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Topic: PSHE, Citizenship & Emotional Literacy

Picturebook

At the gallery, Luna is transfixed by the famous art, but her classmate Finn doesn’t seem to want to be there at all. Finn’s family doesn’t look like the one in Henry Moore’s ‘Family Group’ sculpture, but then neither does Luna’s. Maybe all Finn needs is a friend. Join Luna and Finn at the Art Gallery and step inside famous works of art by Van Gogh, Damien Hirst, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol and many more! Can you spot all the art? Created by award-winning poet Joseph Coelho, this book follows Luna Loves Library Day as an introduction to different types of family.

Picturebook

A moving, lyrical picture book about a shy child unlocking the power of their own voice through poetry, with the helping hand of an extra special teacher, written by poet and playwright Joseph Coelho. This beautifully illustrated, powerful and heartwarming text shows children that everyone’s voice can be powerful and beautiful, however small.

Follow a child who is so shy she doesn’t speak. With the encouragement of an enchanting and magical teacher, she writes a poem. But a poem is meant to be read aloud. She musters all her courage, stands at the front of the class and shows her classmates that she does have a voice. And her voice is beautiful. The perfect way to encourage empathy in young children and show shy children how to feel brave.

Non-fiction

Politics, in its widest sense, affects us all, every day. What if there were no politics? What would that look like? What does it mean to be political or non-political and what effect do each of these positions have?

Aimed at children aged 9 and up, this book is a highly topical look at how politics affects everyone in society. It looks at the whole political spectrum, in countries around the world and examines what politics means in different contexts and situations. What forms can political action take, and what difference does it make?

There are contributions from a range of writers, who, along with the authors, discuss how their ideas of what politics is and can do have been shaped by their life experiences. Readers are encouraged to think for themselves about the issues discussed and decide how or whether they would like to take part in politics at some level.

Winner of the prestigious ‘Best Emerging Illustrator Award’ from Booktrust, Levi Pinfold has created a wonderfully moving story of a young boy dogged by the attentions of his imaginary friend ‘Django’ who keeps getting him into trouble. Finally, the young boy has to banish his friend, but he misses him terribly. When his father gives Jean a banjo, he rediscovers the infectious enthusiasm for music that was the Django’s special gift to him.

Picturebook

This is the story of a bird that fits in your hand flying halfway around the world looking for a place to nest. This is the story of a young girl from northern Africa fleeing halfway around the world looking for a place of peace. This is the story of Bird. This is the story of Leila. This is the story of a chance encounter and a long journey home.

Picturebook

When Gregory wakes up on his first day in Tobago with his grandparents, his heart sinks. The food is strange, the sun too hot, his cousin Lennox is on another wave length, and there are none of the televisions, video games and other high-tech gadgets that a cool city-boy takes for granted. How Gregory adjusts to the strange culture, and learns to enjoy the lifestyle of the Caribbean is enchantingly told and illustrated by award-winning author Caroline Binch.

Picturebook

The perfect story to open up conversations about war and migration with little ones, anywhere in the world.

In a war-torn city, a little girl tends to the last garden. But everyone is leaving and soon the girl has to leave too. The garden is all alone now but soon the seeds scatter throughout and the roots take hold.

Inspired by true events in Syria and war gardens around the world and throughout history, The Last Garden is a thoughtful, tender story of hope, touching on issues of conflict and migration, from a talented debut picture book pairing.

Poetry

This exciting anthology of poems celebrates festivals all over the world. From Chinese New Year to Carnival, from Thanksgiving to Holi, and from Purnima to Diwali. with explanations of the festivals at the back of the book, and with colourful and atmospheric illustrations by Shirin Adl.

Chapter book

A heartwarming story about a feisty young Polish girl determined to be unhappy in her new life in England – but who finds herself settling in despite herself.

Kasia wishes that she and her mum hadn’t moved to the UK – she misses Poland and all her old friends, and most of all she misses her grandparents. As the long school holidays stretch out in front of her, Kasia wonders how she’ll fill them: her mum has promised to take her out for some day trips, but the rest of the time she’ll be at work. Then Babcia and Dzadek arrive for a surprise visit, and Kasia is delighted! As she proudly shows her grandparents round her new town, Kasia realizes that maybe she’s happier here than she thought.

Chapter book

Jamal loves playing football, which isn’t easy if your goalie only has one leg and you keep having to dodge landmines to get your ball back. Jamal’s stubborn little sister Bibi is even better at football than Jamal. But girls playing football is against the law in Afganistan. When it is discovered that Jamal’s mother has been secretly running a school, the family must leave their home immediately and begin a long and dangerous journey to Australia. The children survive separation from their parents, hunger, and violent smugglers only to find that Australia isn’t as welcoming as they had thought but, even though they face an uncertain future, Jamal, Bibi and their parents know that as long as they are together, that is all that matters.

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