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Topic: Diversity & Inclusion

Picturebook

A young Asian boy notices that his eyes look different from his peers’ after seeing his friend’s drawing of them. After talking to his father, the boy realizes that his eyes rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse trails of light from those who came before-in fact, his eyes are like his father’s, his agong’s, and his little brother’s, and they are visionary.

Inspired by the men in his family, he recognizes his own power and strength from within. This extraordinary picture book redefines what it means to be truly you.

Picturebook

A beautiful, heartfelt adventure, perfect for celebrating all kinds of family and the love that brings them together.

This is the dark and starless sky, where just past the moon a planet drifts by.
And this is the planet that’s full to the brim, with friendly and caring space people called… TIM!

Meet Tim and Tim – a couple who long for a family and set off on a quest to find their very own star child. This joyful, read-aloud adventure is a comforting, soothing read that’s ideal just before bedtime. It’s also a helpful jumping off point for early conversations about the experiences of LGBTQ+ families for the youngest readers.

From the author of My Daddies and the illustrator of The Perfect Hug and The Biggest Kiss.

Chapter book

A quirky family comedy set in the Caribbean from prize-winning author Patrice Lawrence.

Shayla can’t wait to see her cousin Michael again. Last time, they had great fun chasing Granny’s chickens and playing hide-and-seek in the bamboo by the river. But Michael thinks everything in London is better than in Trinidad where Shayla lives, which makes him better than her, doesn’t it? Soon everything’s a competition, especially when there’s hot pepper sauce involved!

This humorous story featuring characters from Trinidad by Patrice Lawrence, the winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017 for Older Fiction, has fun black-and-white illustrations by David Dean and is perfect for children who are developing as readers.

Picturebook

Brimming with positivity, I Love Me! is a fun and empowering book of affirmations to help little ones stand tall. Written by Marvyn Harrison and with art by Diane Ewen (the award-winning illustrator of Floella Benjamin’s Coming to England ), this upbeat book is perfect for sharing, easy to put into practice, and celebrates the very best in all of us!

With joyful, uplifting statements for each day of the week, it provides an enjoyable routine to help prepare young children for the wider world of nursery and school. The book also includes a bright, fold-out ending and tips for parents and carers.

Picturebook

A big-hearted global celebration of mosques and the diverse worshippers that they welcome every day!

My mosque feels safe like home.
In my mosque, we pray for peace, love and joy.
You are welcome in my mosque.

Picked by School Library Journal for the Best Picture Books of 2021.

Do you go regularly to a mosque? Or perhaps you’ve never been inside one? This joyful book invites everyone – worshippers and newcomers alike – to step inside and meet warm, welcoming mosque communities all across the world. Join young Muslim children, their families and friends, as they learn, pray, eat, help others … and play!

Joyful illustrations from award-winning illustrator Hatem Aly ( The Proudest Blue ) bring to life this simple and heartfelt introduction to life inside the mosque!

Picturebook

Jabari is inventing a machine that will fly all the way across the yard! But making it go from CRASH to WHOOSH will take grit, patience, and maybe even a little help from his sister.

Jabari is making a flying machine in his backyard! “It’ll be easy. I don’t need any help,” he declares. But it doesn’t work! Jabari is frustrated. Good thing Dad is there for a pep talk and his little sister, Nika, is there to assist, fairy wings and all. With the endearing father-child dynamic of Jabari Jumps and engaging mixed-media illustrations, Gaia Cornwall’s tale shows that through perseverance and flexibility, an inventive thought can become a brilliant reality.

Chapter book

Black Panther meets Percy Jackson in this action-packed and empowering middle-grade superhero series about a British-Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers. Soon to be a feature film with a major streamer!

I close my eyes, trying to push the power bubbling in me back down . . . Hairbands snap as my hair shoots out like superfine arrows, tearing through everything in its path.

Onyeka has a lot of hair – the kind that makes strangers stop in the street. She’s always felt insecure about her vibrant curls, until she makes an important discovery: she can control her hair with her mind!

Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari – children with superpowers – are trained. But Onyeka and her new friends at the Academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves caught up in an epic battle . . . one that puts the future of all Solari at risk.

Chapter book

Marvin’s life is perfectly ordinary until one day he discovers a superhero suit with infinite powers . . . In this story, supervillain Shadow takes over the water park with her army of robot sharks. Armed with his super-suit and robot sidekick, Pixel, Marvin dives into action to become the invincible, unstoppable MARV!

Chapter book

Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door is the first title in an inclusive magical adventure series, perfect for readers of 6-8 from debut author Lola Morayo. It is inspired by world mythology and is gorgeously illustrated in black and white throughout by Cory Reid.

Open the door to a world of magic and adventure…

A mysterious gift arrives on Aziza’s birthday. It is a secret fairy door that will whisk her away to Shimmerton, a magical world with princesses, naughty fairies, shapeshifters, unicorn shopkeepers and mischief around every corner. But when the precious jewelled doorknob is taken, Aziza is trapped. Will she ever see her home and family again? Maybe her new friends, Peri and Tiko, can help….

Chapter book

Step into a Once Upon a Time where anything is possible . . . Radiya Hafiza’s enchanting and funny debut weaves together three stories, spinning the classic fairytale to show that anyone can be a hero.

‘Rumaysa, Rumaysa, let down your hijab!’

For as long as she can remember Rumaysa has been locked away in her tower, forced to spin straw into gold for the evil Witch, unable to leave. Until one day, after dropping a hijab out of her small tower-window, Rumaysa realizes how she might be able to escape . . .

Join Rumaysa as she adventures through enchanted forests and into dragon’s lairs, discovers her own incredible magical powers and teams up with Cinderayla and Sleeping Sara!

Rumaysa: A Fairytale is a magically fresh, empowering and funny debut, which retells three classic fairytales – Rapunzel, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty – with beautiful inside illustrations by Rhaida El Touny and cover illustration by Areeba Siddique.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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