I HEART BOOKS
Bright, colourful display inside a children’s bookshop, featuring illustrated posters and shelves filled with vibrant children’s books on animals, space and adventure, with a foreground of neatly arranged book spines.
When my first child arrived, we were living in Berlin. Thanks to many wonderful friends and family in the UK, our children’s library began to take shape with a beautiful selection of books from authors including Julia Donaldson, Nathan Bryon, Jessica Love, Yuval Zommer, and Janet and Allan Ahlberg. At the time, finding English-language children’s books in the German capital wasn’t always easy—especially 12 years ago.
That’s really where my obsession began: sourcing educational, inspiring and genuinely fun books for my children. Extra points were always awarded if they were written by BIPOC authors.
Every trip back to the UK—and every airport visit—meant a beeline for bookshops and newsagents in search of new additions. It was during these moments that we discovered the magic of authors like Nizrana Farook (The Girl Who Stole an Elephant, among others) and Lucy Brandt (the Leonora Bolt series), alongside favourites such as Dog Man, Jamie Smart’s Looshkin and Bunny vs Monkey, and The Secret Explorers series. The list continues to grow.
Now that we’re back in the UK permanently, being able to stroll to our local children’s bookshop, Happy Reading, feels like a real luxury. With the help of its wonderful owner, Nicci Rosengarten, discovering new reads has become a joy in itself.
It makes this next chapter even more meaningful: partnering with Nicci as an independent consultant, supporting book curation, event programming and communications. Together, we’re working to ensure that every touchpoint reflects a rich and diverse range of voices, experiences and perspectives. I feel incredibly privileged to be part of it.
This collaboration supports Happy Reading Children’s Bookshop in its mission to:
Create an inclusive, welcoming space for all young readers, alongside their families and carers, where they can feel represented through high-quality books, ebooks and audiobooks by ‘own-voices’ children’s authors and publishers.
Act as a key stakeholder within the Thanet community—particularly for schools and local organisations—spreading the joy of reading (and listening), championing literacy, and delivering accessible children’s events throughout the year, with a focus on school holidays.
In partnership with Rosina at Culture IQ, the Happy Reading team can continue curating children’s books with even greater confidence and care.
