Diversity & Inclusion
Diverse and Inclusive Books – Inspire Empathy and Understanding
At MBE Books, we’ve carefully curated a selection of diverse and inclusive titles for young readers. These stories feature characters and voices that are often under-represented in fiction, helping pupils to explore different perspectives and experiences.
Ideal for classroom libraries or guided reading, these books support the development of empathy, inclusion, and a broader understanding of the world — all while engaging students with relatable and inspiring stories.
Showing 1–25 of 30 results
Birdie
Winner of the Young Quills Award and the Diverse Book Awards.
Birdie Bagshaw has never known her parents. Having grown up in a children's home for mixed race children in 1950s Leeds, now she has come to live with her great-aunt in the Yorkshire ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 256
- MBE Code : 762
Bobby Bains Plays A Blinder
A young Sikh footballer reaches out across the generational divide to help a lonely old man in an uplifting story from acclaimed author Bali Rai.
Bobby Bains loves football. He also loves helping other people. As a Sikh, it’s part of his ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 88
- MBE Code : 759
Can You See Me?
With diary entries written by eleven-year-old Libby Scott, based on her own experiences of autism, this pioneering book, writtenin collaboration with esteemed author Rebecca Westcott, hasbeen widely praised for its realistic portrayal of autism.
...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 368
- MBE Code : 415
Cinnamon
In a hot, hot country, ringed with mountains on one side and jungle on the other, lives a princess called Cinnamon. Her eyes are made of pearls, which means that she is blind. And, for reasons her parents the Rajah and Rani cannot fathom, she will ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 40
- MBE Code : 1201
Coming To England
When she was ten years old, Floella Benjamin, along with her older sister and two younger brothers, set sail from Trinidad to London, to be reunited with the rest of their family. Alone on a huge ship for two weeks, then tumbled into a cold and ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 32
- MBE Code : 591
Dance Of Resistance
Catherine Johnson celebrates the incredible life of Josephine Baker in this "superb autobiography" (Guardian), chronicling her journey from an impoverished childhood to beloved actress, dancer and wartime heroine.
Dancer, singer, actress, movie ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 122
- MBE Code : 801
Kofi And The Rap Battle Summer
Kofi is used to stuff going wrong, he's usually in detention or about to be. But when he finds out his best friend Kelvin has a photographic memory, he comes up with a genius money-making scheme. The whole school is obsessed with music, but no one...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 246
- MBE Code : 798
Me And My Brian
With help from his grandma, Josh finds a way to quieten his overactive ‘Brian’ in this gently humorous and empathetic tale about family and mental health by bestseller Helen Rutter.
Josh has always called his brain Brian, and Brian can ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 84
- MBE Code : 804
Nothing Ever Happens Here
This is Littlehaven. Nothing ever happens here. Until the spotlight hits my family.
Izzy’s family is under the spotlight when her dad comes out as Danielle, a trans woman. Izzy is terrified her family will be torn apart. Will she lose her dad? ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 264
- MBE Code : 470
On The Wall
Amid the frantic bustle of breaktime, Finley Tandy sits peacefully on the wall.
Mr Goodhew, watching from the staffroom, can't help but wonder at the
boy's gift for stillness, and his seemingly cast-iron happiness.
But maybe tranquility can be ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 256
- MBE Code : 711
Picture Perfect
A quest for screen-free family time leads to camping chaos in this hilarious and heartwarming comedy from the author of Anisha, Accidental Detective.
Sonal needs to capture a great family picture for her school photography project but it’s ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 80
- MBE Code : 763
Reggie Houser Has The Power
Reggie Houser has ADHD and struggles to make friends at school, plus his mum and teachers seem constantly weary about his erratic, high-energy ways.
But when he sees a hypnotist perform on stage at the holiday park he visits, Reggie ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 276
- MBE Code : 736
Safiyyah’s War (Shortlisted For The Yoto Carnegie Medal 2024)
War comes to the streets of Paris and Safiyyah’s life changes for ever.
Her best friend’s family have fled, and the bombing makes her afraid to leave the mosque where she lives. But when her father is arrested by the Nazis for his secret ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 336
- MBE Code : 582
Striking Out
Thirteen-year-old Jerome Jackson dreams of becoming a world-class footballer.
But with a difficult home life, Jerome can't see how he'll ever make this dream come true ... until he meets a mentor figure who can hopefully put him on the right track....
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 248
- MBE Code : 527
The Boy At The Back Of The Class
WINNER OF THE BLUE PETER BOOK AWARD 2019 WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2019Told with heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a child's perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 298
- MBE Code : 195
The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh
Billy Plimpton is an eleven-year-old boy with a big dream.
He wants to be a stand-up comedian when he grows up: delivering pinpoint punch-lines and having audiences hang on his every hilarious word.
A tough career for anyone, but surely ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 360
- MBE Code : 444
The Day I Was Erased
The third read-in-one-sitting mystery from the author of unforgettable bestseller The Goldfish Boy.
Maxwell is always in trouble. He's a total menace to his teachers and big sister, but has a soft side, too: he rescued his dog, Monster, from being...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 352
- MBE Code : 417
The Double Life Of Ted Amos
Ted has always wanted to be a popular kid, but due to an embarrassing incident that will not be named, he finds it harder than ever to fit in.
But when Ted’s parents split up, his whole life changes.
Although leaving his best friend ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 324
- MBE Code : 737
The Girl Who Stole An Elephant
Chaya, a no-nonsense, outspoken hero, leads her friends and a gorgeous elephant on a noisy, fraught, joyous adventure through the Sri Lankan jungle where revolution is stirring and leeches lurk.
Will stealing the queen's jewels be the beginning or...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 246
- MBE Code : 756
The Goldfish Boy
A story about finding friendship when you're lonely - and hope when all you feel is fear. Twelve-year-old Matthew is trapped in his bedroom by crippling OCD, spending most of his time staring out of his window as the inhabitants of Chestnut Close go ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 400
- MBE Code : 158
The Great (Food) Bank Heist
Written with great empathy and Rauf’s trademark humour, The Great (Food) Bank Heist is a moving story that gives a child’s-eye view of the increasing problem of food poverty.
On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the bank. But ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 104
- MBE Code : 490
The Last Firefox
Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he's made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier.
Because Cadno isn't just any fox: he's a firefox - the only one ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 296
- MBE Code : 528
The Lion Above The Door
Leo and his best friend Sangeeta are the odd ones out in their school. But as Leo’s dad is always telling him, it’s because they’re special. Only thing is, if they’re so special, how come they never see anyone who looks like them in their ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 316
- MBE Code : 564
The Night Bus Hero
I've been getting into trouble for as long I can remember. Usually I don't mind 'cos 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 ...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 288
- MBE Code : 435
The Night Diary
It''s 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed crossing borders.
...
- Book Cover : Paperback
- Number Of Pages : 264
- MBE Code : 793