Thea Chops Books

30/04/2024

I absolutely loved working with Anysomething Photography and Styling 🫶🏽 Laura is a fabulous photographer and if you’re a small business owner like me, looking for product shots or personal branding pics I definitely recommend speaking to her!

27/04/2024

Anyone else have a Tween who makes them feel positively ancient sometimes?! 👵🏼

I was clubbing in Ibiza in the 2000s kid!!

For context, tonight’s Saturday night movie will be either Clueless or Mean Girls. If anyone has any other old fashioned movie suggestions feel free to pop them in the comments… 🙄

01/04/2024

Or when they hear the words: no, don’t or stop ,right?! 🙈

15/03/2024

Did you see this? Let me know what you think!

have announced a one-of-a-kind doll in recognition of The Queen Consort's leadership of which is a global movement of festivals celebrating women, girls & non-binary people. Camilla has been the president of WOW since 2015.

Now. I'm not particularly a royalist, nor a major fan of Camilla, but it was the comments section that got me thinking:

"Yes let’s teach our daughters about infidelity and scandal"

"A mistress barbie. Didn't know this is a thing that inspires."

"You can be ANYTHING! Including a married man’s mistress!"

Are you seeing a pattern here?

I googled the word 'mistress': a woman (other than the man's wife) having a sexual relationship with a married man. "Elsie knew her husband had a mistress tucked away somewhere."

Then I googled, is there a male equivalent of the word 'mistress', and there isn't.

Some websites suggested 'paramour' but it's a gender neutral word and it doesn't carry the same historical & societal connotations as mistress; it's not seen as pejorative.

Labelling Camilla as a mistress, puts blame squarely on her shoulders. It's what the word does, it blames the woman for the actions of a man. And frankly, I'm getting rather tired of women being held responsible for the way men act.

For far too long the phrase 'boys will be boys' has excused the poor behaviour of boys; bullying, teasing, fighting... It's often met with shrug and a wry smile, but it allows boys to grow into men who believe they have no control over their actions. In the playground it's used when a boy pulls a girl's ponytail, in the locker room is used for much worse....

It's part of the reason why I'm writing my next children's book about consent. I hadn't thought about including the term 'boys will be boys' but I'm thinking that I should be!

Should Barbie have made a doll of Camilla? I don't know, I not sure I care. But should we still be calling women 'the other woman', 'the home wrecker', or 'the mistress' while casually dismissing the actions of men..? No. No we shouldn't.

I'd love to know what you think; comment below 👇🏽

12/03/2024

It's Testimonial Tuesday! Is that a thing?! It is now! A recent review on Google said "Suzanne did a Zoom visit with our school and it was absolutely brilliant... I'd thoroughly recommend an author visit from Suzanne. Thought and conversation provoking stories and a brilliant session. Thank you!"

How nice is that?! I'm blushing ☺️

If you have the chance to head over to Google Reviews and leave a (nice!) message about how much you've enjoyed reading my books, I will be one very happy author doing a happy author happy dance!

Just click on the link below and it should take you there! 👇🏽

Thank you! x

Post a review to our profile on Google

08/03/2024

I do want to celebrate the women in my life.

The women who made me, held me, continue to hold me, guide me, and play a huge role in my life.

I do want to think of the women who inspire me, those who work and campaign for change. To make the workplace more flexible. To give women bodily autonomy. To make the streets safer. To teach boys that girls are their equals not objects.

I want to celebrate all of those women.

But I also feel conflicted, and a huge amount of sadness. The theme for this years IWD is inspiring inclusivity. And being inclusive means including all women.

So when I think of the many thousands of displaced women in Gaza who are grieving the loss of their children, or birthing children under the daily sound and threat of being bombed, I can’t say happy international women’s day to them. They don’t need a happy day they need a ceasefire.

When I think of girls in Niger, in Chad, or Central African Republic where over 60% under the age of 18 are married (75% in Niger) and nearly 30% of them are married under the age of 15. They don’t need a happy day, they need a childhood.

