Windows and Mirrors
Our booklist
Windows and Mirrors is a list of suggested books for children aged four to seven that represents the diversity of our world.
Our list gives:
- windows into the lives of all children
- mirrors for children’s own lives.
We include books that help children establish their place in the world, books where all children – especially those from underrepresented groups – get to be the main protagonist in a story.
Windows and Mirrors is updated regularly.
Find a printable list of the Windows and Mirrors booklist here.
Windows and Mirrors is now interactive!
If you have the School Portal, you’ll enjoy discovering the best books using our interactive booklist – now with the power to search, filter and share.
The engagement factor
All books on our booklist engage children, both emotionally and intellectually. They:
- elicit a response – excitement, interest, curiosity, empathy
- have a strong narrative structure and intriguing illustrations
- extend vocabulary
- connect with something that children already know.
Maryanne Wolf says:
“Emotional engagement is the tipping point between leaping into the reading life or remaining in a childhood bog where reading is endured only as a means to other ends.”
Booklist themes
Themes include:
- family and friendship
- exploring feelings
- kindness and community
- our planet
- change and bereavement
- moving home or country
- the power of speaking up.
Our inspiration
Windows and Mirrors is inspired by the work of Professor Rudine Sims Bishop. Her 1990 article “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” shares the importance of all children seeing themselves reflected in what they read.
Farrah Serroukh says:
“To find a fragment of yourself in the pages of a book is a profound and powerful experience; it holds a mirror up to your existence and suggests that you’re not alone. For children in their formative years, this is life-affirming.”
Speak Up! by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola
Rocket loves going to the library. When she finds out it will close, she decides to speak up. This little girl has a lot to say. She rallies her friends to have a peaceful protest – ‘like Rosa Parks did!’ A story full of energy, the power of using our voices and the importance of… books.
Strong Like Me by Kelechi Okafor and Michaela Dias-Hayes
Everyone has things that makes them special; Kamara is strong and can run fast. But sometimes being special makes her sad. A boy calls her a show-off; some girls accuse her of always winning. She finds out there are different ways to be strong and that we should all… stay strong!
Sunny and the Birds by Wendy Meddour and Nabila Adani
Sunny and his dad have moved to a new country. They miss their old home and in particular they miss the birds.
Super Duper You by Sophy Henn
A little sister is sometimes silly, sometimes very quiet; sometimes twinkly, sometimes ‘fighty’. Her big brother notices and likes all the things she is. A vibrant story about sibling love and a celebration of children’s full selves.
Terrible Horses by Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max
A brother and sister do not always get along. In fact, they fight and do not use their words. The boy writes stories about how lonely he feels. His sister reads them and begins to understand her brother. Maybe she feels this way sometimes too?
Thank you Omu! By Oge Mora
Omu makes a big pot of thick red stew. Knock, knock! One by one, friends and neighbours follow their noses and Omu shares her dinner. A joyful story of food and community with award-winning illustrations.
That’s not a daffodil! By Elizabeth Honey
Mr Yilmaz, a kindly neighbour, brings Tom a daffodil. ‘That’s not a daffodil’ declares Tom when he sees the brown bulb. Together, they water it and protect it from life’s knocks and bumps. Both friendship and a beautiful yellow flower blossom.
The Beautiful Layers of Me by Sophia Payne and Ruchi Mhasane
Ameena has her first salwar kameez for a wedding. But when a friend says they look like pyjamas, she’s upset. She wants to feel special. Babu explains that beauty comes in all kinds of clothing. And Ameena feels pride and joy for her whole family.
The Boldest White by Ibtihaj Muhammad, S.K. Ali and Hatem Aly
Every week Faizah goes to fencing classes. She worries she won’t be able to compete in the competition if everyone is watching her. Unlike her sister, she doesn’t feel brave. Mama tells her, ‘bravery will grow exactly when you need it to’.
New!