Diverse Representation Archives - Page 8 of 17

My Daddy Rules The World by Hope Anita Smith

This beautiful book of poetry is a celebration of dads everywhere.

From dancing and wrestling to bedtime stories and learning to ride a bike, each of the 16 poems highlight the joy of the little meaningful moments we share with our dads as children.

He’s tickly like an octopus and wise like an owl. He snores when he sleeps but he makes breakfast like a pro. He makes you feel brave and he teaches you new skills. He knows the names of all your friends and he knows just what to do when you have a problem. Your daddy rules the world.

The poems are touching and poignant. Some make you laugh out loud whilst others encourage you to pause for thought. All of them are wonderful but there are two which stand out for me. The first is ‘Love Letter’ where we see a child writing to a father who is far away. The second is ‘Some Dads’ which has a beautiful line about stay at home fathers.

Fri
05 ^th

The Perfect Shelter
by Clare Helen Welsh & Åsa Gilland

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The sun is shining, the picnic has been laid out and a family of four are enjoying the perfect afternoon in the woods near their home. When Mum and Dad reach for their books, the two sisters decide to build a den. They gather sticks and leaves and they sing joyfully as they work. But as the younger girl adds the final touches, she realises there is something wrong with her sister. She looks pale and she doesn’t have the energy to finish their game.

The little girl learns that her sister is sick and soon visits to the woods are replaced with hospital visits and waiting. The perfect shelter which they had built just a short while ago falls in to disrepair as the seasons change.

When the snow comes her sister seems a little brighter, even though she must stay in her bed and wear a scarf on her head. Together they cuddle and whisper, making secret plans in the way only sisters can. They might not be able to build the perfect shelter outdoors right now, but if they work together they might just be able to create something even better…

Wed
03 ^rd

Interview: Esther Marshall,
Author of ‘Sophie Says I Can, I Will’

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Hi Esther! Thank you so much for chatting to me about your new book ‘Sophie Says I Can, I Will’. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

Thank you so much giving me this platform to talk about my book, Sophie Says I Can, I Will. I am also a first-time mum to little Asher who is now 20 months old. I am the founder of a charity called sTandTall which aims to help anyone who has been through abuse and bullying get back on their feet and sTandTall again. I am a keen advocate for equal rights and equal opportunities and have a passion for Diversity and Inclusion which is what I do for my day job.

Wed
03 ^rd

Sophie Says I Can, I Will
by Esther Marshall & Buzz Burry

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We recently interviewed the author about the inspiration behind this book. You can read what she had to say by clicking here.

When little Sophie starts pondering her future she is too excited to sleep. She lies under the covers, eyes wide open, thinking about all the things she might achieve in life. Excited, she leaps out of bed – she simply has to tell her parents right now!

With her mum and dad listening, Sophie lays out her plans. Perhaps she could be a pilot and fly through the clouds, or an engineer who designs planes. Or how about a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, a CEO, or a coder? Maybe she could do something sporty and win medals for her country. Sophie truly believes that she can be whatever she wants to be. There are so many options – how will she choose?

Sun
24 ^th

Toddler’s World: Feelings
by Pat-A-Cake & Villie Karabatzia

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This chunky board book from Pat-A-Cake is an ideal introduction to feelings for little ones. It teaches small children what it means to be happy, sad, brave, angry, scared or jealous.

Each double page spread is dedicated to a specific emotion. The illustrations and text show us multiple different scenarios which might make you feel this way, so for example you might feel angry when you are tired, when someone is mean to you or when you want something which you can’t have. It then offers practical suggestions to help you overcome the emotion (where relevant) and reassurances that your feelings are perfectly normal. Each page asks the child to recall a time they felt this way and to talk about it with an adult when the emotion feels too big to handle.

Fri
15 ^th

If All The World Were… by Joseph Coelho & Allison Colpoys

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This moving book about the loss of a grandparent makes me cry every time I read it. It’s beautifully written and the vibrant illustrations are just stunning.

The poetic story follows a young girl through the seasons as she has wonderful adventures with her grandad. Together they explore the great outdoors, go to the beach, play cars and share stories.

But her grandad is ill and she wishes there is something she could do to make him stay by her side. She dreams of planting his birthdays in the ground so that he can’t get old or healing him just by listening to the tall tales from his youth.

Then the day arrives when she comes home to her Grandad’s empty chair.

Tue
28 ^th

I Can Do It! A Book of 5 Fastenings by Patricia Hegarty & Hilli Kushnir

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If you’re looking for a book which will both keep your pre-schooler entertained and teach them some new skills then I can highly recommend this one!

Each double page spread introduces a different kind of fastening which they have probably encountered in everyday life. The simple instructions show your child exactly what they need to do to open and close them, and then there’s an actual fastening which they can try for themselves.

There are 5 sections, which allow them to button a shirt, zip up a hoodie, do the velcro on a coat, push a popper on a backpack and tie up a shoelace. It starts easy but gets progressively harder as you move through the pages.

Tue
28 ^th

It’s A No-Money Day by Kate Milner

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This sensitively written book explores the topic of poverty in a way which is easy for small children to understand.

The mum in this story works very hard but despite this, like so many people, she struggles to pay her bills. Life is a constant juggle, and on this particular day there is no money and no food in the cupboard so she and her daughter need to visit a foodbank.

The little girl is upbeat throughout and she sees the positives in every situation. She tells us about all the fun things you can do on a no-money day, like reading a library book, practising your singing or trying on the clothes at your local charity shop. She enjoys the visits to the foodbank because she gets some squash and a biscuit, and she likes to talk to the volunteers about the cat she hopes to have one day.

Tue
21 ^st

My Pet T-Rex by Fabi Santiago

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The T-Rex is Ivy’s favourite kind of dinosaur so she squealed with excitement when she spotted the cover of this book! Set in prehistoric times, the story follows a little girl called Kiki as she learns to look after her new pet T-Rex, Petunia.

At first it seems like having a dino will be easy – but Kiki soon learns that a pet is a big responsibility. Petunia needs to be washed, fed and exercised, plus she needs lots of sleep and visits to the vet. Just when Kiki thinks it might be a little bit too much, Petunia gets lost!

Wil Kiki be able to find her and if she does, will she want to keep her?

If your child is hankering for a pet then this is the perfect book to help them understand how much work they can be. It highlights all aspects of pet care and also teaches that you can’t just give them back if you don’t want to put in the effort anymore.

Sat
18 ^th

Every Child A Song by Nicola Davies & Marc Martin

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Written for the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), this beautiful book celebrates the worth of every child.

Using the metaphor of song, the story shows us how every child is unique and brings something new and wonderful to the world.

At the start of the book we see a newborn baby bring a new song in to existence. That song is nurtured with love, shelter, protection and a sense of belonging. Afforded these basic rights, the song soars and explores. On its journey it finds new songs – some loud and some quiet, and some long and some short – but each wonderful in its own way.

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