Coming to England

A picture book story about the triumph of hope, love, and determination, Coming to England is the inspiring true story of Baroness Floella Benjamin: from Trinidad, to London as part of the Windrush generation, to the House of Lords.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 unfriendly London, coming to England wasn't at all what Floella had expected.Coming to England is both deeply personal and universally relevant – Floella's experiences of moving home and making friends will resonate with young children, who will be inspired by her trademark optimism and joy. This is a true story with a powerful message: that courage and determination can always overcome adversity.

Floella Benjamin’s superb autobiography Coming to England (Macmillan) is condensed for younger children and made still more accessible by Diane Ewen’s lively illustrations. When Floella and her siblings follow her parents from Trinidad to Britain, they hope the Queen will be there to meet them – but their welcome is colder than expected. Gradually, they settle in, until one day Floella really does meet the Queen. Clear and direct, the book conveys some big, challenging ideas with assurance.

Floella Benjamin was born on the Caribbean island of Trinidad in 1949, and came to England in 1960 as part of the Windrush generation. She has enjoyed a successful career as a children’s presenter, best known for the iconic BBC TV programmes Play School and Play Away, and has also worked as an actress, writer, producer, working peer and an active advocate for the welfare and education of children. Her broadcasting work has been recognized with a Special Lifetime Achievement BAFTA and an OBE. She was appointed a Baroness in the House of Lords in 2010 and a Dame in the 2020 New Year Honours list, and is the Chair of the Windrush Commemoration Committee.Diane Ewen was born in Walsall, in the West Midlands. She has always loved art, and graduated from the University of Wolverhampton with a B.A. Honours Degree in Illustration. Diane likes to create illustrations that are hand-drawn in pencil, which she paints in watercolour and acrylics before embellishing them using Photoshop, but she also enjoys working directly on the computer screen to create her characters and designs. Diane loves the fact that the artwork is often the first thing that draws children into a book, and is inspired by the use of vibrant colour, so illustrating the Caribbean scenes of Floella’s childhood was hugely enjoyable for her.