KIDS’ BOOK OF THE WEEK

BLACK AND BRITISH: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY

by David Olusoga, illustrated by Jake Alexander & Melleny Taylor, Macmillan Children’s Books, £16.99 (ebook £8.99)

David Olusoga follows his bestseller Black

And British: A

Short, Essential

History with a children’s edition.

It makes room for the black British history we likely weren’t taught at school – about the Romans, Tudors, Stuarts, Georgians, Victorians, World Wars, Windrush and more.

Beautifully illustrated by Jake Alexander and Melleny Taylor, each page brings to life the lives of black people in Britain in these eras, from Roman Africans guarding Hadrian’s Wall, to an African trumpeter in the court of Henry VIII, and black soldiers fighting for Britain.

Olusoga takes us right up to the present day, showing full perspective of the journey and how black British people have helped to shape British culture.

Despite being aimed at younger readers – an audience it no doubt will captivate with its colourful visuals, easy-to-read fonts and compelling information – it’s telling that even as an adult, it’s an informative, intriguing and worthwhile read.