Today is World Book Day, an opportunity to celebrate storytelling and encourage children to read more.
Reading is so important for children. It helps improve levels of concentration, develops their creativity and boosts their social skills and interactions. Importantly, storytelling can help children understand more about themselves and the world around them. To mark this day, my team and I have chosen a selection of our favourite books to share which we have read to our own children.
By far my favourite children’s book is Judith Kerr’s When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. It makes for difficult reading at times but is beautifully written. It is partly autobiographical and tells the story of a Jewish family fleeing from Germany at the start of the Second World War. The author bases the story on her own journey to help her children understand where she came from.
I loved Anne Holm’s I am David when I was little and read it to my own children when they were younger. It is an extraordinary and powerful story about a young boy who escapes from a concentration camp in Eastern Europe. The Silver Sword is written by another favourite author of mine, Ian Serraillier, and is mind-blowingly good.
A member of my team reads The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas to their young son which explains how to process and deal with emotions of anger, sadness, confusion and happiness through storytelling. Similarly, My Daddy’s Going Away by Lieutenant Colonel Christopher MacGregor is a sensitive read especially for military children whose parents are deployed. It serves an important reminder that when families are apart, they all sleep under the same stars.
World Book Day brings joy and hope at a time when children need it most. Given the horrendous situation in Ukraine, I am aware that children, and young people will be affected by the news and devastating images of people fleeing the conflict. I hope some of these books can help parents and carers support discussing these difficult topics in a sensitive and calm way.
