Bessie is a little girl full of energy. In her granny’s garden, she runs around, swings and enjoys the company of the bees buzzing in her head. Until recently, Bessie and her bees make the best team, but on her first day at nursery school, the bees make thing a little difficult for Bessie; they ruin playtime with her new friends and keep her from listening during story time.
This gentle picturebook makes the invisible visible, using metaphor as a doorway into a profound experience: the daily effort of masking to navigate a world that often feels too loud, too fast, or simply too much.
Fear of the unknown can often cause young children to worry. Whether it is meeting new people, starting school, losing a loved one or learning to swim – life can certainly bring challenges to us all.
Riley’s Dad has died suddenly, leaving Riley and her mother behind. This would be devastating enough but the family are also in dire financial circumstances, something Riley’s Dad hid from his family. The story opens with the very real threat that Riley and her Mum will lose their house and the reader soon witnesses the heartbreaking move from their home to living in a car.
Have you ever dreamt about swapping lives with someone else? Maybe for a day? A week? Or in Tabbi and Ruby’s case, they agree to swap places for six weeks after a serendipitous meeting on the train to Switzerland.
Amal lives with her parents, sister Sara, and aunt Muriel; together they run the local library. But when funding gets cut and they lose their livelihood and home, a mysterious letter arrives with a solution.
Kadeen is passionate about football, but her life is thrown into a spin after she witnesses the murder of her brother. For the sake of her safety, she needs to leave Jamaica and is sent to her Aunt Mel in England where she must navigate grief, culture shock and an unfamiliar environment, while trying to secretly pursue her passion for football against her aunt’s wishes.
In a world where sport books are typically written for boys, young girls finally get the perfect book for them in Shoot for the Stars.
Hidden Worlds: Magic Under the Bed was written with children in hospital in mind, and it would work well for a busy mind in a place where there is a lot of staying still. Based around fantastical worlds populated by under-the-bed things such as fluffballs and socks, this is an engaging and beautifully illustrated activity book, with an excellent balance of story and puzzle activities.
Noah and his mama have made the difficult journey to a new country as refugees after war caused them to leave their old home. Loud fireworks bring back frightening memories for Noah; he is scared and wants to hide away to feel safe.
