International Women's Day Picture Books

International Women's Day is here, so we thought we would share some of our favourite children's books that feature strong female characters and challenge traditional female stereotypes. More than ever, we see bookshelves full of books that are marketed towards one sex or the other, with an abundance of pink princess books for girls and blue pirate books for boys. Even putting aside, the pink and blue divide, male characters in books far outweigh those of girls, who are generally seen as superfluous characters who can compete with male leads. Of course, girls and indeed boys can be princesses if they want to be but they can be also firefighters, superheroes, rescuers, activists, pirates and much much more. More importantly, they can be whatever they want to be without the constraints that literature places upon them. There are so many great authors and publishers challenging the ' norms ' but here are a few of our favourites

In Rickshaw Girl we meet Naima, a young girl living in Bangladesh who longs to earn money for her family, in a world where males dominate and females are expected to concentrate on domestic duties. Disguising herself as a boy, Naima takes herself on a journey of discovery and empowerment as the world around her begins to change.

Super Daisy is a fun and adventurous book, that sees the lead character Daisy use her super powers to travel around the world on a rescue mission to save planet earth. With pop out pages and flaps, children can enjoy interacting with the strong willed and free spirited girl who does not need a boy to help her save the world.

In Paper Bag Princess, we see a twist on a traditional princess tales, with princess Elizabeth bring the one that slays dragons, fights fire and comes to the rescue of her potential suitor Ronald. With fantastic illustrations and quirky humour, this is a fun book for everybody, perhaps even those boys who supposedly will not engaged with female leads!

Often it can be other females that can make some girls feel inferior and we need to find the strength to be happy in our own skin, without the need to push put others. Lola's Fandango is a beautiful exploration of a young girl, having a passion for something that can only be explored when she finds her confidence and her true spirit.

For added feminist fun, this humorous Girls are not Chicks colouring book will make you laugh whilst exploring strong messages with your children. The book is a playful exploration of gender stereotypes . Girls are not chicks, they are thinkers, creators, fighters and healers.

If you have small activists on your hand, then A is for Activist is he book for you and your family to explore together Taking on all manner of issues, not just tied to feminism, you can open up your child's eyes to the differences they can make in life, by fighting stereotypes.

Finally, here is one Princess Book that really does make me smile. Yes the cover is pink, yes the main character wears pretty dresses and is happiest when holding a sparkly bag but the book does certainly not impose gender stereotypes. My Princess Boy is a wonderful exploration of acceptance and unconditional friendship as we learn that glitter and glamour is not just for girls. A great book to read to boys, girls, men and women, after all books should be for everybody.

World Book Day reading

Thursday 6th March is World Book Day, where we will see children all over the world dressing up as their favourite literary characters and indulging in, reading lots of stories. With the opportunity to snap up some great children's books for just £1, families can discover new tales and enjoy quality story time together. It is great fun to see children reading and talking about their favourite stories and it is always interesting to see the variety of books that children class as ' the best book ever '. As it is ' World 'Book Day that we are celebrating, we  thought it would be good to share some of our favourite books from around the world.

Starting with my favourite Barefoot Book, Mama Panya's Pancakes. The book give sue a glimpse into the life of Mama Panya, her son Adika and the wonderful community spirit in the small Kenyan village they live in. With a strong message about the importance of sharing, as well as tasty pancake recipe at the end of the book, adults will love this book just as much as children.

Barefoot have a great range of books that explore world cultures, with Indian Tales being another favourite of ours. The collection of tales, from various regions of the country, gives us an insight into the colourful and varied cultures that each area brings to the India. As with many Barefoot Books, as well as containing engaging tales to share, the book has end notes that are both educational and fun.

The Wise Fool is another top choice, with wonderful illustrations and heartwarming fables from the  Islamic world. In the book we meet Mulla Nasruddin, a legendary character whose adventures and misadventures are enjoyed across the Islamic world. This witty collection of stories portrays his eccentric, engaging and irreverent character. Nasruddin always has a twinkle in his eye, a sliver of wisdom in his ramblings, and a few good surprises up his sleeve!

Jumping from country to country with the help of stories from different cultures is fun, fascinating and free spirited but deep down we know that we are ultimately all the same wherever we live. My World, Your World, is a vivid and engaging book, where we see children explore different aspects of their friends culture and accept the differences for what they are.

For older children the beautiful Mysterious Traveller is a moving tale of camels, lost princesses and the strength of wisdom and knowledge. The book illustrates the bond between a child and the man who brought her up like a daughter. Both deliciously exotic and yet portraying warmly familiar and universal truths.

The Weight of the Water is another strong book for independent readers. Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother head for England. Life is lonely for Kasienka. At home her mother's heart is breaking and at school friends are scarce.But when someone special swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there might be more than one way for her to stay afloat. The Weight of Water is a startlingly original piece of fiction; most simply a brilliant coming of age story, it also tackles the alienation experienced by many young immigrants. Moving, unsentimental and utterly page-turning, we meet and share the experiences of a remarkable girl who shows us how quiet courage prevails

Whatever you and your children read this World Book Day I am sure you will learn something, have fun and hopefully you will open your eyes to something new. 

Happy World Book Day!

Book of the Month: March

WOW, we are in March already. The year is going very quickly and we are currently enjoying a little spring like sun, to give us a burst of freshness. Spring is on the horizon, with images of flowers, Easter eggs, bunnies and lambs popping into our heads.For our March Book of the Month we meet a little lamb with a big struggle on this hands.

When a hungry young wolf spots a tasty looking animal in the field above the river, he thinks he has found some dinner…. but the fluffy little lamb is more clever than he bargained for. Will the lamb become a tasty snack, or will she escape the hungry wolf's jaws ? The Hungry Wolf is our Book of the Month for March and what a fun read it is! With plots to make you chuckle and illustrations that jump of the page, this a great read aloud for older children or for children aged 6+ to read independently.

The book has some really good discussion points, around our food consumption, nature, family and overcoming obstacles, so is ideal for book clubs or for parents to encourage children to explore meaning behind books. The vocabulary in the book is varied but not too challenging for children who are starting to read on their own and the speech bubbles add an extra dimension to allow us to really get to know the characters. An engaging and vibrant tale, that I am sure adults will love too.