10 Stories to Make a Difference is a collection of original illustrated stories published by children’s literature non-profit development agency Pop Up, which has been bringing books, schools and communities together for 10 years. Pop Up has collaborated with 20 writers and illustrators and a host of editing and design professionals from 12 publishers, and crowdsourced … Continue reading Pop Up: 10 Stories to Make a Difference
I leapt at the chance to participate in this blog tour because I know how important is that children are able to read books which feature people likes themselves and those around them. It is equally important that children read books about people different to themselves so that they are able to broaden their world … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Just Like Me,’ by Louise Gooding, illustrations by Angel Chang, Caterina delli Carri, cathyhookey, and Melissa Iwai.
Having a positive body image plays a huge role in helping children develop their confidence and self-esteem. It’s fantastic to see a picture book for young children like ‘Everybody has a Body,’ which celebrates bodies of all shapes and sizes. With Jon Burgerman’s exuberant illustrations packed full of colour and humour, and a positive, inclusive … Continue reading #TuesdayReviewsDay ‘Everybody has a Body,’ by Jon Burgerman.
In the approach to Fathers’ Day in the U.K., I like to share titles which celebrate dads in all their glory. I am particularly impressed by the two I’m showcasing today as they have inclusivity and diversity at their cores. ‘That’s my Daddy!’ by Ruth Redford, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Egmont Publishing) Daddies come in … Continue reading Three cheers for the dads!
Today I’m dusty off my dancing shoes, fluffing up my feather boa and high-kicking off the blog tour for the totally fabulous ‘Llama Glamarama’ blog tour. Best known for his award-winning ‘Noah Can’t Even’ teen series, Simon James Green is making his first glitter-filled foray into the world of picture books. And this fabulous creature … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Llama Glamarama,’ by Simon James Green, illustrated by Garry Parsons.
I’m delighted to be part of the blog tour for ‘Baller Boy,’ the first in a new series from author Venessa Taylor and indie publishing house, Hashtag Press. Written with reluctant readers in mind, Venessa wrote this series to empower its readers, whilst reflecting diversity in football and showcasing different types of families.Shay and Frankie … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Baller Boys,’ by Venessa Taylor, illustrated by Kenneth Ghann.
‘I am brown. I am amazing. I am you.’ Every child deserves to see their faces beaming back at them from the pages of the books they read. With 33.1% of our school children being BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic), it is vital that school book collections reflect this. Lantana Publishing are certainly flying … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘I Am Brown,’ by Ashok Banker, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat.
This dreamy picture book is inspired by the principles of mindfulness. Lots of school practise mindfulness techniques to help their pupils reduce anxiety and stress levels. It encourages people to live in the moment and acknowledge what their senses are detecting. This poem takes readers on a journey around the world, engaging their senses in … Continue reading ‘Taking Time,’ by Jo Loring-Fisher.
You know when you receive a package in the post from Tiny Owl that it’s going to contain a beautifully produced title of diverse heritage. ‘Under the Great Plum Tree’ comes from Panchatantra, which is an ancient collection of Indian animal fables. Various versions of the same story can be found around the world (making … Continue reading ‘Under the Great Plum Tree,’ by Sufiya Ahmed, illustrated by Reza Dalvand.
Today I’m sharing another great picture book about the power of friendship. This one’s just a little different as its focus is on the power collaboration - perfect for team-building at the start of another school year. I can see it prompting a lot of interesting conversations and projects on being a good friend and … Continue reading ‘Together We Can,’ by Caryl Hart, illustrated by Ali Pye.
It was chatting to Karim and the team from Tiny Owl at the CLiPPA awards which gave me the inspiration for this blog post. There they were, a small award-winning independent publisher with a fantastic and diverse catalogue of titles, yet they still found it very difficult to get their books into the larger retailers. … Continue reading Support Our Small Independent and BAME Publishers – how you can help!
Making friends is a skill that takes time and practise. I find that picture books make it easy to explore new ways to initiate (and maintain) friendships, as well as allowing children to spot ineffective approaches. Bearing this in mind, I was very excited to receive a copy of ‘Oscar Seeks a Friend.’ Don’t be … Continue reading ‘Oscar Seeks a Friend,’ by Pawel Pawlak.
It was with great interest that I read this title because it has been written in collaboration with Libby Scott, the 11-year-old girl whose piece of writing, ‘The Life of a Perfectionist,’ about being autistic went viral in 2018. ‘Can You See Me?’ is a blend of narrative story and diary entries written by Libby … Continue reading ‘Can You See Me?’ by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott, type design by Aaron Cushley.
Lantana Publishing are known for their wonderful collection of diverse, inclusive titles, so it’s no surprise that they’re responsible for the publishing of Maryam al Serkal’s empowering story: ‘Mira’s Curly Hair.’ I am thrilled to be part of its blog tour and to be hosting a special piece by Maryam about how her daughter helped … Continue reading ‘Mira’s Curly Hair,’ by Maryam al Serkal, illustrated by Rebeca Luciani.
Following on from the success of their first picture book collaboration, ‘You’re Safe With Me,’ Soundar and Mistry have created another beautiful title in the series. The story begins at the start of winter when two polar bear cubs are born in their icy den. Their mama bear promises to keep them warm and snug … Continue reading ‘You’re Snug With Me,’ by Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry.
One day, when Julian is on the way home with his Nana, he spots what looks like the most beautiful mermaids. Their long flowing hair and shimmering tails spark something inside Julian. When he gets home, Julian styles his hair, make-up and clothing to transform himself into one of those dazzling creatures. But what will … Continue reading ‘Julian is a Mermaid,’ by Jessica Love.
It’s vital that children see themselves and their cultures represented in books. That is why publishers like Lantana Publishing are so important. I’m thrilled to have two of their lead Spring titles to share with you. Nimesh the Adventurer by Ranjit Singh, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini (available April 2018) For Nimesh, even the journey home … Continue reading Lantana Publishing – Spring Titles
In today's political climate, we are constantly being told how different we all are from each other. That's why I was delighted to be sent this clever book which not only celebrates our differences but also points out how we are all the same. This book was inspired by Matt Lamothe's own experiences as he … Continue reading ‘This Is How We Do It – one day in the lives of seven kids from around the world,’ by Matt Lamothe.
Introducing the first in a new series of children's books about the diverse Lottery family, from the highly acclaimed author, Emma Donoghue. This heart of this book is nine-year-old bookworm, Sumac, who is struggling to come to terms with her grandfather (Grumps) coming to live with her family after being diagnosed with dementia. The Lotterys … Continue reading ‘The Lotterys Plus One,’ by Emma Donoghue, illustrations by Caroline Hadilaksono.
