From the fantastic duo behind Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud comes another compendium of 25 original confidence-building poems to read out loud which will show children that their voice has FANTASTIC power. From multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho comes 25 more brilliant, sparkling and truly original poems for children, specially written to help build confidence, develop speaking skills and help foster self-belief. The collection contains mantras to be true to yourself, to help you feel brave, project happiness, conjure a smile, make you laugh or cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras or just poems that instil confidence and help children realise the power of their voices. Reading these poems aloud will teach children the power of a poem, encouraging them to explore the magic of language and foster a love of verse. This book follows on from Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud, the hugely succesful books from Joseph Coehlo,illustrated in beautifully vivid colour by Daniel Gray-Barnett. These books have inspired thousands of young readers at home and in classrooms to speak up and love the power of their own voice. "Poetry for children is dead. Really? Not when there are young poets like Joseph Coelho" -Books for Keeps "A fresh new voice in Children's poetry" - Roger McGough

In this fantastic collection, Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho shows us that poems are made to read OUT LOUD! In this wittily illustrated anthology of poems, designed to be read aloud, twenty poems arm children with techniques for lifting poetry off the page and performing with confidence. Perfect for confident children and shy readers alike, this book teaches all sorts of clever ways to performing poetry. Children will learn 20 techniques for reading aloud by trying out 20 funny and thoughtful original poems by the much-loved and award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho. There are tongue twisters, poems to project, poems to whisper, poems to make you laugh. There are poems to perform to a whole class and others to whisper in somebody's ear. Richly textured, warm and stylish illustration by Daniel Gray-Barnett bring each page to life. "Poetry for children is dead. Really? Not when there are young poets like Joseph Coelho" -Books for Keeps

From the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Shakira, the world's most popular Latin American singer. As a child, little Shakira knew she was born to be performer. Even as a little girl, she was full of natural rhythm and she was obsessed with singing, writing songs and dancing whenever she got the opportunity. At 14 years old she recorded her first album, and although it wasn't a success, she knew she had found her calling. She persevered, and within four years she had finally got her first hit! She soon became a Latin American icon, winning many awards and creating global hits across the world, becoming widely known as the Queen of Latin Music. With her fame, Shakira started a foundation to help children in her native country, Colombia and other developing countries across the world, providing them with education and the chance of a better future. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the iconic singer's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho presents another brilliant compendium of poetry to read out loud and make you smile! From the fantastic duo behind Poems Aloud comes twenty five original poems designed to be read aloud to project confidence, conjure happiness, make you laugh or cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras or just poems full of words that you can't help but smile when you hear them. This is a book for any child who wants to build confidence reading aloud, or wants a way to channel their speech and drama confidence. It is a book to foster a love of words and the power that comes with the spoken word. It will show children how speaking a poem aloud has a certain magic, almost like reading a spell. Poems can be read aloud to an audience, muttered quietly to oneself or whispered in the ear of someone who needs to hear some cheerful words.

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis was born into poverty in North Mississippi, a place where opportunities were a rare thing to see. Still, he felt that someday, somehow, something amazing would happen. When he sang in a school talent show, he realised that singing was all he wanted to do with his life. He had just finished high school when he plucked up the courage and walked through the doors of Sun Studios, ready to record his first song. After this came hit after hit, and he popularised a new genre of music that mixed all kinds of different styles. That genre was Rock 'n' Roll, and it would take the world by storm! All the great artists that came after him still look up to little Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, the unique and irreplaceable artist who changed the course of music history. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the music legend's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Meet Josephine Baker, the world-famous entertainer, activist and French Resistance agent in this true story of her life! Part of the beloved Little People, BIG DREAMS series, this inspiring and informative little biography follows the incredible life of Josephine Baker, from growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, during segregation to defying expectations and performing on the stage in Paris, where audiences fell in love with her. Josephine Baker was born for the stage. But growing up in segregated St. Louis, she didn't have the same opportunities as white entertainers. So, she moved to Paris where audiences fell in love with her. Josephine worked as a dancer, an actor and even a spy. She then spent the rest of her life spreading the word that people of all colours can live together in harmony. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the entertainer's amazing life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

A moving, lyrical picture book about a shy child unlocking the power of their own voice through poetry, with the helping hand of an extra special teacher, written by multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho. From the creators of If All The World Were, winner of the 2019 Independent Book Shop Picture Book Award which has been translated into 13 languages, this beautifully illustrated, powerful and heartwarming text shows children that everyone's voice can be powerful and beautiful, however small. Allison Colpoys' gorgeous artwork spills from every page as she shows this most heartwarming of tales. Follow a child who is so shy she doesn't speak. With the encouragement on an enchanting and magical teacher, she writes a poem. But a poem is meant to be read aloud! She musters all her courage, stands at the front of the class and shows her classmates that she does have a voice. And her voice is BEAUTIFUL! The perfect way to encourage empathy in young children and show shy children how to feel brave, this beautiful story will delight readers time and time again.