When I think of the girls, and women in Afghanistan, where girls cannot go to school and women can’t work. Where edicts, orders, and restrictions, regulate where a woman can go and how she should dress. They don’t want a happy day, they want their freedoms back.

When I think of women in numerous American states, who no longer have bodily autonomy. Where their embryos have more right to live than they do.

I want to inspire inclusivity. It’s why I write the books I write for children.

So I do want to celebrate women today. Women are amazing. But if I’m being inclusive, I need to think about all women. Everywhere.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

05/03/2024

Don’t panic parents! Just read this👇🏽

If you’re like most parents, and you have just thought: how can there be only 48 hours until World Book Day 2024 and what on earth are they going to dress up as?!?

Fear not! I’ve got you! The Queen Engineer by me aka is here!

Take a look at Princess Flo, she’s a maths and science loving princess, who doesn’t want to be the queen when she grows up. She wants to be a great engineer!

Flo’s outfit is pretty easy to replicate for World Book Day, especially if you have either an old Elsa dress-up or a Cinderella outfit in the back of the kids’ wardrobe! Because really, it’s just a long blue dress and a pair of red wellies!

You could add a construction hat if you have one of those in the dress up box too. Chances are you’ll have a yellow one, and Flo’s is white; but we won’t tell anyone! 🤫

And if you also have a cape, and a sceptre, well Bob’s your auntie’s live in lover!

World Book Day doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune on a costume. Any blue dress would work just as well!

I haven’t put any links on that image above (the second picture) – this isn’t a sponsored post! I just did a quick google and found a couple of of reasonably priced dresses. But you might even have something suitable in the kids’ wardrobe already. There might even be a long sleeved T Shirt of your own that would double as a dress!

As an author here at I LOVE World Book Day. As a parent, it’s more a case of GAH!!! Helping our tiny humans with a World Book Day outfit can feel stressful; but it doesn’t have to be!

I really hope these suggestions have helped and as always, I would LOVE to see your pictures!

Don’t forget to tag me  in your photos.

Happy World Book Day everyone! Have a good one. And keep reading!

20/02/2024

If you’re a parent of a primary school aged child thinking, oh gawd, World Book Day is just around the corner, then panic not! I got you!!

Who hasn’t got either a striped dress or a adult sized striped top that could double as a kids’ dress?! A pair of white sneakers and a printed rosette and you’re done!

You could of course dig out that old dress up wig you have and go full Flo! Like did a few years ago (swipe to picture 3) which was genius!

If you don’t have anything you could use I searched up a few options in shops (see pic2). These aren’t ads or affiliate links in any way. They’re just suggestions!

And if your child does go as Florence please do send me a picture! I can not tell you how happy it makes me as a little author!

16/02/2024

Who else did this as a child?

I could lose hours in a book. Reading about fantastical characters in faraway trees. Or groups of kids picnicking and adventuring. Or sweet valley twins negotiating high school. Or girls named Margaret and, things named Ralph! 😳😂

Readers are usually read to.

We know that reading to children has huge benefits. It builds their vocabulary, feeds their imagination, expands their knowledge of people and the world, and you’ll often hear teachers say, if you do just one thing at home it’s read. Just a few minutes of sitting together allows both parent and child to slow down and connect with each other and talk.

The recently said that fewer than half of 0-2 year olds are read to by a parent. They also survey children each year on book ownership as a report in 2023 found that this is one of the top 3 predictors of a child’s reading performance. And an ability to read has lifelong academic and economic benefits.

The cost of living crisis has hit parents hard, and more than 1 in 3 told that they were buying fewer books as a result.

This is why libraries are amazing! Thea and I went to our local library on a rainy Saturday recently. I must admit, we hadn’t been for quite a while. She spent ages in there browsing books, and just sitting and reading. And when I asked how many she could borrow (for free of course!) a librarian told us 15!! Every month she can have 15 books at home; for free! How amazing is that!

So this post is a thank you to the libraries and the librarians! Tag yours below!

