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Topic: PSHE, Citizenship & Emotional Literacy

Chapter book

Friendship appears where it’s least expected in this heartwarming Little Gem from award-winning author Lisa Thompson.

When Sidney spots a wishing well in the long grass on his way to school, he thinks he might have found the answer to the problems he’s having with his friend Billy. If he can just wish for exactly the right thing, then surely Billy will want to be friends with him again?

But as Sidney makes his wishes, what he doesn’t realise is that the friend he’s longing for has been beside him all the time …

Chapter book

Lewis loves football more than anything else in the world, so he’s thrilled when his talent is spotted by a local coach.

But there are some big obstacles in his way. His mum doesn’t want him to have anything to do with the game because of what happened to his dad on the pitch. And even if Lewis can persuade her to let him give it a go, there’s no way they can afford the kit.

Can Lewis beat the odds to have a chance of following his dream?

Picturebook

Yes, you can, Cow! We believe in you! READY . . . STEADY . . . GO . . .

It’s the Nursery Rhyme’s big performance, but Cow is having second thoughts. She’s too scared to jump! What if she crashes? Will everyone laugh?

The curtain’s almost up and the audience are waiting. Can Cow overcome her fear of failure and become the star of the show?

A gorgeous, heartwarming story about believing in yourself and doing your best based on the ever-popular nursery rhyme ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’.

Picturebook

When a tiger comes to stay at Valentine’s guest house, the human visitors all check out in a rush. Luckily, the hotel soon starts to fill again – but with a very different collection of residents, all with new and differing needs. Elsie and Valentine make lots of changes to accommodate the new guests, and a very popular, accessible and unusual guest house results! A beautiful debut picture book about diversity, inclusivity and empowerment.

Picturebook

Nobody notices the Queen on the corner. Nobody, that is… except one young girl. Through her eyes, the woman who dwells in the abandoned plot is a warrior queen, with many battles fought and won. When, one day, danger comes to the street and the Queen on the corner sounds the alarm, the little girl must find a way to thank her. Can she bring the community together to turn the Queen’s corner into a home?

Picturebook

A cinematic journey through the Seoul subway that masterfully portrays the many unique lives we travel alongside whenever we take the train. A poetic translation of the bestselling Korean picture book.

Accompanied by the constant, rumbling ba-dum ba-dum of its passage through the city, the subway has stories to tell. Between sunrise and sunset, it welcomes and farewells people, and holds them — along with their joys, hopes, fears, and memories — in its embrace.

Originally published in Korean and brought to English-speaking audiences with the help of renowned translator Deborah Smith (The Vegetarian), I Am the Subway vividly reflects the shared humanity that can be found in crowded metropolitan cities.

Translated by Deborah Smith.

Picturebook

Sometimes I Am Furious is a hilarious and reassuring story about how tough it can be being – and having– a toddler, from bestselling duo Timothy Knapman and Joe Berger.

Life is all fun and games when everything’s going your way. But some days, suddenly, something becomes horribly UNFAIR. A melting ice cream, a too-tight t-shirt, a boy who doesn’t share . . . it’s enough to make you FURIOUS. But, as this little girl discovers, it’s nothing that a deep breath, a happy song and a good cuddle can’t sort out.

A funny, friendly and relatable book for young children (and their parents) about big emotions and how to handle them.

Picturebook

Today I’m a baby bear
I want to hug.
I wouldn’t mind a cuddly squeeze.
I’m baby bear, so yes, please!

Developing emotional and social intelligence is a huge part of young children’s development, and parents are often left grappling with how best to discuss feelings of shyness, social anxiety and physical boundaries with their children. In Sometimes I’m a Baby Bear, Sometimes I’m a Snail, author Moira Butterfield deftly broaches the many different feelings children face – from feeling cuddly like a baby bear or playful like a puppy, to wanting some peace and quiet alone, like a snail curled up in its shell. Through these charming animal comparisons, we see that all feelings are valid and are given tools for how to respect boundaries. Gwen Millward’s lively illustrations bring every emotion vividly to life. A final spread provides extra tools to parents and carers to help young children express their feelings in a calm and constructive way.

Chapter book

Kiki Kallira is more of a worrier than a warrior – but today she will learn to be a hero. The mythical beasts she loves to draw have come to life, and she is the only one who can defeat them. A middle-grade fantasy inspired by Hindu legends about anxiety, creativity and finding your own strengths. For 8+ fans of Abi Elphistone and The Land of Roar.

Kiki Kallira has always been a worrier. Did she lock the front door? Is there a terrible reason her mum is late? Recently her anxiety has been getting out of control, but one thing that has always soothed her is drawing. Kiki’s sketchbook is full of fantastical doodles of the Hindu myths and legends her mother has told her since she was tiny.

One day, her sketchbook’s calming effect is broken when her mythological characters begin springing to life and Kiki is pulled into the mystical world she drew.

There, she discovers the band of rebel kids who protect the kingdom, as well as an ancient, monstrous god bent on total destruction. Kiki must overcome her fear and anxiety to save both worlds – the real and the imagined – from his wrath.

But how can a girl armed with only a pencil defeat something so powerful?

Zoë Armstrong, author of Find the Spy, has selected five books featuring inspirational real life stories.

Zoë says, “I have a huge soft spot for picture books that explore the lives of real people – especially those that inspire us or teach us something new. I’ve always been curious about other human beings – I think we all are. So in the week that Find the Spy (my real-life spy book with super-illustrator Shelly Laslo) is published, I’ve put together a list of five great books featuring fascinating real-life stories.”

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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