Pull back the curtain and enter a world where mystery and magic take centre stage in a gloriously gothic adventure from Jenni Spangler, illustrated by Chris Mould. Twelve-year-old Tig works at Manchester's Theatre Royale, cleaning, selling tickets and doing anything else that is asked of her by her tyrannical boss, Mr Snell. Tig will do whatever it takes to get closer to her dream - to become a Stage Manager and spend her days inventing new ways to imagine and build the intricate machinery and props that bring the exciting productions to life! But when a strange new act - a talking machine - arrives at the Theatre Royale, it moves and behaves in a way that Tig just can't work out. It's as though it's alive somehow . . . And when the machine appears to be hiding a dangerous secret, Tig must race against time to solve the mystery, before everything and everyone she cares about is lost forever. A Victorian adventure full of ghost, gadgets and shifty villains, from the critically-acclaimed Jenni Spangler, who's debut The Vanishing Trick, was selected as Waterstones Book of the Month. Praise for THE VANISHING TRICK: A thrilling, original, evocative and eerie tale - I adored it!' Michelle Harrison, author of A Pinch of Magic 'A thrilling page-turner. Madame Pinchbeck is a gloriously Dickensian villain' Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song 'Ghosts, gadgets, likeable villains and unlikely heroes: The Vanishing Trick is a dark and dazzling adventure' Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse 'A completely enthralling tale, oozing with atmosphere and originality' Catherine Doyle, author of The Storm Keeper's Island

In this book from the highly acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Harry Houdini, one of the most famous entertainers to have ever lived. When he was four, little Ehrich emigrated with his family from Hungary to the USA. Although they had reached a world of great opportunity, the family lived in poverty and Ehrich had no choice but to go to work from a young age. When he was just nine, Ehrich worked as a trapeze artist, and this experience led him into a life of entertainment. As he grew older, Ehrich continued to play to audiences with fascinating card tricks. But when working as a locksmith by day and honing his magic skills at night, Ehrich realised that he would need more than a deck of cards to really 'wow' people... and so, the great Harry Houdini came to be. As Houdini, the escape artist who could free himself from handcuffs, chains and knots like no one else, he toured the world and became known for his incredible death-defying stunts. This book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the entertainer's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of RuPaul, the shape-shifter, performer, supermodel and host of RuPaul's Drag Race. Even before little Ru was born, a fortune teller told his mum that he would one day be famous... It was only a matter of time before he figured out how. Playing dress-up was his favourite game, and that's where he felt most comfortable. Ru went on to study performing arts and then moved to New York to mix things up in a punk band. Later, drag was a way to express himself as an artist. He found success for himself, then wanted to help others find theirs. He inspires us to do what feels right and love ourselves. This witty and wise book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the inspiring performer's life. Cloth quarter binding makes this book a stylish and attractive gift for all children who love to dream. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Join Jada and Granny Jinks in this charming new series for readers aged 6+! Gorgeously illustrated throughout by Selom Sunu, and brimming with warmth, tricks and magic, this is the perfect read for fans of The Naughtiest Unicorn, Bad Nana and Wigglesbottom Primary! When Jada Jinks finds a box of magic tricks in her granny's flat, she uncovers her granny's SECRET dream of becoming a magician. Jada soon decides that she's going to help Granny Jinks fulfil her dreams, but one thing stands in her way - her dad, Jonny Jinks, who hates magic! Will Jada be able to help Granny Jinks pass the auditions for Dalton Green Magic Society, and will she learn some tricks of her own along the way? Inspired by the true story of Jenny Mayers - the first Black woman to be accepted into the Magic Circle. *Includes how-to magic tricks for you to try at home!* With themes of finding courage, making friends, managing relationships at home, school and in the community, this is a wonderful new series for readers aged 6 and up!

Scallywag Press proudly present Simon Lamb's dazzling debut collection of poetry, featuring fifty luminous poems, each written in exactly fifty words, fully-illustrated throughout by much-loved former Children's Laureate Chris Riddell. With subjects ranging from family, identity, and growing up, to the need for hope, the wonder of nature, and the very concept of poetry itself, Simon offers his poems as small nuggets of wisdom, warmth and wit to help readers of all ages navigate their lives. Complementing the always-present three-dimensional sense of drama and interaction with the reader, every poem is gifted its own double page spread, each one exquisitely illustrated by Chris Riddell, with his distinctive insight and flair adding new layers of meaning and joy to these already magical poems. A beautifully-produced hardback gift edition with textured cover, de-bossing and thick paper, this is a book to read, to keep, to love.

