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Author & Illustrators

Diane Ewen Books

This groundbreaking picture book is a lyrical, inspirational exploration of growing up Black, written by award-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola, and brought to life by some of the most exciting Black illustration talents working today.

Remember to dream your own dreams
Love your beautiful skin
You always have a choice

This book addresses – honestly, yet hopefully – the experiences Black children face growing up with systemic racism, as well as providing hope for the future, delivering a powerful message to a new generation of dreamers. It’s a message that is both urgent and timeless – and offers a rich and rewarding reading experience for every child.

To mirror the rich variety of the Black diaspora, this book showcases artwork from Dapo and 18 incredible Black illustrators in one beautiful, powerful, and cohesive reading experience.

A laugh-out-loud Christmas cracker of a story, There Was a Young Reindeer who Swallowed a Present from Kaye Baillie and award-winning illustrator Diane Ewen is the perfect festive gift!

Everyone’s heard about the old lady who swallowed a fly, but now it’s time to meet a little reindeer who, on the most important night of the year (Christmas Eve!), swallows a present. And he doesn’t stop there! Soon he’s gobbled down an elf, a bauble, a tree . . . what will he swallow next?

A funny, cumulative rhyming story children will love, packed with elves, stockings, a very full sleigh full of gifts and, of course, Santa Claus! And one very hungry little reindeer — keep an eye on the presents under your tree!

A beautiful, moving celebration of what it truly means to be family, from the brilliant new picture book duo Patrice Lawrence and Diane Ewen.

Every family is different. Every family is special.

Josie loves her family. Her mum, dad, brothers and sister – they’re all the best and they all look different.

But people always seem to ask Josie “Is that YOUR mama?”, and soon she starts to wonder if her family are actually supposed to look the same.

When Josie shares her worries with her family, they find a way to help her see what truly matters.

Heartfelt and empowering words by Patrice Lawrence, multi-award-winning author of Orangeboy.

Bright, gorgeous artwork from Diane Ewen, winner of the Jericho Prize and The Queen’s Knickers Awards, 2021.

Following on from Never Show a T-Rex a Book and Never Teach a Stegosaurus to Do Sums, this latest what-if dinosaur adventure has captured the imaginations of little ones afresh.

The story invites the reader to suppose what could happen if a big fun-loving dinosaur let her artistic side go wild. From crayons and paint to full colour explosions – anything could happen! Young children love the larger-than-life character and can relate to the sheer joyfulness of getting vibrant and messy with art projects. Adults who have ever set foot in an EYFS classroom while the paints are out will find plenty of familiar scenes to smile about too.

Amid the host of dino-themed books available, we especially enjoyed this series. It is refreshing to have a female dinosaur as a lead character, doing something other than marauding after prey!

A super-fun ode to boundless creativity.

This is a brilliant picture book describing all the amazing things which could happen if you show a T-Rex a book. It is a love letter to librarians and libraries everywhere, with engaging and vibrant illustrations which leap off the page. A must for reading aloud during class visits and storytime!

Funny, interactive, joyous, imaginative and playful!

Author Marvyn Harrison (founder of Dope Black Dads) has a mission… ‘each and every child is special, and it is important to tell them so every day.’ And so begins this empowering picture book. The story follows the characters from Monday through to Sunday, to help with learning the days of the week and family routines. Each day, the characters look at themselves in the mirror and say positive affirmations to their reflections. A different affirmation each day, with examples of how to be that person. The book also encourages children to talk about themselves and express their thoughts and feelings. The colourful pages burst to life thanks to the illustrations of Diane Ewen who is able to show how to be brave, smart, strong, kind, happy, loving and beautiful. This book is vibrant and energetic, and sure to engage our youngest children. Harrison describes his philosophy on affirmations as ‘just as regular exercise and a balanced diet set up strong patterns for good physical health, so can practising affirmations lead to better mental health’. You can read more about affirmations, Black Dope Dads and tips for reading with your child, at the back of the book.

If a Stegosaurus knew how to do sums – well, what would happen? Maybe she’d learn to code, to invent, to fly to the moon! Perfect for fostering a love of numbers, for use in the classroom or at home, this riotous read shows that the possibilities to where maths can take you are endless…

Baroness Floella Benjamin offers her own story of the 6000-mile journey from Trinidad to England, told for the youngest children in a picture book called Coming to England – An Inspiring True Story About the Windrush Generation.

The story explores and celebrates what it means to be a British person with Black Caribbean heritage, as well as opening doors to learning about the impact of Operation Windrush and experiences of racism. Speaking about the background to the book, Baroness Floella says,”Britain has always been a nation that’s evolved due to different races coming in, from as far back as you can go. I hope Coming to England makes people of colour feel worthy, appreciated and that they belong and that it makes white people say, ‘That could be me, what would it be like if I moved somewhere else?’.”

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