
Coming to England by Floella Benjamin
A twentieth-anniversary edition of Floella Benjamin's classic memoir. Includes a new foreword by the author and some additional historical information. Beautifully illustrated by Michael Frith. Floella Benjamin was just a young girl when she, her sister and two brothers arrived in England in 1960 to join their parents, whom they had not seen for fifteen months. They had left the island paradise of Trinidad to make a new home in London - part of a whole generation of West Indians who were encouraged to move to Britain and help rebuild the country after the Second World War. Reunited with their mother, Floella was too overwhelmed at first to care about the cold weather and the noise and dirt from the traffic. But, as her new life began, she was shocked and distressed by the rejection she experienced. She soon realized that the only way to survive was to work twice as hard and be twice as good as anyone else. This inspirational story is a powerful reminder that courage and determination can overcome adversity.
Children's Book of the Week: There aren't many successful memoirs pitched to his age group, but Floella Benjamin's story, is gripping, with a narrative simple enough to engage the very youngHer story is honest, true and particularly relevant today. -- Alex O'Connell * The Times *
Baroness Floella Benjamin, OBE, was born in Trinidad in 1949 and came to England in 1960. She is an actress, presenter, writer, producer, working peer and an active advocate for the welfare and education of children. She is best known as a presenter of the iconic BBC children's television programmes Play School and Play Away, and she continues to make children's programmes. Her broadcasting work has been recognized with a Special Lifetime Achievement BAFTA and OBE. She was appointed a Baroness in the House of Lords in 2010. In 2012 she was presented with the prestigious J. M. Barrie Award by Action for Children's Arts, for her lasting contribution to children's lives through her art. Floella has written thirty books, including Coming to England, which is used as a resource in schools in social and cross-curricular areas. The book was adapted into an award-winning film for BBC Education. She was also appointed Chancellor of the University of Exeter until 2016. What Are You Doing Here? is her first adult autobiography, after previously writing her classic memoir Coming to England and acclaimed Sea of Tears. Joelle Avelino is a Congolese and Angolan London based Illustrator. She graduated from the University Of Hertfordshire with a BA (Hons) in Illustration with Marketing degree in 2012. She works with both traditional and digital methods of drawing and painting to create her vibrant and distinctive illustrations. She is greatly inspired by phenomenal women, everyday life and her African heritage particularly. Having grown up in the UK, Joelle aims to bring these two worlds together through her work.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781509835485 |
| ISBN 10 | 1509835482 |
| Title | Coming to England |
| Author | Floella Benjamin |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Pan Macmillan |
| Year published | 2016-10-06 |
| Number of pages | 144 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |