Books to cultivate a sense of belonging

Five beautifully illustrated spreads show a series of friendly savannah animals hiding behind bright felt flaps. You’re in for a treat on the final page too.… There’s a mirror!

Play baby’s favourite game of peekaboo with this adorable grab-and-pull board book.

A sturdy board book with sliders to push and flaps to lift, starring a sweet bear called Niko.

Time to get up! Pull back the covers and choose your clothes. Getting ready for the day is made both fun and interactive in this touch-and-feel book. An irresistible tactile treat.

Triangle feels that she needs to be the same as everyone else. But is she right? A great book to share, and to begin conversations about identity, fitting in and friendship. 

A non-fiction book showcasing different family structures using animal families. 

Milo really wants to climb the mountain. But he’s scared. Can he do it? A joyful story about community and friendship. 

Dora finds parties loud and overwhelming. But when she meets a similarly quiet child at a birthday, she realises they may not be so bad after all. 

Everyone’s good at something, but what am I good at? A gentle story that will echo young children’s worries, while providing reassurance. A joyous celebration of individuality.

Squirrel remembers his grandma through a game of ​‘I Spy’. A gentle story about grief and love.

Isadora Moon is half fairy, half vampire. When she reaches school age, she visits both a fairy and vampire school to see which she prefers – but everything goes wrong. A humorous chapter book about being different and celebrating diversity.

Shinsuke Yoshitake’s quirky book has a cartoonish feel and a sweet, appealing way of working through a little girl’s fantastical yet meaningful ideas around sadness and anger. It’s visually appealing with lots to look at as well as recognising the importance of feeling our feelings.

Bobby wants his nana-ji and Trevor to be friends because they both love football. A heart-warming story of community and kindness – and football! Dyslexia friendly, and appealing to all readers. 

Stitch Head is surrounded by terrible creatures, both inside and outside Castle Grotteskew. And he must protect the monsters… A terrific graphic novel full of action and atmosphere. 

Focussing on the experiences of a small group of individuals, Safiyyah’s story shines a spotlight on an under-recognised pocket of resistance from World War II when hundreds of Jews were led to safety via underground passages from the Grand Mosque in Paris.

Edward has reinvented himself as Ted at his dad’s new town. Ted is cool and definitely isn’t bullied. But will his lies catch up with him? Hilarious and moving, this is about being who you really are. 

Anton is the King of Year 9, but he’s forced to hang out with the school’s biggest loser. A hilarious coming-of-age story.

Funny and heart-warming, this diary is an ode to celebrating yourself just as you are.

Everyone at school knows Harriet Manners is a geek.

Packed with ways to handle self-doubt and build confidence to support readers to achieve what they want.