How words can bring us hope in difficult times, by our Writer in Residence Smriti Halls

We are so thrilled to have Smriti Halls as our Writer in Residence - and now she's thinking about how words can bring us hope in dark times.

In this video, Smriti shares her thoughts about the power of words to shine light and bring joy.

Her new book Rain Before Rainbows is all about finding colour and light in dark moments. It's about knowing that we are not alone. It's about finding strength and courage and hope.

Smriti wants us ALL to spread a little hope to others...

Join in with Smriti's challenge

The books we read and the stories we hear are often full of words that inspire us. Let's bring them to life!

What words can you find that shine like a rainbow for someone else?

1. Choose a sentence from a story, poem or song that you think is beautiful or that brings you joy and hope.
2. Now SHARE IT! Put it in a letter, write it in a text, post it, tweet it, stick it on the fridge... or simply say it OUT LOUD to someone else. You could share it first thing in the morning to give encouragement or last thing at night for sweet dreams.

Whatever you do... Pass on your RAINBOW words... and spread a little hope.

We'd love to hear which lines you find that inspire you, so make sure you tweet us @BookTrust and @SmritiPH to let us know. And check out our gallery below for a sneak peek inside Rain Before Rainbows!