or visit the Custom House Bookshop website to shop online. Follow Custom House Bookshop on Instagram to keep up to date with what’s on.
Custom House Bookshop, 3 Freemasons Road, E16 3AR
www.uk.bookshop.org/shop/customhousebookshop
Dressing up isn’t just for World Book Day
All ages are invited to dress up for MCM Comic Con at Excel London, 23 - 25 May 2025. The three-day event is a celebration of all things gaming, anime and pop culture. Cosplay is a massive part of every MCM Comic Con with both adults and children dressing up to show love for their favourite characters.
The event offers the unique chance to meet voice actors from anime and gaming, as well as stars from TV and film. You can also browse a variety of original artwork, comics and the latest trends in gaming, anime, manga, geek gear, collectibles and fandom merchandise.
MCM London, Excel London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London, E16 1XL
Find the perfect place to relax with a good book
Looking for a quiet place to sit, relax and read? Try the Floating Garden at Royal Victoria Dock. This pocket-sized park is home to a winning Pews & Perches design for you to sit on and provides a floating wetland habitat for around 4,000 aquatic plant species, creating a unique hotspot of urban biodiversity.
The award winning Thames Barrier Park is another great reading spot. Royal Dock’s biggest park has plenty of benches to choose from and admire the Thames Barrier, voted London’s most underrated tourist attractions by The Times. Alternatively bring a blanket and relax on the grass or find a quiet corner in With Milk, in the heart of the park, one of many cosy cafés in the area.
Nature lovers can read on the seats at the tranquil Itchycoo Pond. It’s the perfect place to get lost in your book while enjoying the sights and sounds of spot songbirds, ring neck parakeets, woodpeckers and more.
Thames Barrier Park, North Woolwich Rd, London E16 2HP
Itchycoo Pond, Beckton Park, Hadleigh Walk, London E6 5SA
www.facebook.com/groups/1790790411395133
Floating Garden is located opposite 17 Western Gateway, London E16 1AQ
www.royaldocks.london/articles/royal-docks-team-and-biomatrix-floating-garden
World Book Day ©
Love your local library
Newham boasts ten amazing libraries and four of them are in the Royal Docks! Custom House Library, Canning Town Library, North Woolwich Library and Beckton Globe Library all offer a fantastic selection of books to browse, borrow, renew and reserve. The collections cover fiction, travel, hobbies, politics, natural history, children’s, e-books, local history, audio books, graphic novels, biographies, large type books and so much more. You can also access newspapers, magazines, e-books and join a book club.
Did you know that Newham libraries are part of the Libraries Consortium? This means you can also use your Newham library card in 19 other boroughs giving you access to over seven million books across London! To find out more visit the Newham libraries website.
Canning Town Library, 18 Rathbone Market, Barking Road, Canning Town, London, E16 4HA
Custom House Library, Prince Regent Lane, Custom House, London, E16 3JJ
Beckton Library, 1 Kingsford Way, Beckton, London, E6 5JQ
North Woolwich Library, 5 Pier Parade, North Woolwich, London, E16 2LJ
Storytelling for toddlers
Children aged one to three will love the free storytelling sessions at Shipman Youth Zone, term time on Mondays, 10am – 11am. The newly revamped venue is now also a family hub offering a range of integrated family support services.
The Stay and Play Storytelling and Rhythm sessions help to build children’s social skills, motor skills, language and communication. These fun sessions are led by the lovely team from Edith Kerrison Children’s Centre and include interactive storytelling, singing, hands on building activities and free play. No booking required.
Shipman Youth Zone, 340 Prince Regent Lane, London, E16 3JH
Photo credit: BookTrust
Pick up a Bookstart pack for young ones
Bookstart inspires a love of books and reading from a young age. The national programme provides free books to all children aged 0 - 12 months. Every child is eligible for a free pack which includes a book, information leaflet and finger puppet, designed to support and encourage families to read with their child as early as possible. Pick up the free Bookstart pack from a Newham children centre including Edith Kerrison Children Centre and Beckton and Royal Docks Children Centre or your local Newham library.
Beckton and Royal Docks Children's Centre, Tollgate Road, Beckton, London, E6 5UP
Canning Town Library, 18 Rathbone Market, Barking Road, Canning Town, London, E16 4HA
Custom House Library, Prince Regent Lane, Custom House, London, E16 3JJ
Beckton Library, 1 Kingsford Way, Beckton, London, E6 5JQ
North Woolwich Library, 5 Pier Parade, North Woolwich, London, E16 2LJ
