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Topic: Reading for Pleasure

My Big Fantastic Family

Picturebook

A funny and moving story about how a little girl copes with change after her parents separate.

When Dad says that he’s moving out, Lily-May feels all upside-down inside. But now Dad comes on Sundays, and they ride their bikes really fast and make secret dens together. Lily-May plays more just with Mum now, too – and when Mum’s new partner Peter comes over, they play pirate ships! Sometimes, there are tricky moments – Lily-May hates it when Mum has to work late – but a birthday party with Lily-May’s big fantastic family helps her realise just how many people love her.

This reassuring celebration of non-nuclear families will help children to understand that they will always be loved, even if parents separate or divorce.

Beautifully written in rhyme by the award-winning authors of the bestselling George’s Amazing Adventures series, this uplifting story with a diverse cast of characters embraces all the positive aspects of becoming part of a blended family after a divorce or separation.

My Grandma and Me

Picturebook

In a true tale of a young girl in Iran and her grandmother, this beautiful ode to family celebrates small moments of love that become lifelong memories.

In this big universe full of many moons, I have travelled and seen many wonders, but I have never loved anything or anyone the way I love my grandma .

While Mina is growing up in Iran, the centre of her world is her grandmother. Whether visiting friends next door, going to the mosque for midnight prayers during Ramadan, or taking an imaginary trip around the planets, Mina and her grandma are never far apart… At once deeply personal and utterly universal, this story is a love letter of the rarest sort: the kind that shares a bit of its warmth with every reader.

My Hair

Picturebook

Joyous and vibrant, this captures perfectly the excitement of getting ready for a celebration, as well as showcasing a dazzling array of intricate hairstyles.

This is a glorious debut from an exciting new partnership who both emerged from the FAB Prize for undiscovered BAME writers and illustrators.

My Magic Family

Picturebook

There are billions of families, a million ways to be. But in my magic family it’s Mummy, Mum and me!
Let’s tell our family stories – fantastical and true – and we’ll find out who’s who to me, and who is who to you…

In this celebratory, reassuring rhyming story a little girl with two mummies shares the magic of her family and discovers how magic all her friends’ families are too. This is a warm, funny read-aloud that’s perfect for opening up conversations about different families in a playful, creative way.

The Pirate Mums

Picturebook

Billy’s family is not what you’d call ordinary. His mums won’t listen to NORMAL music. They love to sing sea shanties and dance jigs in the lounge. Their clothes are highly unusual, they have a rude parrot for a pet, and their taste in house design is, well . . . FISHY.

Billy wishes his family could be more like everyone else’s. Until a swashbuckling adventure changes everything!

New Baby

Picturebook

Sofia and Bilal are twins, and they love making mischief together! When their family of four becomes five, the twins realise that sharing is harder than they had ever imagined . . .

This beautifully illustrated picture book is the perfect gift for children who are about to become older siblings for the first time. Lucy Farfort’s gentle watercolour artwork combined with engaging text introduces little learners to this enormous life event in an accessible and honest light.

An emotive, poignant and lighthearted introduction to the big changes we face.

Nikhil and Jay Save the Day

Chapter book

In these four interlinked stories about Nikhil and Jay and their family, there’s always fun and mischief. Jay wants to do things by himself on his birthday, but sharing with Nikhil turns out to be more fun. They all go to visit Grandad and Nana, but where is the story dragon? Then it’s Pancake Day, the day when Amma makes yummy dosa , Indian pancakes. And last but not least, Nikhil and Jay help to lead a campaign to save their local library from closing.

The Nikhil and Jay stories are perfect for children moving on from picture books to longer stories, helped by Soofiya’s lively and characterful illustrations.

Nura and the Immortal Palace

Chapter book

A magical adventure rooted in Muslim culture and folklore, Nura and the Immortal Palace follows a young girl’s journey from modern-day Pakistan into the world of the jinn.

Nura has worked all her life in the mica mines, earning just enough to keep her family afloat – and enjoy the odd delicious gulab jamun from the market. Some day she’s going to find the Demon’s Tongue, a legendary treasure buried deep in the mines, and her family will never have to worry about money again.

But when a terrible accident buries her best friend below ground, Nura goes in search of him and passes over into the magical and terrible world of the jinn. Across a pink sea and under a purple sky, she finds her way to a palace, where great riches and a whole new life are on offer.

But it’s not long before Nura discovers this world to be as unfair as the real one, and that trickster jinns will always live up to their reputation…

Pablo Goes Shopping

Picturebook

Pablo and his friends are going to the supermarket, or as they like to call it, the super place!

Tang loves the super place, but Mouse finds it too bright and too noisy .

Pablo and friends find different ways to have a lovely time among all the sights and sounds of the Super Place.

Zombierella

Chapter book, Poetry

The first in a funny, deliciously dark, three-part series of twisted classics, written in verse by award-winning poet Joseph Coelho and illustrated by Freya Hartas.

A yellow moon hangs in a satin sky the night Cinderella, barefoot and in hand-me-downs, slips at the top of the stairs … and dies . But not for long. The Shadow of Death arrives to breathe life back into her bones and, for three nights only, Cinderella goes forth as ZOMBIERELLA. With her skin as cold as ice and her faithful horse Lumpkin back by her side, can she seek revenge on her three cruel, fake sisters, once and for all?

Crawl out of the grave and step into your mushroom carriage for this haunting and humorous adventure of the undead girl searching for her happily ever after.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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