Usually, we try to offer a number of picturebook recommendations throughout the month which align with our theme but this month it was a bit tricky. Whereas we know many books which focus on ‘same/different’, finding books like Amazing where the focus of the story is not the character’s difference, is not easy. So we invited our FB PEPELT community to share their thoughts on the role of hair and celebrating diversity. A number of books have been published to celebrate red curls, afros and cornrows. We wondered if Primary English Language Teachers had ever used picturebooks celebrating diverse hair types, styles and colours in their primary EFL lessons. Here is a link to an interview with the author Hannah Lee who is discussing her debut picturebook My Hair. During this interview, she mentions her loss of hair. We also thought about picturebooks which address the topic of Alopecia. The picturebooks below are popular picture books but we have not yet used them in the PELT classroom.

However, below are a few suggestions suitable for PELT and if you have Here we Are by Oliver Jeffers, check the pages – many celebrate diversity. Check this link, scroll down and you will find teaching activities for Here we Are.