Topic: Diverse & Inclusive Books for KS1

Stevie Wonder (Little People, Big Dreams)

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara & Melissa Lee Johnson

Non-fiction, Picturebook

At just 8 years old, it was clear that Steveland Judkins was going to be a star. Renamed Stevie Wonder for his astonishing talent on the piano and other instruments, he wrote and performed some of the biggest hits of the 1970s. Stevie became known for his inventiveness, his soulful voice and the social commentary in his lyrics. He is a UN Messenger of Peace and remains one of the music world’s most iconic figures. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back , including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the great musician’s life.

The Perfect Shelter

Åsa Gilland & Clare Helen Welsh

Picturebook

The story begins perfectly. A loving family out for a day in the woods. Two close siblings decide to build a shelter from sticks they collect. Then the older sister is a bit tired. The wind blows and the den collapses. They rebuild their perfect shelter. As the weather becomes more inclement, the sister grows sicker and the shelter is not important any longer. As the days wear on, the older sister is in hospital, the younger child just wants their sister to be well again. On a visit to the hospital, as the sister grows stronger, will they find the perfect way to discover their smiles again?

This was a moving story dealing with the serious illness of a sibling. While the little girl felt a whole array of feelings that could be associated with this experience, the shelter became a symbol that needed repairing for everything to be OK while the weather tried to tear it down. The combination of the weather, the shelter and the little girl’s feelings merge brilliantly in this book, all reflecting the turbulent time that the characters were experiencing.

The bright, colourful pictures perfectly illustrated the happy times of den building and the love and hope felt between the characters, while the images of the darker weather showed the fear and sadness of the family situation. I thought it was great that the characters were not named; they could reflect any child going through this experience.

A beautiful story inviting interest and empathy towards those living through the serious illness of a loved one.

Max the Champion

Ros Asquith & Sean Stockdale & Alex Strick

Picturebook

Max is mad about sport. As he gets up, has breakfast and heads off to school, he is dreaming of competing in world class sporting events. In his real day, he and his class win the school football match and, in his imagination, he and his friends are winning the World Cup. This is a lively and fun approach to sport, and a very inclusive picture book showing disabled children and children without disabilities enjoying different sports together in a natural way. The sports include football, rugby, athletics, cricket, diving, discus throwing and cycling.

Billy and the Beast

Nadia Shireen

Picturebook

From the author of Bumblebear, comes a new heroine for our times. Introducing: Billy!

Whilst on a lovely walk in the woods, Billy and her trusty sidekick Fatcat hear a terrible rumble… a terrible rumble coming from a Terrible Beast …

He’s making a Terrible Soup out of all of Billy and Fatcat’s friends!

Luckily, our brave heroine Billy has a trick or two up her sleeve (or in her hair)…

Join Billy on her mission to defeat the Terrible Beast (and save those adorable little bunny rabbits too).

Polonius the Pit Pony

Feronia Parker-Thomas & Richard O’Neill

Picturebook

When Polonius the pit pony escapes from the coal mine he’s worked in all his life, he joins a family of Travellers. Although he enjoys the freedom and the fresh air that their lifestyle offers, he wishes he could give something back to the family in return.

When the chance arrives for him to do something to help, he rises to the challenge, and uses his intelligence and skills to save the day.

Based on true events and retold by a master of the oral tradition, this story bears witness to the Traveller values of independence, initiative, courage and hard work.

Me and My Sister

Rose Robbins

Picturebook

A celebration of the highs and lows of having a much loved but differently abled brother or sister. This appealing brother and sister duo spend a lot of their day together, eating meals, going to school and playing. But life with an autistic sibling is not always easy. Through the eyes of the brother, we find out how they are both very different, but also very similar in other ways, and come what may they have lots of fun together and love each other just the same. This is a touching book that will strike a chord with every family with siblings, especially where one is differently abled. Short listed for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.

Pablo and the Noisy Party

Pablo

Picturebook

Pablo thinks differently!