📖

14/02/2024

Happy Valentines Day to one and all! 🫶🏽

Except anyone who thinks women have enough equality and that all the angry shouty feminists should just stop being angry and shouty. No happy valentines wishes going out to them!! 😝

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02/02/2024

Hello to all the parents!

If you’ve found my account here’s why:

You’re a parent of children, probably under the age of 10.
You want them to believe in themselves. To grow up thinking they can do anything they want.
You don’t want them to be held back out outdated stereotypes.
You believe in equality.
You know that you just can’t tell kids what to do… they won’t listen to that!

So what do you do?

Books are a brilliant way to start conversations with the tiny humans.

And this book, my first, She’s Not Good for a Girl, She’s Just Good! is a great one for teaching kids that boys and girls can be equals, and encouraging them to be themselves, and stand up for one another.

Click on the product tag (it should be there in the left hand corner of the image) to grab your copy. Or DM me and I’ll send you the link.



Also. Big thanks to for the 📸

26/01/2024

Calling all parents of toddlers looking for their shoes; you can do this.

22/01/2024

Are you sitting comfortably?

‘Cause there are things to say!

No we’re not equal yet! What in the Andrew T*te kinda nonsense is that?

1. Gender Pay Gap in the UK:
Women in the UK earn on average, 15.5% less than men. This disparity increases for women of colour and those with disabilities.😕

2. Underrepresentation in Corporate Leadership:
The UK sees a lack of women in top executive roles. Despite progress, women remain underrepresented on boards, making up only a small percentage of FTSE 100 company directors. In fact the are more men named John than there are women on the list. 😳

3. Unpaid Care Work Impact:
Women bear the brunt of unpaid care work in the UK, affecting their career trajectories. This imbalance is reflected in part by the persistently higher percentage of women working part-time.

4. Maternity and Parental Leave Policies:
54,000 women a year are affected by maternity discrimination.

5. Gender Stereotypes Impacting Career Choices:
Deep-rooted gender stereotypes influence career decisions. Encouraging diversity in all professions, including challenging stereotypes, is vital for achieving equality.

6. Violence Against Women & Girls in the UK:
Gender-based violence remains a pressing issue. There is barely a week that goes by with a story hitting the headlines, and that means of course there are dozens that don’t.

That’s just a few things. And that’s just based on the UK. Worldwide issues include child marriage and no access to healthcare.

I’m an introvert, a confident one but an introvert all the same. But I’m not shy when it comes to equality! It’s why I started writing children’s books and why I keep writing them. Book 4 this year. Hold me accountable. I’ve got to write it so we can change the messages our kids receive. And maybe we’ll change the world they live in.

Who’s with me?! 👋🏽

17/01/2024

Who else does this?!

I swear I’m a grown ass women and I still have to sound out Wednesday in this way! 🙈

It was the same at uni with the word, environment. I was forever spelling it without the ’n’ in the middle…. Why?!

I do a similar thing with time; working out how many minutes between that time and that time… I almost always resort to counting in 5s on my fingers… 😬

Thank god for teachers who teach our children how to spell, how to read, how to learn! I take my hat off to anyone who teaches I really do.

Thinking about teaching gives me flashbacks to lockdown and homeschooling 🙀 Dear Universe, please don’t make us home school again 🙏🏽

Anyone else feel the same way?! Tag a teacher you know and say thank you for educating our children!!

08/01/2024

True story:

I was chatting to a male friend once, about a bbc presenter who had resigned over the staggering gap in pay between her and her male colleague. And the friend said, wait for it, “maybe she should’ve just asked for a raise”
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Male privilege? Entitlement? Lack of awareness? All of the above?

The gender pay gap exists. In October last year the Nobel prize for economics was awarded to Harvard Professor, Claudia Goldin. Her work “provided the first comprehensive account of women’s earnings and labour market participation through the centuries” to reveal “the causes of change, as well as the main sources of the remaining gender gap”.

So, the gap is real! I don’t think that’s up for debate anymore?!

