Fatima Whitbread – författare

Introduce young ones to the strength of love and kindness in this touching story about finding hope in the toughest places, authored by Olympic-medal-winner Fatima Whitbread. North Star, North Star,Are you near or are you far?Shining with a twinkling glow,Please show us which way to go.Join Little Fatima on a journey to find her forever home, even though it is not as easy as she had hoped. But through this journey, a bright shining star is always there to guide Fatima. Lots of people look after Fatima and her friends at the children's home, but Aunty Rae always makes Fatima feel special and loved. Even as the other children leave with their new parents, Aunty Rae encourages and cares for Fatima, filling her life with warmth and hope.Through the uncertainty and disappointments, Aunty Rae is a constant support. Together, Fatima and Aunty Rae look out at the bright North Star and dream of Fatima's happy future with a family waiting for her somewhere. But the brightest light in Little Fatima's life is her Aunty Rae, her bright shining star.Kindness and love can make you feel safe and strong, no matter your circumstances. All you need is one bright shining star to make you feel better, and this is the central message of this beautiful, powerful picture book. My Bright Shining Star gently demonstrates how important kindness is for children and families everywhere. Acts of kindness can make a true difference in other people's lives, and this simple message is central to Little Fatima's story – and is important for families everywhere. Written by world javelin champion, world record holder and twice Olympic medallist Fatima Whitbread, and informed by her own childhood growing up in children's homes, this heartwarming story will fill readers with hope and love. An inspiring true account of Fatima's own adoption and successful Olympic career follows the picture-book story, bringing the reality of growing up in care to life for readers in a gentle and comforting way.Paired with richly glowing, whimsical illustrations from Rhian Wright, this is a truly poignant story to be shared over and over again. My Bright Shining Star is a wonderful story of kindness to be enjoyed by all families, celebrating how love and hope shine through all darkness.

Introduce young ones to the strength of love and kindness in this touching story about finding hope in the toughest places, authored by Olympic-medal-winner Fatima Whitbread. North Star, North Star,Are you near or are you far?Shining with a twinkling glow,Please show us which way to go.Join Little Fatima on a journey to find her forever home, even though it is not as easy as she had hoped. But through this journey, a bright shining star is always there to guide Fatima. Lots of people look after Fatima and her friends at the children's home, but Aunty Rae always makes Fatima feel special and loved. Even as the other children leave with their new parents, Aunty Rae encourages and cares for Fatima, filling her life with warmth and hope.Through the uncertainty and disappointments, Aunty Rae is a constant support. Together, Fatima and Aunty Rae look out at the bright North Star and dream of Fatima's happy future with a family waiting for her somewhere. But the brightest light in Little Fatima's life is her Aunty Rae, her bright shining star.Kindness and love can make you feel safe and strong, no matter your circumstances. All you need is one bright shining star to make you feel better, and this is the central message of this beautiful, powerful picture book. My Bright Shining Star gently demonstrates how important kindness is for children and families everywhere. Acts of kindness can make a true difference in other people's lives, and this simple message is central to Little Fatima's story – and is important for families everywhere. Written by world javelin champion, world record holder and twice Olympic medallist Fatima Whitbread, and informed by her own childhood growing up in children's homes, this heartwarming story will fill readers with hope and love. An inspiring true account of Fatima's own adoption and successful Olympic career follows the picture-book story, bringing the reality of growing up in care to life for readers in a gentle and comforting way.Paired with richly glowing, whimsical illustrations from Rhian Wright, this is a truly poignant story to be shared over and over again. My Bright Shining Star is a wonderful story of kindness to be enjoyed by all families, celebrating how love and hope shine through all darkness.

Fatima Whitbread had the worst possible start in life. Abandoned as a baby, she spent much of her childhood in and out of children's homes. A brief, disastrous stay with her birth mother saw her raped by her mother's drunken boyfriend - while her mother held a knife to her throat to 'quieten her down'. Fatima was only twelve at the time. Athletics was her saviour: local athletics coach Margaret Whitbread took the young Fatima under her wing, eventually adopting her. Fatima competed in three Olympics, winning bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. In 1986 she set a world record, and the following year in Rome became world champion and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year. But then Fatima faded from the public eye, leaving many to wonder where she had gone. After the cheering stopped, Fatima faced prejudice, penury, scandal and heartbreak. Survivor describes how she defeated all her demons to rise triumphantly from the ashes once again, this time as queen of the jungle. Almost 13 million people watched her on I'm a Celebrity, and after surviving 20 days in the Australian heat, she has millions of new fans eager to know more about Fatima the woman: the forthright, focused, slightly bossy, charismatic single mum who knows how to transform even the most devastating experiences into lessons in life. This is the unforgettable story of a true champion, who triumphed against the worst hardships imaginable.