Coming to England-An Inspiring True Story About the Windrush Generation

‘Coming to England’ is the true story of how Baroness Floella Benjamin left Trinidad and came to London as part of the Windrush generation. Having seen an advert in the newspaper, Floella’s Dardie decided to go to England to be a jazz musician, leaving Floella, her siblings and their mother in Trinidad. Their lives continued happily until a year later when Marmie left with her littlest sister and brother to join their father, leaving Floella and her sister Sandra to live with their ‘wicked’ aunt. At last it was their turn to pack and leave with their brothers for England.

First published in the 90s as a novel (I have two copies- both of which have been ‘borrowed’!) and then as a picture book illustrated by Michael Frith, Floella Benjamin’s inspirational story has been re-told for younger children, beautifully illustrated by Diane Ewen. Both pictures and text vividly convey the joy of her early life on the island of Trinidad with her large, lively family, offering much to discuss and find out about.

The children’s journey to England, the mischief they got up to and the worries they had about their new life saw them at last reunited with the rest of their family. The sense of family love is beautifully conveyed, starkly contrasting with the prejudice they faced from Londoners and the changes in circumstance they had to get used to.

Floella’s message is clear- hard work leads to a better life. The child in Trinidad who dreamt of meeting the Queen is shown achieving her dream when receiving an OBE in 2001.

Accessible and interesting autobiographies for younger children are not easily come by and this is a wonderful example to enjoy and share. It might encourage children to ask questions of their parents/ grandparents about their childhood, sharing family stories and history.

I am one of Floella’s ‘Play School Babies’ and so was very excited to meet her at Hay Festival with Jemima and Humpty a couple of years ago. She is every bit as lovely as I always imagined.

Coming to England - An Inspiring True Story About the Windrush Generation

Floella Benjamin, illustrated by Diane Ewen

Macmillan ISBN: 978-1529009415

Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story

Orphan, Matthew Henson, runs away from his violent step-mother to find a new life in New York. Hard working and determined, young Matthew manages to find work in a cafe. Listening to the sea going stories of characters like Baltimore Jack, Matthew embarks on a life at sea as a cabin boy and ends up accompanying Captain Peary on his adventure to ‘discover’ the North Pole. In spite of being the first of the party to reach their goal, Matthew was given no recognition on his return to America.

This is a fabulous account of one of the unsung heroes of history. Having battled against the odds, Matthew Henson’s achievements were unacknowledged during his lifetime and are little known today so this very readable book is an essential addition to libraries and classrooms. The significant contribution made by the Inuit, who gave their expertise and support to the exhibition, and Matthew’s positive relationship with them are also highlighted in this stunning book.

On their return, Peary was celebrated for his achievements and received many accolades whereas Matthew was overlooked despite the fact that much of their success was due to his expertise. This uncomfortable truth offers the perfect starting point for discussions about racism and the importance of telling everyone’s story- not just that of those who fit a particular narrative.

This is an extremely satisfying read about a fascinating character with plenty of challenge in terms of content and vocabulary. It would make an excellent guided reading book and is an essential addition to topic boxes or book collections to enhance work on a number of topics.

Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story

Catherine Johnson, illustrated by Katie Hickey

Barrington Stoke ISBN: 978-1781128404