But thankfully, there are amazing campaigners like and who campaign tirelessly to end the discrimination that contributes to the gap. To them: thank you 🙏🏽

Have you had any conversations like that one I had? With people, men or women, who think that women just don’t ask for pay rises, or just don’t work as hard or as much? Let me know in the comments: we can all do this 🤦🏼‍♀️🤬 as we read them!!

03/12/2023

Monday is upon us!

And we need to arm ourselves with some quick witticisms for counteracting the Whatabouters who uphold the patriarchy!

Get 20 responses here for free:

Please check your inbox where you should find your free download (if it's not there after a few minutes, take a look in junk mail or spam).

24/11/2023

You don’t want to miss this!

There won’t be another discount code this year so if you’re thinking about buying any of my books for Christmas presents this year, today is the day to grab the discount. And this weekend is the time to add to cart!

Still not sure?

Here are just a few of the nice things that people have said about my books:

“Should be read by every young child and their parents”

“It did not disappoint!”

“As an ex teacher I feel this is a vital resource both at home and school”

I mean?! My face just beams when I read reviews like that! 😊

Just comment with the word FRIDAY below and I’ll DM you the link to get your discount code! 50% off! Don’t miss out!

23/11/2023

Who’s with me?!
🙈🤣🎄

I know I know! It seems to go against everything I stand for.

Or does it?! Isn’t it about choice? Isn’t it about being unapologetically yourself. Just as you are? Embracing what you like? What you love?

How much of being embarrassed about liking a cheesy romcom is about the fact that we tend to mock things that girls like?

Swifties swapping friendship bracelets and cheering from the bottom of their lungs. Made fun of.
Sports fans wearing their team colours, screaming obscenities at the ref, and congratulating each other because “we played well” - spoiler alert you weren’t on the pitch! - applauded as male passion for the sport. Pride in their team.

The same thing is happening: they’re both dressing up, painting their faces, & screaming in a stadium for something they love 🤷🏼‍♀️

So why should we feel embarrassed about loving a cheesy feel good big-city girl falls for home-loving plaid shirt boy (who turns out to be a prince of a made up European country) in a sleepy snowy town?! At Christmas. 🤔

Say it with me: I love cheesy holiday films!

Now. Hit me with your faves! What are we watching this year? I’ll bring the wine.

22/11/2023

Who wants one for free?

I mean who doesn’t love a BOGOF eh?!

And this particular Black Friday discount code is actually better than a buy one get one free - because I couldn’t get the tech to work! 🙈

That’s right folks! Due to not being able to set up the code properly on my website (hello, help, paging the IT department. Oh wait, that’s me; I’m a one woman business - I AM the IT department 😭) It’s actually just buy more than one and get them all for half price. 🤪

So this is a deal you will not want to miss.

There is a very limited number of these gorgeous Emmeline Pankhurst peg doll kits left from a collaboration I did a few years ago. And they really would make gorgeous sticking fillers or Christmas Eve box presents.

Wanna get your hands on this code?

Comment EMME below and I’ll DM you and let you know how….

21/11/2023

Who agrees with this?

Let's talk about how the word 'feminism' can been weaponised 🤔

In the pursuit of equality, it's crucial to recognise that feminism should unite, not divide.

Unfortunately, in some circles, this powerful movement has been used as a weapon rather than a tool for empowerment. The truly ugly term feminazi is often used to attack women who as Rebecca West said, “express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat”!

Feminism is a force for justice, equality, and respect for all.

💪Let's build bridges, not barriers.

Let me your thoughts below! 👇

20/11/2023

Who wants a massive discount code?!

Black Friday is almost upon us.

And if there are parents out there who fancy a whopping 50% off some award winning children’s books, make sure you’re on my mailing list before 7am on Friday 24th November!

Sign up here: http://subscribepage.io/OVSxwn

17/11/2023

Parents of sports mad girls! This is for you!
⚽️🏀🥎🏓🏸🏑🚴🏼‍♀️🏌️🧗‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️
This book is my book baby. The one that made me an author.
If there’s a baby in your life who is now a sports loving girl, she will love, She’s Not Good for a Girl, She’s Just Good!

