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Smriti Halls Books

peace on earth

Peace on Earth

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Picturebook

From the creators of Rain Before Rainbows comes a beautiful book that lights a path for all those who dare to dream of peace.

A happy band of friends journey together, but dark clouds threaten their friendship and they lose their way in a story that starts in the safety of the happy and familiar, then goes on to explore the difficulty of discord and hurt; what it means to lose and find peace again; the bravery it takes to be a peace-maker; and the jubilance that peace ushers in. From smiles to small gestures, to natural beauty, we discover that while peace isn’t always easy to find, it makes love and friendship whole.

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our gorgeous baby

Our Gorgeous Baby

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Picturebook

A charmingly funny picture book that celebrates the unconditional love a family has for their slurpy, burpy and boisterous new baby!

Smriti was inspired to write Our Gorgeous Baby after reading Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130. With lyrical humour the story reflects the routine chaos a new baby brings upon a family and – in so doing – shows that even the slurpiest, burpiest, noisiest, smelliest and messiest of babies (multiple night-time wakings included) is no challenge whatsoever to the unbreakable bond and endless and unconditional love, care and affection a family has for their gorgeous baby.

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best of all

Best of All

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Picturebook

You are your mother’s bright eyes and her joyful wide grin,
Your father’s big heart and his kindness within . . .

From the bestselling author of Rain Before Rainbows and I’m Sticking With You, Smriti Halls, and star illustrator Chaaya Prabhat.

Inspired by the author’s own experience of raising her children to celebrate their British and Indian heritage, Best of All is a gorgeous and heartwarming book exploring what makes us who we are.

This treasure of a book is perfect to share with multi-heritage children, and to celebrate any child’s unique family history.

Smriti’s lyrical verse is paired with vibrant artwork from up-and-coming artist Chaaya Prabhat. Brimming with love and joy, the lush language and stunning illustrations make repeat reading a pleasure.

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one in a million

One in a Million

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Picturebook

In a world full of numbers… There is only one you!

One in a Million is a delightful story for pre-school readers, to be thoroughly enjoyed at bedtime and in the nursery classroom. The story tells of Debra the Zebra, who is learning to count and spends her time counting everything around her. There are plenty of opportunities for counting along with Debra and links could be made in EYFS classrooms to a variety of learning in maths as well as discussions about special bonds with relatives and caregivers.

As Debra becomes daunted by how big the world is and how many things there are to count, her mum is there to remind her that although there are millions of things in the world, it is all about those special loved ones who count the most

This book boasts a heartwarming story and beautiful, bright illustrations that will capture the interest of little ones in homes and nurseries alike.

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stop thats not my story

Stop! That’s Not My Story!

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Picturebook

Have you ever read a fairy tale and thought… that’s not my story?

The latest treat from Smriti Halls and Erika Meza is a joyful celebration of stories that invites children to reimagine, rewrite and reinvent traditional tales to mirror themselves – and then to step into their personalised narrative.

The central character accidentally falls into four stories in turn – Goldilocks, Jack and the Beanstalk, Sleeping Beauty and Red Riding Hood, only to reject each one in favour of her own ideas. There’s a simple but sophisticated blend of language. When she is in the old-style story, the tale is narrated in a gently archaic idiom with knights on chargers and girls with locks of gold. Then the style becomes suddenly modern and animated as she tumble-tips down a beanstalk, races through tingle tangle trees or slip slides down a tower.

The expressive illustrations fit perfectly, with a similarly subtle mix of traditional and contemporary. Throughout, the rhymes and sound effects make it ideal for a vibrant read-aloud for Year 1, with lots of opportunity for joining in, as well as for giggling at the horror of being peered at by bears (Eek!) or kissed by a prince (Yuck!).

This absolutely brilliant story is one of my favourite books so far this year. It would be huge fun to share with children and would perfectly complement any work on traditional tales.

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dinos dont give up

Dinos Don’t Give Up!

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Picturebook

A fantastic rhyming story by Smriti Halls (I’m Sticking With You and Rain Before Rainbows), with dynamic illustrations from Richard Merritt (The Dinosaur Department Store), about discovering grit and building determination.

Diplodocus Dinah is BRILLIANT at everything. There’s nothing she can’t do and no competition she can’t win! But what happens when the Surfing Contest comes to Dino Town and Dinah discovers that surfing is something she just can’t dino-do! For the first time ever Dinah doesn’t come first. Will she be distraught? Or will she discover that there’s more to having fun than winning?

An encouraging and inspiring story, packed with hidden humour, that’s perfect for fans of Giles Andreae’s Giraffes Can’t Dance.

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lets stick together

Let’s Stick Together

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Picturebook
book-of-the-month

A heartwarming but funny and brilliantly illustrated story of friendship and having a best friend who is always there for you no matter what!

Bear and Squirrel are back in the third book from the ‘sticking with..’ series of tales written by Smriti Halls. The pair are throwing a party this time, and Squirrel is the party expert! He is confident this will be the best party ever and has LOTS of big ideas, but Bear is not so sure. His tummy is feeling a bit funny, and he’s feeling a bit shy; he’s definitely having a wobble. But as the party starts, it’s not Bear that’s so worried. Where is Squirrel? Together they help each other out, working through their wobbles and grumps, realising the power of their friendship and that together they are stronger.

This is such a lovely story of friendship and being there for one another, and the wording in rhyme makes it an excellent read-aloud title. The feel-good story is made even better with Steve small’s illustrations that add wonderful emotion and humour.

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Rain Before Rainbows

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Picturebook

An uplifting, stunningly beautiful book about optimism in the darkest of places.

A girl and her companion fox travel together from a place of loss and despair, through uncertain times, towards the hope of colour, light and life. Along the way, they find friends to guide and support them. Together, they build a glorious future and discover there is a way out of the darkness, into the light of the rainbow. A book with immense hope at its heart, this is a positive message for anyone who’s ever gone through a tough time.

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Who Are You?

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resources-available

This is a joyful celebration of all the pieces, places and people that make us who we are. It is a wonderful way to get children thinking about and learning about their own families, and also opening up discussions about all of the other pieces that come together to make us all unique: from our friends and food we eat, to activities we get up to and the places we go.

Children will enjoy finding out more about themselves and their families, and thinking about other families and friends who are similar or different to their own.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

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yes

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