Coming to England: An Inspiring True Story Celebrating the Windrush Generation

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What made the history or the time it was set in interesting to you?I had never learnt anything about this history before. What made the history or the time it was set in interesting to you?Yes. I live in England but the story was set way before I was born.

KS1 Black British History: Floella Benjamin - BBC Teach

In a way, it was the same when I was writing my novel Coming to England for older children, which doesn't have even one racist word in the book. But if I was writing it for adults, then I'd use stronger words to give the real feeling of what it was like. You can't even tell 10 or 11 year olds what it was truly like. I wouldn't want to burden them with it. I think Coming to England is a great book. The story tells us about the author, Floella Benjamin’s troubles, as she perseveres and one day meets the Queen. What is the book about? A little girl from Trinidad moves to England to be with her family in London. A little girl called Floella. Would you recommend this book? Jacob said “Miss Worrall will like this book because we are learning about different skin colours at school.” When Floella grew up, she met the Queen. She became a Dame. Today she works as a politician at the House of Lords, trying to influence all our lives for the better. Everyone should read her inspiring story.The illustrations and descriptions are really memorable. My recommendation would be for all infants and juniors. KS3 might enjoy it too! I loved the colourful illustrations showing life in Trinidad and less colourful ones in England. I would recommend this book to everyone: 10 out of 10. Berry came to Britain from Jamaica in 1948. In the introduction to this collection of poems, he explains why he came to Britain and left a country he loved. Beginning in a City, 1948 in particular gives a strong impression of what Caribbean arrivals experienced in their first hours and days. The emigrant experience is often littered with contradictions, a major theme in my own novel, and Berry’s poems illustrate this perfectly. I loved the look of Trinidad, the spectacular, vibrant colours. I felt sad when the colours changed in England and your classmates called you names.

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I liked reading about your journey to England, I went on a ferry to France. It lasted for a night, not fifteen days! The book told me about the British Empire and about why people came to England from the other side of the world. I empathised with Floella’s worries about moving somewhere new with new people. It must have been hard too, to cope with the change of climate. London was cold and the people were cold as well. Being happy with her family again, helped her cope with the discrimination, she settled in and it felt like home. What made the history or the time it was set interesting? Jacob said he liked the book “my teacher sent me this because we are learning about different people.” If you do not know about Floella Benjamin, here is a great way to meet her. By reading her book, Coming to England, you really get to know her large family.Which of the characters (if any) you did not like. Why?The mean aunt. She did not let Floella and Sandra play. Do you know how many days it took in 1960 to travel to grey, dark England from vibrant, warm Trinidad? Did you enjoy the book? Yes. Floella got to explore a new country and learn about different people.

Coming to England by Floella Benjamin - Pan Macmillan

Floella Benjamin has rewritten her groundbreaking autobiography Coming to England, turning it into a picture book with beautiful illustrations by Diane Ewen. As well as being a writer, can you remember any of the other jobs Floella has had? (Singer, actor, TV presenter and TV producer, writer of children's books, businesswoman, politician) Was the plot exciting, thought-provoking, serious or light-hearted (or any mixture of these)?There was not much of a plot but it was exciting how they slowly moved to England. I do a lot of prison visits and when I talk to prisoners they often say, 'When I was a child this happened to me.' I've realised children's minds get affected at a very young age with happy things, sad things, traumatic and joyful things. So the picture books that young children are seeing are vital.

Is this picture book version the kind of book you dreamt about reading when you were on Play School? You look at it holistically. I had to think very carefully about what I wanted very young children to know and grasp. Some of them know about moving to a new place, so they can understand the concept of moving. Some of them know about parents leaving, even if it's for a couple of weeks, so they know the emotional feeling that gives you.