Author & Illustrators
The Boldest White is a beautifully illustrated story that follows Faizah on her journey to becoming bold. The book is part of the picture book series written by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali, which includes The Proudest Blue and The Kindest Red.
The Boldest White is wonderfully written and would be a great story to share with a class of any age. It perfectly describes how it feels to be a part of a crowd whilst trying to create your own identity. Faizah’s journey begins with her feeling comforted by blending in with a crowd, but as we see her confidence grow, she begins to enjoy standing out boldly.
The themes of family and Faizah’s bond with her older sister create another element of the story that can be enjoyed and is something to which many children can relate. Throughout the book, there are colourful and fun illustrations which help bring the story to life. I would highly recommend this book to both KS1 and KS2 children. The Boldest White could be used as a conversation starter in PSHE or just enjoyed during story time. The message throughout the story of being bold could help inspire many children.
This is an absolutely beautiful book – one that is positive and empowering. In the author-illustrator team’s previous book The Proudest Blue, we saw the beautiful bond between sisters Faizah and Asiya and heard the supportive and uplifting words of their mother. In The Kindest Red we see this again throughout the story as we ponder the question posed by Faizah’s teacher, ‘What kind of world would you like to live in?’ A beautiful world? A strong world? A kind world?
Faizah and her friends spend the day showing acts of kindness and seeing them spread until the whole class is beaming. However, it’s school photo day and when it comes to her turn to step up with Asiya, she needs a small act of kindness herself which her friends gladly give. The central theme of ‘passing things on,’ between family members, and to friends and strangers, is beautifully woven through the story, along with the idea of sharing kindness with others. The author’s note beautifully links the theme to her faith too, causing the reader to think about the impact of our actions and behaviour on others around us.
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Any other comments
Any other comments