Joyful Joyful

About this book

A joyous collection of stories, poems and illustrations celebrating Black voices. From baking shows to family celebrations, losing (and finding!) Mum’s £50 note to hanging out with friends, from boxing and dancing to bonding with dogs and whales, every narrative fills the reader with joy. Each has universal appeal, being a snapshot of a child living their life, whether it’s in urban London, a Trinidadian town or a Ugandan farm.

The authors are a mixture of established names – Malorie Blackman, Sharna Jackson and Alex Wheatle, to name a few – and less well-known names. Similarly, some illustrators are familiar – Dapo Adeola and Ken Wilson-Max, for instance – while others are making their children’s books debut. The result is a fantastic variety of voice, style and atmosphere.

This is a truly beautiful book. All the illustrations are vibrantly colourful, and the overall feeling is of warmth. Finally, the reader is invited to write their own story and there are a couple of blank pages provided.

The preface by Patrice Lawrence is a call to joy amid the troubling news of the world – it’s important to share the power of love, of community and of kindness. As she says, this anthology ‘hums with hope’.

About the author