Diverse Representation Archives - Page 6 of 7

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Diverse Representation

Sat
12 ^th

Hats of Faith By Medeia Cohen & Sarah Walsh

I am proud to be raising Ivy in a culturally diverse environment and I think it’s really important to make sure she understands and respects different cultures from a young age.

She finds hats fascinating (although hates wearing them herself!) and loves to see the beautifully bright head wraps which are abundant in South London – so when I spotted this book I knew that she would love it.

Page by page it shows you a cross-section of different head coverings which people wear as part of their faith. It covers the Turban, Hijab, Rasta Hat, Patka, Tichel, Chunni, Topi, Kippah and Head Wrap and explains which religions they belong to.

The book is really simple and the illustrations are gorgeous. It’s a lovely introduction to religious diversity and a great way to open a conversation about a much bigger topic.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2rDtXtK

Fri
11 ^th

Never Ask A Dinosaur To Dinner By Gareth Edwards & Guy Parker-Rees

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This funny book by Gareth Edwards and Guy Parker-Rees always makes Ivy laugh. It follows a little boy as he goes through elements of his day – but he has chosen some rather crazy animal friends to help him with each task!

He eats his dinner with a dinosaur who gobbles everything up before he gets a chance to eat a single bite. He uses a tiger as a towel when he gets out of the bath – and unsurprisingly the tiger is a little cross! He even tries to use a giant bison as a blanket which proves a little uncomfortable.

Follow him as he discovers why dinosaurs, sharks, beavers, tigers, bison and owls don’t always make the best companions.

The rhyme scheme is really bouncy which makes it a lot of fun to read and it’s also a good book for discussion. A barn owl might not be the best thing to cuddle up to at night because of his sharp claws and nocturnal habits – so what might make a better bed fellow?

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2G8vahE

Wed
09 ^th

Sharing Time By Elizabeth Verdick & Marieka Heinlen

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I have been a big fan of the Toddler Tools books by Elizabeth Verdick ever since Calm-Down Time helped us with controlling tantrums. This other title from the series – Sharing Time – is the one we’re currently reading a lot and i’m hoping we’ll have similar success!

It shows how it’s fun to share some things (like hugs and see-saws for example) but more difficult to share others. Children worry about sharing their toys because they aren’t sure if they will get them back or if they will be broken.

Using calming language the books teaches children the words they need in order to be able to share things with their friends. It helps them identify the feelings they experience when they don’t want to share and offers a little breathing exercise they can do in order to regulate their emotions and move forward without a major incident. Ultimately it shows that we all have more fun when we play together nicely and share – something which is true for both toddlers and grown-ups alike!

Sun
29 ^th

Kaya’s Heart Song
by Diwa Tharan Sanders & Nerina Canzi

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One day little Kaya stumbles across her mother meditating. She is also humming an unfamiliar tune which Kaya finds fascinating. When she asks what it is her mother explains that it is her heart song – the song which her heart sings when she is happy.

Kaya would very much like a heart song of her own but she doesn’t know how to find it so instead she goes out to play. She follows a butterfly in to the jungle and there she finds an old man guarding a broken-down elephant carousel.

Drawn to the elephants, Kaya climbs on top of one to try and free it from some vines. She imagines what it would be like to be a beautiful princess riding the elephant through the jungle and suddenly she hears the soft beat of music in her ear.

Sat
21 ^st

Ada Twist, Scientist
by Andrea Beaty & David Roberts

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Little Ada drives her parents to distraction because she refuses to talk. Whilst all the children around her are starting to spout their first words, Ada just silently observes the world around her. Then she turns 3 and suddenly everything changes. She starts to talk and she just can’t stop. She wants to know why? when? where? how? and she needs the answers right now!

Ada’s endless need to question everything means that she is a perfect mini scientist. She devises experiments and builds hypotheses, trying to work out how everything she encounters works. This causes new problems for her parents however, as Ada pushes them to their limits with her constant questioning and tinkering.

