Onjali Q. Ra f – författare

WINNER OF THE DIVERSITY BOOK AWARDS, CHILDREN (UK) 2020''I''ve always wanted to be a Star Hunter... But I don''t want to be the kind that looks for old stars that have already been burning for millions of years. I want to find the new ones - the ones that have only just been born and are searching for the people they have left behind...'' Following the disappearance of her mum, 10-year-old Aniyah suddenly finds herself living in foster care. With her life in disarray, she knows just one thing for sure: her mum isn''t gone for ever. Because people with the brightest hearts never truly leave. They become stars. So when a new star is spotted acting strangely in the sky, Aniyah embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to make sure everyone knows who it belongs to. An adventure that involves the Royal Observatory of London, a mischievous scurry of squirrels and the biggest star in Hollywood... Told through the innocent voice of a child, this story that explores the subtle faces and endless impacts of domestic violence, and celebrates the power of hope and resilience, from Onjali Raúf, the award-winning author of The Boy at the Back of the Class.*Parental guidance recommended: issues relating to domestic abuse included*

''Ever since I can remember, people have stared at me and my family. Dad tells me it''s because we''re ''special''. But if we''re so special, how come nobody ever looks like us in the books at school? Not even the books about world wars ...''As the only Singaporean boy not just in his school, but in the tiny English he calls home too, Leo witnesses - and feels - the impacts of racism every day. But on a class trip to a nearby cathedral, Leo''s attention is drawn to a marble slab high above the doors of the hall. Right there, bang in the middle of a list of WWII war heroes, Leo finds himself staring at something incredible: his own name. Desperate to know who this other Leo was, and with Sangeeta asking why women are missing from the history books too, the two friends embark on an epic search. One that will help uncover missing s/heroes from the past, who each deserve to take their rightful place in the pages of history. Touching on themes of historical racisms and eradications, The Lion Above the Door shines a light on the millions of s/heroes still missing from our history books, and the power that lies in all of us to rectify past wrongs.The first edition of this book also contains a special collection of historical photos and stories of real life forgotten heroes from World War Two.

''The boy''s an absolute menace.'' ''He''s a bully. A lost cause!'' ''Why can''t he be more like his sister?'' ''I''ve been getting into trouble for as long I can remember. Usually I don''t mind - some of my best, most brilliant ideas have come from sitting in detention. But recently it feels like no one believes me about anything - even when I''m telling the truth! Everyone thinks I''m just a bully. They don''t believe I could be a hero. But I''m going to prove them all wrong...''Meet Hector: a bully whose dastardly antics spiral out of control when, after school one day, he decides to bully a homeless man in the local park. But as London''s most famous statues and emblems go missing and its homeless communities are pointed to as the thieves, has Hector managed to pick on the leader of them all? And if so, what can he do in a world that won''t believe a word he says?Written in lockdown when - for the first time in history - London''s homeless community were gifted shelter, The Night Bus Hero explores themes of bullying and homelessness, and the potential everyone has to change for the good.

Have you heard of the bird that turned to stone? Or of the extra-specially-super-deliciously-fantastically naughty boy who got a frog stuck in his throat? Has anyone ever told you of the Captain of the Nile who only has six toes?No? Well, tuck yourself in, and let Onjali Raúf entertain you with her first collection of never-before-told fables of magic and mayhem... Beautifully illustrated by Katarzyna Doszla in full colour.From the sand-laden shores of Egypt, where an Axe married a Tree... To the mountains of Japan where dragons and hungry mirrors roam ... To the ancient trees of the Amazon where a bed destined to steal time is forged ... Discover new tales of magic, wonder and imagination, inspired by old sayings, everyday objects and countries of the world.Written with Onjali''s trademark heart and humour, and inspired by her travels, Where Magic Grows is a compilation of seven original fairy tales where friendship, kindness - and poetry awaits.

*** ''Every child should read this'' *** - Amazon reviewBestselling children''s author and human rights campaigner Onjali Raúf invites young readers to discover everything there is to know about kindness, empathy, friendship and fighting for the things that matter. (Not to mention cool things like using our inbuilt X-ray vision and detecting negative forces!)With the help of her favourite fictional characters (from She-Ra to Superman), some of the inspiring people she has been honoured to work with, and a few of her biggest inspirations (from Frederick Douglas to Malala Yousafzai), Onjali motivates budding young activists, showing them that no one is too small to make a difference.Because with a bit of compassion, a big dollop of hope and even the smallest act of kindness, magical things can happen. Hope is on the horizon; here''s how children everywhere can find it . . .