From Allie Esiri, editor of the bestselling A Poem for Every Day of the Year and A Poem for Every Night of the Year, comes this beautiful gift anthology of Shakespeare's works. Shakespeare For Every Day of the Year is a magnificent collection of 366 extracts from Shakespeare's plays and poems. Each page of this unique book features an extract - which might be a famous poem, quote or scene - matched to the date it sits on - and an introductory paragraph which gives readers a new window into the work, time and life of the greatest writer in the English language. The book also includes synopses of each play, a comprehensive timeline covering Shakespeare's life, major historical events and offering context for his works, and an index of works which gathers the extracts under the title of the work they come from. Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year is perfect for reading or sharing and brings you Shakespeare's best-known and best-loved classics alongside lesser known extracts. Esiri's entertaining and insightful thoughts on each entry will fill your year with wonder, laughter, wisdom and wit. 'Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year is not just for Christmas, but for all time.' - Helena Bonham Carter

A moving, lyrical picture book about a shy child unlocking the power of their own voice through poetry, with the helping hand of an extra special teacher, written by multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho. From the creators of If All The World Were, winner of the 2019 Independent Book Shop Picture Book Award which has been translated into 13 languages, this beautifully illustrated, powerful and heartwarming text shows children that everyone's voice can be powerful and beautiful, however small. Allison Colpoys' gorgeous artwork spills from every page as she shows this most heartwarming of tales. Follow a child who is so shy she doesn't speak. With the encouragement on an enchanting and magical teacher, she writes a poem. But a poem is meant to be read aloud! She musters all her courage, stands at the front of the class and shows her classmates that she does have a voice. And her voice is BEAUTIFUL! The perfect way to encourage empathy in young children and show shy children how to feel brave, this beautiful story will delight readers time and time again.

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the true story of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Born into a family of Samoan and Black wrestlers, little Dwayne travelled with his parents and watched his family fight in the ring, but he much preferred the football field to wrestling! He trained hard and worked to become a football player, signing with the Calgary Stampeders as a linebacker. But he was cut from the team after just two months. A natural athlete, Dwayne decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and decided to pursue professional wrestling. Taking on the persona of 'The Rock' as a wrestler in the WWE, he won 16 championships and millions of fans. After a huge wrestling career, he tried his hand at acting... andtoday is one of the biggest film stars that Hollywood has ever seen! This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the athlete and actor's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Lights, camera ... kidnap! 'Dreams of stardom; sibling rivalry & a gripping ending, Sister to a Star has it all & I gobbled up the entire book' BONKERS ABOUT BOOKS Evie is forever crossing swords with her twin. While she practises her after-school fencing, Tallulah is winning movie auditions. Neither of them could have imagined how their worlds would collide, but when Tallulah goes to Hollywood Evie goes too - as her sister's identical stand-in. But that changes, when the film needs some all-action sword-play. Soon Evie's the one enjoying the limelight - that is, until Tallulah goes missing ... An action-packed sibling adventure of twin rivalry, glamour and skulduggery set against the bright lights of Hollywood! Written by ex-Olympic fencer, Eloise Smith Features a diverse ensemble cast of brave and spirited kids you can't help but root for!

The school show must go on, in the fourth hilarious mystery in the award-winning Anisha, Accidental Detective series! JUST ONE WEEK UNTIL SHOWTIME! I'm SO busy - our class is putting on a musical, and we only have ONE WEEK before curtain up. And, as it's nearly DIWALI, Granny Jas is cooking non-stop, and Auntie Bindi is determined to BRING THE BLING. I'm leaving the theatrics to Milo, but as the director's assistant I have LOADS to do...especially now everything is going WRONG. Even Molly the cat is forgetting her cues! Miss Jive believes the show is CURSED, but I think someone is trying to STOP THE SHOW! Time for me, ANISHA, ACCIDENTAL DETECTIVE, to step into the spotlight! Praise for the Anisha, Accidental Detective series: Winner of the Sainsbury's Children's Book Prize and of the Crimefest Best Crime Novel for Children Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award, the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year, and the Laugh Out Loud Book Award "DELIGHTFUL! Perfect for younger detectives - so funny and clever and sweet" Robin Stevens, author of the Murder Most Unladylike series "An absolute joy" Jennifer Killick, author of Crater Lake "Super funny and packed with lovable characters" Swapna Haddow, author of Dave Pigeon