Diverse Representation Archives - Page 5 of 17

Is My Mom Like Other Moms?
by Humera Malik

This super sweet story follows a little girl as she starts to notice the differences and similarities between her mum and the mums of other children in her class. She wonders – does the fact that her mum wears a hijab make her different?

Her friend Sarah’s mum has curly hair in a bun and she is lots of fun. The little girl’s mum is lots of fun too. She was wearing her red scarf when they played hopscotch and they laughed so much they were nearly late for school!

Laura’s mum has blonde hair and she takes Laura shopping at the weekend. The little girl’s mum takes her shopping too. She was weraing her blue scarf the last time they went to buy fruit and vegetables.

Tue
15 ^th

Loretta’s Gift
by Pat Zietlow Miller & Alea Marley

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

When Loretta discovers that her Aunt Esme and Uncle Jax are expecting a baby her whole world changes. Her family explain to her that babies are a celebration of love, life and hope and soon the whole household buzzes with activity as they prepare for the new arrival. Nappies are purchased, a cradle is built, a nursery is prepared and little woolly hats are knitted. There is even a baby shower with a huge stack of gifts!

Loretta is a kind and thoughtful girl so naturally she wants to give the baby a gift too – but she just can’t think of anything appropriate. She doesn’t have enough pennies in her money box to buy anything and when she tries to make something she ends up just making a mess. What can she possibly give to someone as precious as a new baby?

Mon
07 ^th

An Engineer Like Me
by Dr Shini Somara & Nadja Sarell

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Zara is an incredibly curious little girl. She loves learning about how things work and her super smart Gran is always on hand to answer her questions.

When they go for a walk to the shops Zara sees lots of interesting things which spark some in-depth conversations. How do lifts work? How can cranes lift such heavy things? How do roller coasters stay on the track when they go upside down? How do escalators run? What is wi-fi for? Her gran patiently answers each question with lots of detail to satisfy the little girls curiosity.

Gran also tells Zara about some famous engineers who have helped shape the world we live in, including Leonardo Da Vinci and Rahman Khan. Zara is particularly interested in the story of Alicia Boler-Davis whose childhood was very similar to hers. She loved problem-solving and fixing things as a little girl and went on to work as an Engineer at the General Motors car company.

Fri
04 ^th

A Story About Afiya
by James Berry & Anna Cunha

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Afiya is a little girl with a very special white dress. As she explores the world around her, little snapshots of her environment and her experiences imprint themselves on the fabric like memories.

When she walks through a field of roses, her dress looks like a beautiful bunch of flowers. When she goes to the zoo, her dress takes the form of leaping tigers. And when she visits the sea, the dress looks like a pool of sparkling fishes.

Every night the dress is washed so that each day starts with a fresh ‘canvas’ but Afiya holds on to each precious moment.

Written by the late James Berry OBE, an award-winning Jamaican poet, and illustrated by outstanding Brazillian artist Anna Cunha, this whimsical story is absolutely breathtaking. Afiya is such a joyful character and I love the fact that we can see her collecting childhood memories with the help of her favourite piece of clothing.

Fri
28 ^th

My School Unicorn
by Willow Evans & Tom Knight

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Evie is a little apprehensive about starting school. Every time she thinks about it she gets a wobbly feeling in her tummy and feels a tiny bit sick. When her Dad takes her shopping for her new school uniform she drags her feet, but the expedition turns out to be a little bit more magical than she expected!

Madam Lexi’s Uniform Emporium is packed full of blazers, ties, sports kit and everything else a child might need for their first term, but if you look closely at the owner you’ll spot that she is a little bit special. A ittle cloud of twinkling stars seem to follow her wherever she goes…

Evie nervously tries on her uniform and her dad is pleased to see that everything fits, but when he’s not looking Madam Lexi leans forward and whispers in to her ear. Evie blinks with confusion. The lady mentioned her ‘School Unicorn’ but surely she meant ‘School Uniform’? But then the pocket of Evie’s cardigan starts to wiggle!

Tue
25 ^th

Taking Time
by Jo Loring-Fisher

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Reading this book with Ivy feels a little like meditation. The gentle words and muted colours calm us both, making it perfect for a snuggly read at the end of the day.

The gentle rhyme asks us to take time to be still and to observe the world around us. Listen to bird song. Feel the beat of your cat’s heart as it purrs. Look at the vastness of the sky and the stars. Listen to the waves as they lap the shore. It also encourages us to look deeply at each other and to find new ways to be kind and to cherish those around us.

The text is minimal but the illustrations speak a thousand words. Each double page spread shows a child from a different country observing their environment and there is so much detail to explore and discuss. We see diferent types of clothes and modes of transport, cultural traditions and breathtaking landscapes. The countries included are the UK, Alaska, Ecuador, Norway, Russia, Egypt, Tanzania, India, Nepal, China and Japan, so the range is really broad.

Mon
24 ^th

Goodnight World
by Nicola Edwards & Hannah Tolson

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

What’s your bedtime ritual with your child? Our routine is generally bathtime, pyjamas, milk, teeth, books and then bed although this sometimes gets shaken up a little if we’re away or one of us is ill. You may do something similar but equally your evenings may look very different to ours. ‘Goodnight World’ by Nicola Edwards and Hannah Tolson follows a group of children from around the world as they come to the end of their day.

The gentle rhyme guides us through the different things a child may do before going to sleep. We see a baby being rocked, a boy having a bath and a group of children jostling around a sink brushing their teeth. We see siblings tidying up toys and snuggling up for a story, a child saying goodnight to an absent loved one on the phone and even a group in a tent, settling down to watch the stars.

Mon
17 ^th

My Friends And Me
by Stephanie Stansbie & Katy Halford

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Ivy and I are big fans of this colourful picture book which celebrates different kinds of families and the bond between parent and child.

Jamie lives with his grandparents and he thinks they are the coolest grown-ups he knows. He has lots of friends and he loves the fact that each of them has a different family set up, because it makes playing with them so interesting.

Kate has two dads who take her for brunch. Harry has one mum who is ace at baking cakes and pretending to be a pirate. Olivia has two mums and three siblings. Lily’s parents are separated so she has two houses and even two bedrooms!

Mon
17 ^th

Find Out About: Saving Our Planet by Mandy Archer & Louise Forshaw

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

It’s never too early to get kids thinking about the little things we can all do which make a difference to our planet. This lift-the-flap board book from Pat-A-Cake is perfectly pitched to teach your little ones the basics of key environmental issues.

Each double page spread tackles one issue and then introduces you to small child who wants to help. We then learn three ways in which they can effect change and see which option they choose. As an example, Harry learns that vehicles pollute the air but he wants to help jeep the air clean. His Mum explains that instead of using the car for their trip to the park they can walk, cycle or scoot. Harry considers each of the options and then decides he would like to walk.

Mon
03 ^rd

I Have to Start at School Today by Simon Philip & Ged Adamson

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

The little girl in this story is very nervous of starting school. She has no idea what to expect so her imagination is going wild!

What if she arrives at the school gates to find an angry rhino who demands a password before she’s allowed in? What if there’s a selfish bear in her chair who refuses to move and then eats all the food in the canteen? What if there’s a babboon who drives her crazy playing his bassoon all day? Her mum reassures her that none of these things are going to happen but her cheeky older brother really isn’t helping.

Feeling sad and confused she turns to her grandmother who listens carefully to her fears and reassures her with a warm hug and some wise words. What if, just maybe, she goes to school and everything goes just right?

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