The Great Big Book of Families introduces children to the fact that not all families look the same. Featuring funny artwork and wonderfully accessible text this book celebrates each family in its own unique and wonderful way. What is a family? Once, it was said to be a father, mother, boy, girl, cat and dog living in a house with a garden. But as times have changed, families have changed too, and now there are almost as many kinds of families as colours of the rainbow. From a mum and dad or single parent to two mums or two dads, from a mixed-race family to children with different mums and dads, to families with a disabled member. This is a fresh, optimistic look through children's eyes at today's wide variety of family life: from homes, food, ways of celebrating, schools and holidays to getting around, jobs and housework, from extended families, languages and hobbies to pets and family trees. The Great Big Book of Families is a brilliant introduction for children to all family types great and small.

With over a million copies sold this classic story of Grace, her Ma and Nana is a timeless classic of courage and determination, loved and cherished by children the world over. Grace was a girl who loved stories. She didn't mind if they were read to her or told to her or made up in her own head. She didn't care if they were from books or on TV or in films or on the video or out of Nana's long memory. Grace just loved stories. Grace loves to act out stories. She spends her time dressing up and putting on performances for her beloved Ma and Nana, usually helped by Paw-Paw the cat. Sometimes she plays the leading part, sometimes she is 'a cast of thousands' and sometimes, when they're not too tired, she can even convince Ma and Nana to join in her magical story creations. When Grace's school decides to put on a performance of Peter Pan, Grace longs to play the part of Peter. But her classmates say that Grace absolutely can't play that part. Peter was a boy, and besides, he wasn't black... But Grace's Ma and Nana tell her she can be anything she wants if she puts her mind to it... A touching and beautiful picture book about being true to yourself and not letting anyone hold you back. This is the perfect story for children everywhere to remind them to be themselves no matter what the world tells you. At last! A book about the thousands of children who all longed to see themselves reflected in stories. This is a message that we still need - that we can be and do anything we want if we just put our minds to it. Nana never said a wiser word. So, keep on enjoying stories like Grace and, most of all, believe in yourselves and you will soon be flying, just like Peter Pan. Baroness Floella Benjamin, OBE

The Great Big Book of Life a glorious, diverse celebration of human life, from birth to death, by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith. Featuring funny artwork and wonderfully sensitive and accessible text this book is a must have for children everywhere to learning everything they need to know about the story of life. The sixth title in the Great Big Book series explores every stage of human life. From birth to starting nursery, being a teenager to becoming an adult, from work to relationships, homes and jobs, to aging illness and death. This universal but challenging topic is dealt with Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith's trademark sensitivity and humour and inclusivity. This is the perfect introduction for children to the huge topic of life and is sure to answer many of the question they have.

This book explores the various types of families with great skill and sensitivity, looking at everything from holidays and pets to school and family trees. The highly entertaining text and illustrations explore family life with warmth, wit and sensitivity, challenging preconceptions and inviting discussion.

Amazing Grace is back! To Grace, family has always meant her Ma, her Nana and a cat called Paw-Paw. So when Papa invites her to visit him in The Gambia, she dreams of finding the kind of fairy-tale family she has read about in stories. But, as Nana reminds her, families are what you make them. This warm and delightful picture book is the follow-up to the much-loved international best-seller, Amazing Grace.

"Shiver me timbers," said the Captain. "It's a baby!" When the crew of pirate ship Ramshackle find a tiny baby adrift on the high seas, they are a bit flummoxed. Even more so, when they discover it's a baby girl. The adventures that follow in this rollicking tale are full of laughter and surprises, as the pirates sew nappies, make baby clothes out of pirate shirts and even a toy squid out of pirate gloves for the new arrival. The pirates won't give up their baby - not even to the women pirates who pass close by. And when a huge sea monster appears, it's baby Isla who saves the day, to become a true Pirate Baby.

The Great Big Brain Book introduces children to what the human brain is all about. Each spread features humorous, bright and engaging artwork, accompanied by accessible yet informative text on the human brain. Get ready to uncover everything you ever wanted to know about the human brain. Your brain is absolutely amazing! They are responsible for absolutely every single thing we do. Every time we breathe, or walk or talk or eat, it's all because of our brilliant brains! When we feel happy or sad, when we drop something, when we run or draw - none of this would be possible without our fantastic brains. Find out how our brains work, how they control the rest of the body and how they change over time. From how they create our memories, to how they help us learn new things and what happens to them when we are asleep, great ready to uncover lots of fascinating facts about the brain. And don't forget to look out for the friendly cat on every page, helping us learn all about our wonderful brains!

The Great Big Book of Feelings allows children to explore how they're feeling in a safe and judgement free environment. Featuring funny artwork and wonderfully sensitive and accessible text this book celebrates each emotion for what it is and encourages children to discuss how they're feeling instead of bottling it all up. How are you feeling today? Happy? Sad? Excited? Scared? We all experience lots of different emotions. Sometimes we can feel angry or silly, and sometimes we might feel jealous or upset. There are even times when we might feel lonely or worried. However you feel, sharing and talking about your feelings will make you feel better. This fresh, optimistic look at all the feelings we experience explores feelings in family life, at school and everywhere with warmth, wit and sensitivity. Featuring lots of different children in various situations, brief text captions and questions and plenty of humour, this is the go to book to learn about feelings.

Babies, Babies Everywhere! Sleeping, crying, laughing, looking, gurgling, eating, crawling...and at last toddling! Follow five families and their babies from birth to around 12 months, with all the excitements, challenges and joys of that first year with a new baby in the world. With lots to look at and point to, this delightful celebration of babies, from the team who created The Great Big Book of Families, will be loved by babies, older siblings - and grown-ups too!