In it Florence proves to a boy at school (a bit of a fool) that girls can be every bit as good as boys at sport.

Because even in 2023, there will be people who say things like, you can’t do that you’re a girl. Or, you can do that you’re a boy.

I know! 🤯

So use this book at bedtime, to talk to your sports mad girls, and your boys! so they both know that they can do anything they put their mind to!

Hit the product tag on the image to head to the shop on my website to grab your copy.

16/11/2023

Parents of boys, aged 0-8; this is for you!
👦🏽👦🏼👦🏾👦🏻👦🏿
Many of you will have read about about misogynistic influencers like Andrew T*te, and the horrifying ideas they fill the minds of tween and teen boys with. For example: from the importance of being strong in order to be a real man, to extreme views about controlling women, and how women bear some responsibility when they are r*ped.

I know. 🤬

When I read anything about men like him it makes my blood boil.

So I think it is super important, that we teach our boys from a very young age, that showing emotion, empathy, caring, is NOT just a thing that girls do. That boys also can feel sad, can talk about their feelings, and can cry. That there is no correct way to ‘be a man’. And certainly that doesn’t involve being abusive to anyone!

My book, How Frank Helped Hank, will help you to start conversations with your boys, while they are young, about the importance of feeling your feelings, and talking about it.

I’m not claiming that this book alone can tackle the rise of misogynistic influencers on social media poisoning boys’ minds. I’m not a wizard!

But! Books are rather magical, and we have to do something, and we have to start somewhere.

If you haven’t already got a copy of How Frank Helped Hank, just click on the product tag on this post. You can also find it on Amazon (links in my stories highlights). Or ask your local indie bookshop. If they don’t have it they can order it in.

Books are a great way to have big conversations with your tiny humans. Please do consider this book for this conversation.

14/11/2023

If you’re a parent, this is for you!

Books are great for starting conversations.

And while The Queen Engineer teaches kids that we all can wear many hats in life, that we can be and do anything you want (a princess AND an engineer?! No problem!), it also has a beautiful storyline about the fact that some people are gay.

And it’s a great way to, in a very age appropriate way, let kids know that.

I sometimes think if this book would be on the list in if it was more well known in America. Because of that storyline. Which very simply says, we are who we are.

I’d be proud to be on that list. Because doing the right thing is important. And teaching kids that everyone should exist just as they are, is important.

So if you’re a parent, and you want to raise your kids to accept everybody, just as they are, this book is for you.

23/10/2023

What do you think of these 5 ways to boost esteem in girls:

1. Don't raise a people pleaser

We need to encourage girls to stand up, have a voice, & make their own choices. And yes, I fully appreciate this might add time to choosing: a bedtime story / what to wear / what game to play etc in their younger years.

But confident assertive girls don't become so at the age of 18 as they leave home; so we have to get used to confident assertive toddlers / tweens / teens. 😳 I know!

When Thea speaks my words back to me (Don't wear that hon. My body my choice mum) I have to take a deep breath, & remind myself that I'm helping her to have a voice!

2. Encourage team sports

There's a common correlation between girls who play team sports and levels of esteem. It's thought this is because girls are more likely to look to each other for value, rather than to boys for external validation. During games they also raise each other up based on actions rather than looks.

3. Praise actions & outcomes rather than appearance

It's so easy to say, what a pretty dress, what a pretty girl. And there's nothing wrong with complimenting anyone on these sorts of things. I compliment women in the street all the time: I love your dress! Where did you get it? But let's challenge ourselves to match any appearance based praise with one if not two positive comments on something non-appearance based.

4. Model body neutrality

Mums have a massive impact on their daughter's body image. Avoid asking questions like, do I look fat in this. I can't eat that I've been bad & eaten too much sugar already today. Kids absorb everything we say & do. This also is in effect when we talk about other women's appearances, negatively or positively. So the aim is to follow praise for appearance with praise for something else.

