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Topic: Diversity & Inclusion

Picturebook

The #1 New York Times bestselling picture book, celebrating diversity and inclusivity.

No matter how you start your day, What you wear when you play, Or if you come from far away, All are welcome here.

Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcome. A school where children in patkas, hijabs, baseball caps and yarmulkes play side by side. A school where students grow and learn from each other’s traditions. A school where diversity is a strength.

Warm and inspiring, All Are Welcome lets young children know that no matter what, they have a place, they have a space, and they are welcome in their school. Engaging lyrical text and bright, accessible illustrations make this book a must for every child’s bookshelf, classroom and library.

Non-fiction

An important and timely book on race and racism, encouraging children to think for themselves about the issues involved.
Talk about race is often discouraged, but this book aims to bring everyone into the conversation. It explores the history of race and society, giving context to how racist attitudes come into being. It looks at belonging and identity, the damaging effects of stereotyping and the benefits of positive representation. The authors talk sensitively about how to identify and challenge racism, and how to protect against and stop racist behaviour.

Aimed at young people aged 10 and upwards.

Part of the groundbreaking and important ‘And Other Big Questions’ series, which offers balanced and considered views on the big issues we face in the world we live in today.

Picturebook

A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist.
Henry Brown doesn’t know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves’ birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. Henry grows up and marries, but he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday — his first day of freedom.

Picturebook

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Martin Luther King Jr., the inspiring minister and civil rights activist.

Little Martin grew up in a family of preachers: his dad was a preacher, his uncle was a preacher, his grandfather was a preacher… so maybe he’d become a great preacher too. One day, a friend invited him to play at his house. Martin was shocked when his mother wouldn’t let him in because he was black. That day he realized there was something terribly unfair going on. Martin believed that no one should remain silent and accept something if it’s wrong. And he promised himself that – when he grew up – he’d fight injustice with the most powerful weapon of all: words. This moving 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 inspiring activist’s life.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people , from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats . The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Non-fiction

Throughout the brutal history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade that took place between the 16th and 19th centuries, Africans resisted enslavement at different times and in many ways.

This book looks at the struggle for freedom and the key events in the build up to the abolition of slavery.

The Black History series brings together a wide range of events and experiences from the past to promote knowledge and understanding of black culture today. This book looks at the struggle for freedom and the key events in the build up to the abolition of slavery.

Graphic Novel

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela is the amazing story of a true hero of our times; his famous biography has been specially adapted for children in a beautiful illustrated picture book format. Discover how a little boy whose father called him “troublemaker” grew up to fight apartheid, become South Africa’s first black president and campaign for freedom and justice throughout the world.

Adapted by poet Chris van Wyk and illustrated by South African artist Paddy Bouma, with an introduction from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Long Walk to Freedom introduces children to the life of one of the world’s most beloved leaders.

Picturebook

Part of the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad conductor who ‘never lost a single passenger.’

Little Harriet was born into slavery on a plantation in Maryland. Though life was hard, Harriet persisted. She used all of her strength and bravery to escape slavery and journey north on the Underground Railroad. Harriet made the dangerous mission back to the South many times, fighting her whole life to bring others with her to freedom. This moving 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 abolitionist’s life.

Short story collection

Explore the lives of the Windrush generation in this full-colour anthology. With a foreword from Baroness Floella Benjamin, DBE.

This book presents 12 moving tales of sacrifice and bravery, inspired by first-hand accounts of the Windrush generation.

“Home ain’t jus’ where you live. Home is your heart an’ yer history.”

Each inspiring story helps to bring the real experience of Black British people into focus.

Produced in partnership with Black Cultural Archives to honour the Windrush generation.

Includes ten photo-packed fact sections.

The contributors: K. N. Chimbiri, Kevin George, Salena Godden, Judy Hepburn, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Kirsty Latoya, Katy Massey, E. L. Norry, Quincy the Comedian, Jermain Jackman. With cover art by Joelle Avelino.

Black Cultural Archives is the only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the histories of Black people in Britain.

50p from every copy sold goes to BCA.

Chapter book

Tully and his brother don’t have much. But they do have each other. And Tully has an amazing talent. Football. But when the First World War begins, Tully must fight for respect on the battlefield not the pitch … Based on the amazing true story of Walter Tull, a First World War hero and one of the first black British professional football players. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+

Picturebook

With over a million copies sold this classic story of Grace, her Ma and Nana is a timeless classic of courage and determination, loved and cherished by children the world over.

Grace was a girl who loved stories.
She didn’t mind if they were read to her or told to her or
made up in her own head. She didn’t care if they were from
books or on TV or in films or on the video or out of Nana’s
long memory. Grace just loved stories.

Grace loves to act out stories. She spends her time dressing up and putting on performances for her beloved Ma and Nana, usually helped by Paw-Paw the cat. Sometimes she plays the leading part, sometimes she is ‘a cast of thousands’ and sometimes, when they’re not too tired, she can even convince Ma and Nana to join in her magical story creations.

When Grace’s school decides to put on a performance of Peter Pan, Grace longs to play the part of Peter. But her classmates say that Grace absolutely can’t play that part. Peter was a boy, and besides, he wasn’t black… But Grace’s Ma and Nana tell her she can be anything she wants if she puts her mind to it…

A touching and beautiful picture book about being true to yourself and not letting anyone hold you back. This is the perfect story for children everywhere to remind them to be themselves no matter what the world tells you.

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