Chuck Mullin’s Bird Brain: Comics About Mental Health, Starring Pigeons, as the title already suggests, is a collection of several smaller comics depicting independent situations where pigeons discuss mental health issues. The individual comics range from one to four panels in colour. The book aims to reach a variety of audiences as, on one side, […]

Marshall’s Walkabout is a survival novel following two young siblings, Mary and Peter, from America, who, after a plane crash, are stranded in the Australian Outback. Plagued by starvation and exhaustion, their chances of survival in these unknown and strange lands seem to be low until they meet an Aboriginal boy who takes the role […]

This novel combines a beautiful and unique love story with the terrifying reality of war and seeking refuge. When Nadia and Saeed meet, their country is on the brink of a civil war. As violence and unrest increases, they decide they need to leave their home and jump into uncertainty. Jump being meant quite literally, […]

The series Little People, Big Dreams offers a wonderful introduction to various historical figures for young readers. And there are so many to choose from! Whatever the child’s field of interest is, there is a role model out there just waiting to be discovered. The beautiful illustrations accompany the accessible text written specifically with young […]

This young-adult book focuses on child abuse, parental neglect, social stratification, and friendship and is structured as diary entries of the two girls Treasure and India.Young Treasure lives with her mother and her abusive stepfather Terry who one day hits her with his belt and scars her forehead. Upon this incident, Treasure’s grandmother takes her […]

This wonderfully illustrated book is all about the beauty of helping others. George the giant just got a brand new outfit that finally makes him feel good about himself again. But what makes him feel even better is helping out others. So when he gives all of his new clothes away to different animals, he […]

This is a small children’s book with three short stories concerning daily situations worth thinking about more deeply. The first is about William who is teased by his classmates with the nickname ‘darling’ his father likes to call him. When he has to move on to the next school, he is worried his father will […]

This Black Mirror episode is about (digital) memory records, privacy rights, surveillance, holding grudges, and the importance to let the past go. A world in which an implant allows people to replay their memories for themselves but also on screens for others. During the episode, Liam becomes more and more obsessed with his wife’s relationship […]

This Black Mirror episode is dealing with helicopter parents, surveillance, the issues with surveillance technology, and the importance of stressful experiences. When little Sara gets lost for a while because she was following a cat, her mother Marie takes her to get an “Arkangel”-implant letting Marie not only access Sarah’s location but also see and […]

This Black Mirror episode deals with the ethics of talent shows, consumerism, surveillance, and sensationalism.It features a system making people ride stationary bikes in order to earn “Merits”, a digital currency. Living in a room plastered with monitors they are forced to watch commercials or pay Merits if they want to skip them. When main […]

After his parents die, young James is sent to live with his two abusive aunts, Spiker and Sponge. One day, a giant peach magically starts growing on their property. Who would expect that James’ new friends and a once-in-a-lifetime adventure are waiting for him on the inside…

The siblings Wendy, John and Michael live with their parents in London’s West End. One night Peter Pan flies through their window and invites them to come with him to Neverland. In this magical realm, they live with a gang of Lost Boys, encounter mermaids and fight against the pirate Captain Hook.

This novella tells the tragic story of a 14-year-old’s death and the impact gang violence has not only on those directly affected, but their loved ones as well. When Jerome is found stabbed and left bleeding on the street, his mother needs answers. But can the hard truth give her the closure she’s looking for? […]

This short story with its dystopian notion deals with blatant racism and the resulting splitting of society. The society described from the view of Emmanuel, a young black man, is a highly racist one leading to constant monitoring of behaviour. Emmanuel talks about how he changes according to how black he wants to seem depicting […]

This dystopian short story deals with the definition of justice, justification of killing, killing as entertainment, racial profiling, and also hints at the effect watching acts of violence might have on children. Isaiah works as an actor in an entertainment park where people can buy experiences of committing acts of violence firsthand including gunshots. All […]

This short story describes the destructive effect of consumerism on a human level. To this end, the shopping frenzy is brought to absurd perversion. The story is written from the perspective of a salesman working his shift on Black Friday. Especially on this occasion, shopping has become an endeavour of life and death. People turn […]

“Well that is Planet Earth. Make sure you look after it, as it’s all we’ve got.” This beautifully illustrated book presents Earth as something precious that needs to be protected by all generations. The story shows both the beauty of the world as well as its problems while staying optimistic, for: “Though we have come […]

This coming-of-age adventure novel from the Victorian era follows young Jim Hawkins on his seafaring treasure-hunting endeavours. By chance, Jim Hawkins acquires a map of an island leading to a hidden treasure. It belonged to the infamous pirate Captain Flint, who stored his valuables on the island. Jim and a few others subsequently undertake the […]