Welkom in die gesin – hoe jy ook al daar beland het! Hoe het jou gesin jou gekry? Het jy 'n ma en 'n pa, of 'n stiefma, of pleegouers, of miskien twee pappas of twee mammas? Daar is baie soorte gesinne, en hierdie boek verken almal van hulle. 'n Sensitiewe en noodsaaklike boek om die heel belangrikste element van gesinslewe vir selfs die kleinste kinders te verduidelik: dat jy baie, baie welkom is! Nog 'n uitbundige geselsboek deur die skeppers van die topverkopers Die groot boek van families en Die groot boek van gevoelens.

Uncover tales of gods and monsters, travel to kingdoms in the sky and below the sea, and meet a cast of magical animals in this lyrical retelling of some of the oldest and most famous stories from around the world. A First Book of Myths is a collection of fourteen well-known myths accompanied by delightful illustrations. From the story of Icarus—the boy who flew too close to the sun—to the tale of why dogs dislike cats, this enthralling collection is the perfect introduction to stories that continue to stand the test of time. Written by award-winning, best-selling children's writer Mary Hoffman, these poetic retellings are given a new life, and are perfect for reading alone or aloud. They're presented alongside beautiful and world-building illustrations, giving full immersion into the world of myths and legends.

From Brothers Grimm to Hans Christian Andersen, this beautifully illustrated anthology contains a range of the classic fairy tale stories any child would love to grow up reading. As well as favourites such as Cinderella, The Snow Queen and Jack and the Beanstalk, DK's A First Book of Fairy Tales also includes some wonderful stories that you might not know, such as The Fisherman and his Wife and Diamonds and Toads. Introduce your little one to the characters that enchanted you as a child and the nostalgic stories you could not put down! Mary Hoffman's charming retellings use simple language, ideal for reading or hearing aloud, while Julie Downing's stunning illustrations bring the characters to life, so children can follow and enjoy the fairy tales through the pictures. If your child loves disney and their princesses such as Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty, or if they love stories about giants and spells, this children's book would make the perfect gift for them! Step inside this fairy tale kingdom and get ready for some magic!

Welcome to the family – whichever way you came into it! Do you have a mom and a dad, a stepmom, foster parents, or maybe two moms or two dads? There are various kinds of families, and this book explores them all. A sensitive and timely book for explaining the most important aspect of family life to even the youngest children: That you're much loved and very welcome!

Watter soort familie het jy? Party mense het baie broers en susters, ooms en tannies, niggies en nefies, oumas en oupas, oumagrootjies en oupagrootjies, en ander het weer klein families. ’n Familie kan ook net twee mense wees! Hierdie boek kyk na verskillende tipes families en fokus op temas soos die huis en vakansie, skool en troeteldiere, gevoelens en stambome. Met vernuf en sensitiwiteit verken Mary Hoffman en Ros Asquith verskillende aspekte van familie-wees en stel uitdagende vrae wat gesprek uitlok.

Happy, sad, excited, bored, shy, silly ... explore a multitude of feelings with this fun-filled book! A multicultural exploration of feelings and how to talk about them: whether at school, at home or just about anywhere!

Babies, Babies Everywhere! Sleeping, crying, laughing, looking, gurgling, eating, crawling...and at last toddling! Follow five families and their babies from birth to around 12 months, with all the excitements, challenges and joys of that first year with a new baby in the world. With lots to look at and point to, this delightful celebration of babies, from the team who created The Great Big Book of Families, will be loved by babies, older siblings - and grown-ups too!

Amazing Grace is back! The girl who proved that you can be anything you want and that families are what you make them, now discovers that there's more more than one way to be a princess. Grace has the chance to be a princess in a school parade. But what does a princess do, apart from wearing beautiful clothes and looking pretty? Does she have to be pink and floaty, with a crown? Grace and her friends start finding out about princesses in China, Egypt, the Philippines and Zimbabwe - and on the day of the parade, helped by Ma and Nana, Grace's school has the most interesting float of all. As for Grace - she's a sensation!

Although a classmate says that she cannot play Peter Pan in the school play because she is black, Grace discovers that she can do anything she sets her mind to do.

This action-packed graphic novel retells the legend of King Arthur, following him as he is transformed from an ordinary young boy to a powerful and famous monarch. Written by Mary Hoffman, this well-known story has been brought to life with illustrations by Dante Ginevra. Collins Big Cat Progress books are specifically designed for children at Key Stage 2 who have a Key Stage 1 reading level, giving them age-appropriate texts that they can read, building their confidence and fostering positive attitudes towards reading. Text type: A graphic novel set in the past Curriculum links:

Although a classmate says that she cannot play Peter Pan in the school play because she is black, Grace discovers that she can do anything she sets her mind to do.

Water into Wine * A Netful of Fish * Weathermaster * Through the Roof * The Biggest Picnic in the World * Is it a Ghost? * Remote Control * Saying Thank You * Back from the Dead Mary Hoffman retells nine stories of the miracles Jesus worked, when he overturned the laws of nature, life and death to show God's great love for humanity. With beautiful, atmospheric illustrations by Jackie Morris, this is a perfect introduction to the miracles of Jesus.

A Tale of Two Houses * Neighbours * Lost and Found * Fair Pay * The Jealous Brother * Sowing and Growing * Come to the Party * Forgiveness Mary Hoffman retells eight parables showing how Jesus used storytelling to explain God's idea of truth, fairness and love. With beautiful, atmospheric illustrations by Jackie Morris, this is a perfect introduction to the teachings of Jesus.

The poems in this enchanting debut capture the dubious nature of even the most reverent tourism. From Provincetown to Prague, in cemeteries and abbeys, they address with tongue in cheek the artifacts and denizens of the sacrosanct places they visit, exploring what it means to appreciate the foreign and sacred.