Dream to Change the World: The Story of John La Rose

This charming book for young readers tells the story of John La Rose, the pioneering black activist who set up Britain’s first black publisher and bookshop, New Beacon Books, and was also one of the founders of the George Padmore Institute.

The book is the story of John La Rose’s early life in Trinidad. He was a child that wanted to learn everything, go everywhere – and always asked loads of questions. He also loved to dance! Little John started to keep his dreams and ideas in notebooks, and it was these notebooks that have helped to form the story in this book...

Ken Wilson Max’s beautiful, captivating illustrations make this a lovely and inspiring book to read. It’s a beautiful book to make us think about how all great people start life as little children, and therefore that all little children can become great people, whatever their background. It’s a great introduction to a really interesting part of our history, which will hopefully lead to children asking more questions themselves.