Brilliant Black British History

I started reading and couldn’t put it down. A fascinating, essential, inclusive dive into British history. It’s the kind of book I wish was available when I was a kid. * Joseph Coelho, Waterstones Children’s Laureate *From its initial question – “Did you know the first Britons were black?” – to an inspiring list of the Black people who “make Britain great”, this powerful, vividly illustrated book proudly reframes Black British history for readers aged 7 or 8+. * The Guardian *Brilliant Black British History is one of the most powerful children’s non-fiction books that has been published over the past few years. * English 4-11 Picture Book Awards *This book tackles complex subjects like slavery, the British Empire, the Industrial Revolution and the Black Lives Matter movement. With lots of maps, timelines and bold illustrations, this is a brilliant, fascinating history book. – Book of the Week * The Week Junior *Black British history is British history. We have been here on these shores for a long time and have been part of the British empire from its inception. That is why this book is important for all children so that they grow up knowing our history and being proud of our contribution. We are Britain. * Diane Abbott, MP *From the very first people to set foot on these islands, Black people have made and shaped Britain into what it is today. Brilliant Black British History is the book I wished I had growing up. * David Lammy, MP *The book is incredibly powerful and will inspire all children to believe in themselves * Marsha de Cordova, MP *This book is revolutionary. The average person is unaware of the rich history of Blackness in Britain and I love that this wonderful book helps us all to retrace our steps. A nuanced understanding of history leads to a beautiful manner of interacting with the world around us. Love this! * Kelechi Okafor, actor, writer and podcast host *Brilliant Black British History is an informative and inspiring book that will have all children and young people asking further questions on factual Black British history. * Laura Henry-Allain MBE, award-winning writer, speaker and TV producer *A comprehensive and fascinating book on Black History! I wish I had a something like this when I was a child. * Prof Nira Chamberlain, leading British mathematician *Not only is Brilliant Black British History a book to help black and brown children, children of skin colours other than white, to discover their confidence as they learn about how their ancestors have been embedded in British society for thousands of years, it is also a book that aims to help undo historical ignorance … A fascinating and thought-provoking book. * Armadillo *This book is a huge step forward in ensuring racist attitudes do not progress into children of the next generation. It provides a contextual, globalised history that roots the Black British experience in histories of movement and migration, addressing the information gap in traditional mainstream education. We would recommend this book to any child, adult or teacher! * Stop Hate UK *

Atinuke was born in Nigeria and moved to the UK when she was a child. Her first love was performing stories and she now pours her creative talents into writing children’s books. Many of her books, such as Africa, Amazing Africa (Walker), which won the 2020 School Library Association’s Information Book Award, are inspired by the beautiful continent of Africa.