Pablo’s mum takes him to his cousin Lorna’s birthday party, but Pablo gets scared of the noisy party.

Pablo hides in the car, and soon his friends come to join him. Pablo’s friends help him realise that it’s OK if he doesn’t want to go to the party.

This lovely and heartwarming story will help readers understand that not everybody thinks the same way, and that some people feel differently about parties.

All Pablo books are written by writers on the autistic spectrum and are grounded in the real-life experiences of autistic children.

Bear Shaped

Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden

Picturebook

Inspired by the true story of Jack and his beloved Bear, this is a gentle and tender picture book exploring the relatable experience of treasuring a toy and touching on themes of loss, growing up and helping others.

Jack and his well-loved teddy bear are inseparable. Bear helps Jack to calm down when the world around him seems a bit too much, and provides both comfort and companionship through each day’s up and downs. When Jack loses Bear after a trip to the park, he is inconsolable. Such is the impact of the loss, that Jack’s family go to great lengths to find the missing toy, putting up posters and making appeals to friends and strangers online.

Jack feels a bear-shaped hole inside of him and there are reminders about Bear everywhere – the clouds, the puddles, the bus stop sign, the front door. Strangers respond to the appeal in kindness by sending Jack all sorts of replacement bears – old bears, new bears, big bears and small bears arrive in the post, but none of them are Bear. Over time, Jack begins to come to terms with his loss and decides to re-gift the bears to others in need.

This is a beautiful picture book made all the more poignant by being based on a true story of an autistic boy’s search for his missing bear. Many children hearing the story will have come across enough missing toy stories to quickly predict that Jack will lose the bear – but the resolution takes a less expected path when Jack never gets his own Bear back. The delicate and detailed illustrations portray Jack’s emotions closely and the details in the background are delightful (we spot more brilliantly concealed ‘bear-shaped’ items each time we read it).

Despite Jack’s disappointment at losing Bear, the story is an uplifting one and Jack’s decision to share the new bears with other children is both touching and inspiring.

Leo and the Octopus

Chris Nixon & Isabelle Marinov

Picturebook

Leo and the Octopus is a wonderfully empathetic picture book about Leo, a boy who feels different from his classmates and struggles with overwhelming classroom noise.

Leo’s world shifts when he meets Maya, a colour-changing Giant Pacific Octopus, and their unlikely friendship blossoms beneath the waves. This gentle narrative beautifully captures the profound connection between a boy seeking understanding and a creature who accepts him just as he is.

Chris Nixon’s illustrations are intelligent and evocative, setting sections bustling with pattern and colour against the white space that often surrounds Leo – complementing the story’s sensitive exploration of feelings of disconnection and learning bout different perspectives.

With themes of nature, connection and neurodiversity, this book is invaluable for children who may feel like Leo, assuring them they are not alone, while also a tool to develop greater empathy and understanding in all young readers about different ways of experiencing the world.

Milo Imagines the World

Christian Robinson & Matt de la Pena

Picturebook

Milo Imagines the World is a warm and richly satisfying story from the award-winning and New York Times bestselling picture book duo , about a little boy with a big imagination who learns that you can’t know anyone just by looking at them. Set in a bustling city, and full of a family love that binds even in difficult circumstances.

Milo is on a train journey through the city with his older sister, looking at the faces of the other passengers and drawing pictures of their lives. The whiskered man with a crossword puzzle he imagines playing solitaire in a cluttered flat full of pets. The little boy in bright white trainers he imagines living in a castle with a moat and a butler. But when the little boy gets off at the same stop and joins the same queue as him, Milo realises that you can’t judge by appearances and that we are all more alike than we are different: both boys are visiting their mothers in prison.

Matt de la Pena and Christian Robinson once again deliver a hugely powerful and enjoyable picture book, full of rich details both to look at and to talk about. Anyone who has ever travelled on public transport will relate to Milo’s journey.

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