One days she smells something horrible whilst playing in the garden and vows to track down the source. Can she puzzle it out? And how will her parents react when she starts experimenting on the cat and scribbling equations on the walls?

Thu
12 ^th

Calm-Down Time By Elizabeth Verdick & Marieka Heinlen

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A few weeks ago one of our Instagram followers asked for my help with finding a book which could help her daughter learn to handle her emotions. Toddlers often have tantrums because they struggle to express their feelings in words so she was looking for a tool that would help mitigate this.

We’re only just getting in to the tantrum stage with Ivy so this wasn’t an area I had properly researched but I had heard good things about this book by Elizabeth Verdick. Wary of recommending something I hadn’t actually read, I ordered a copy and I am extremely glad that I did. This little board book has proven itself to be very effective!

It explains the emotions your toddler might be feeling in very simple terms and then gives a little mantra to help them calm down which is repeated throughout the book. It also offers up suggestions about how they can make themselves feel better, like asking for a cuddle, talking about how they feel, or simply finding a quiet place to play or sing by themselves.

Tue
10 ^th

She’s Not Good For A Girl, She’s Just Good! By Suzanne Hemming & Jacquie Hughes

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The star of this story is a little girl called Florence who shows promise at all things sporty from a very young age. Spotting her potential, her father nurtures her abilities and together they have lots of fun practising running and throwing.

However when Florence starts school she is immediately faced with prejudice. A little boy called Frank tells her that girls are rubbish at sport and that boys are better and stronger. He tells everyone that it must be true because this is what his dad says.

Enraged, Florence challenges Frank to a race after school. Can Florence prove that boys and girls are equal or will Frank’s outdated opinions win the day?

This is an empowering book about gender equality with something for both girls and boys to enjoy. The intelligent rhyme is coupled with gorgeous illustrations (by Jacquie Hughes)and the message is one that I wish we saw more of in children’s literature today. Girls are strong enough and smart enough to look after themselves!

Sat
07 ^th

The Skin You Live In
by Michael Tyler & David Lee Csicsko

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I don’t really have the words to explain how fantastic I think this book is. In my opinion it should be on the shelf of every school library as it does such a great job of celebrating diversity.

On the surface the book is about skin colour but it’s also so much more than that. As well as illustrating the beautiful range of skin colours we have and describing them all in a lovely way, it shows how we are not to be defined by colour and encourages your child to look beyond the surface.

Our skin is a part of us and every day it helps us to be who we are and do the things we enjoy. We live inside it and smile in it. We play in it and we sleep in it. We have fun in it and we laugh in it (to quote the book we even ‘dream about eating ice cream’ in it <3).

Sun
25 ^th

Juniper Jupiter By Lizzy Stewart

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Juniper Jupiter is a superhero. She’s kind, brave, smart, sneaky and speedy – she can even fly! She doesn’t think it’s a big deal though – it’s just who she is. She’s just an ordinary little superhero who lives with her family and her dog, Peanut.

Being a superhero can be fun but it can also be lonely so she decides to advertise for a sidekick so she will have someone to share her adventures with. She sets up some auditions but no one is quite right for the role.

Then just as she’s about to give up she spots the perfect candidate. Is it possible that her sidekick has been by her side all along?

We love this beautifully illustrated story about every day superheroes and the power of friendship.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2pE3OL7

Thu
22 ^nd

What I Like About Me By Allia Zobel-Nolan

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We love this award-winning little board book which celebrates the fact that every child is different.

Each page focuses on a difference which could be perceived as a flaw in the playground (kids can be cruel!). It takes that point of difference and turns it on its head, showing your child to see the positives rather than the negatives.

Whether you’re short or tall, have crazy eyebrows or out-of-control hair, or wear glasses or braces, the smiling faces on these pages show that being a little bit different is what makes you special.

Buy it now: http://amzn.to/2IInp4B

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