This British Council resource book has been developed by Gail Ellis and Tatia Gruenbaum. The picturebooks that have been chosen for this lesson series discuss social issues such as experiencing homelessness, relying on foodbanks and turning to crime and bullying to survive or save face. They link to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (#1, #2) and The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (#9, #19, #24, #26, #27, #40).

The lessons are informed by a story-based methodology and are embedded in a children’s rights perspective (Ellis, 2019; 2021) and comprise three categories: protection, provision and participation. This ‘3P’-framework enables teachers to create a relationship of shared control with their pupils and allows pupils to exercise their agency and participate fully in their own learning.

Picturebooks allow pupils to explore a social issue from a distance, first by raising awareness, then by developing understanding and then by moving towards informed involvement. Despite the seriousness of the topic, the selected picturebooks include a strong verbal or visual message of hope and illustrate the importance of individuals and the community showing kindness and taking action. The picturebooks discuss socio-economic disparity with a sense of respect and empathy and thus offer a suitable stepping stone to raise awareness amongst learners and to develop an emotional connection to the issues addressed in the picturebooks.

In order to offer teachers clear guidance and a comprehensive overview of each picturebook, the notes have been divided into four parts A – D. Please download, to learn more.