5. Get the men on board!
Ask dad or the other men in her life, to join in with trying to raise her up not tear her down. Ask them not to treat her as fragile or helpless; don't infer that they are damsels in distress who need a man to swoop in and rescue them! Ask them to encourage her to join in. With sports, with DIY etc. Ask them if they've ever thought about this, because chances are they won't have; most of us don't question the status quo.

Small changes like these can make big differences. Not everybody in the outside world will be sending these same positive messages, so it's good if we try to be a voice for change at home.

What else can we do to build self confidence in our girls, so they grow up to be confident empowered young women?

22/10/2023

Ever have those moments when people (often men) say things like, women were given the vote; you already have equality.

And you’re just desperate for that one or two sentence reply, oo something like:

Women weren’t given the vote; men withheld it and women took it back.

👊🏽🎤

Ever have those moments when you wish you had a whole list of handy responses?

Me too. So I created one!

Get your copy here:

Please check your inbox where you should find your free download (if it's not there after a few minutes, take a look in junk mail or spam).

16/10/2023

Do you agree with this?

🤔
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What you want to do and what you ought to do aren’t always the same thing. ⁠

This is the dilemma that Princess Flo is faced with in my second book, The Queen Engineer.
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In the book Florence shows us that we all wear many hats in life, and that we can be whatever we want to be. ⁠
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The important thing is to always be yourself! ⁠
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The Queen Engineer teaches boys and girls about equality, following your dreams, and acceptance.⁠
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If you haven’t got your copy yet, just comment QUEEN below and I’ll DM you some links to where you can get it.
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15/10/2023

Let me know what you think in the comments on this.⁠
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We are the ones who prepare our children for their grown up lives. ⁠
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So it's up to us to teach them that if they ask someone out on a date, that person has the right to say no. ⁠
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And as scary as it can be asking someone out, that person owes you nothing. ⁠
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Rejection will hurt. ⁠
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It's horrible being turned down.⁠
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You have every right to feel sad. ⁠
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But you don't have any right to become angry and lash out; physically or verbally. ⁠
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How can we teach this to our kids? ⁠
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And we should teach this to girls too, but the reason I refer to boys, is because many women will have experienced anger or abusive language, when they turn a guy down, or don’t “give us a smile love”.⁠
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How many women reading this have had a horrible comment made when they didn't say hello or smile back to a random stranger in the street? I'll go first 👋🏽⁠
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So what can we do?⁠
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Let’s say we remove a toy from a child, and it makes them angry. They might try to grab at the toy, throw another toy, or even hit us to get our attention and get the toy back.⁠
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We can say, I know you’re feeling angry with mummy right now, but that doesn’t mean you can hurt mummy. You can feel angry or sad, but you can’t hurt me.⁠
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I’m not saying those words will stop a terrible twos tantrum! But hearing those words over and over again and it will sink in.⁠
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Do you have a teen? You can be a little more direct and tell them not to be a dick! It can be that simple: don't be a dick. You want a girl to like you: just don't be a dick. If she still says no, then walk away; you tried. Just don't be a dick!⁠
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It's up to us to raise decent human beings who treat each other kindly. So let's. ⁠
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And while it might feel strange thinking about our tiny humans being all grown and dating; it is going to happen!⁠
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Let's arm them with all the info we can.⁠
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Let me know what you think in the comments. ⁠
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06/10/2023

Do you have KS1 or Reception ages little ones?
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In this first term back at school they often study a topic called All About Me.
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They learn how to express themselves, and take about their feelings, their life, what they would like would to do.⁠
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Our book The Queen Engineer models the idea of hopes and aspirations, that you can be or do anything in life.⁠
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It encourages children to have faith in themselves, to follow their dreams.⁠
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If you're a parent and you're thinking of getting a new story book, or you're a teacher who is looking for a book to use alongside teaching the topic, click on the link below or search for The Queen Engineer on Amazon.⁠
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Written in rhyme and beautifully illustrated, The Queen Engineer teaches boys and girls about equality, following your dreams, and acceptance.