1st January 2021

2021 a new year! I want to be positive despite being in lock down, so I thought about books that I found helpful, hopeful or inspiring that I have shared with teachers in the last few months of school. Here's a few...

1. Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Halls and David Litchfield

'Rain before rainbows. Clouds before sun. Night before daybreak. A new day’s begun.'

This book and these words feature on a television ad here in Australia at the moment, and each time it is on I think of the joy I had sharing this very hopeful book with Kindergarten and the discussion of rainbows that occurred after it. 

Great poetic words and then there is the  bonus of illustrations by David Litchfield.

2. Hope the Rainbow Fairy  by Rosie Greening and Lara Eade 

While this isn't great literature, for my under 8 year old library audience the fairy genre is popular and it does have a very positive message about staying well and safe.

3. And the People Stayed Home by Kitty O'Meara, Stefano Di Cristofaro and Paul Pereda

This book started as a poem written in March 2020 by Kitty O' Meara, a retired teacher. It went viral on the internet and has now been illustrated.

'O’Meara’s thoughtful poem about the pandemic, quarantine, and the future suggests there is meaning to be found in our shared experience of the coronavirus and conveys an optimistic message about the possibility of profound healing for people and the planet. Her words encourage us to look within, listen deeply and connect with ourselves and the earth in order to heal.'

4. Windows by Patrick Guest and Jonathan Bentley

'Windows shows how five kids from different parts of the world connect and draw strength from their communities from behind the safety of their own windows. 

Heartwarming, hopeful and surprisingly funny, Windows will resonate with families all over the world and become a valuable time capsule of what life was like in 2020.'

5. What We'll Build  by Oliver Jeffers

'What shall we build, you and I? 

I'll build your future and you'll build mine.
We'll build a watch to keep our time.'

A father and daughter lay the foundations for their safe and secure life together, something all children want to know they will have.

I'm sure there are other books I could add to this list, but I work with a young audience where I want the message to be positive, hopeful and uplifting. They may not be books to start a new year with a new class, but given 2020, we never know when we might need to pull them off the shelves again.