This year marks almost 25 years of World Book Day, where children across the nation dress up as their favourite protagonist in celebration of their fictional heroes. Whilst we invariably welcome the classics from the Gruffalo, Red Riding Hood, to Horrid Henry, it is important to credit the everyday protagonist who have their own incredible life stories closer to home.
As with every heroic story, the main character must at some point encounter conflict, interruption, or obstacle before reaching a resolution. This pattern is reflected in our everyday life stories. So why not look to the life stories of our ancestors this year? The heroes at home who have overcome life’s adversities and documented them as a result.

Award-winning national biographer, StoryTerrace, help people from all walks of life document their incredible life stories day in and day out. Based on their findings that a third of Brits admire their parents’ and grandparents’ but have no knowledge of their history and experiences, StoryTerrace urge parents to swap the regular night-time reads for an anecdote of their past.
Key stats:

24% of people know of incredible historical legacies and/or unsung heroes in their family that only a few family members are aware of
29% of people believe that the historical legacies and heroes in their family will be distant memories in the near future
3 in 10 Brits really admire what their parents have achieved, but have minimal understanding as to how they got there
Over a third of Britons say that they’ve learned more about their parents’ lives from discovering family possessions from the past, overhearing conversations, or speaking with other family members, rather than directly from their parents themselves

Rutger Bruining, co-founder of StoryTerrace, shares his thoughts on how the pandemic has been a vehicle for revolutionary economic and psychological change:

“Reading books is one of the most important portals we have into the past. Not only does reading widen our historical knowledge, but further strengthens the connection we have to our ancestors; imbuing us with a greater curiosity to explore the world around us.

With this in mind, the characters in books have a huge part to play, especially for younger readers, because they act as a conduit through which we can observe understand the lessons and information within the book. This is why biographies can be so powerful because the reader can learn from the life experience of others and have role models to look up to.

This is why we are dedicated to helping people create their own autobiographies, biographies and memoirs, because we understand the power and influence one’s life story can have on those around them, particularly children. At StoryTerrace, we want to encourage everybody to document their life stories – your kids will always look up to you, but writing your own biography means that you can become their favourite character and hero between the pages.
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