Kofi’s mum is determined he’s going to be ‘somebody’. But when Kofi is given a place at a prestigious private school because of his athletic ability, everything changes. Kofi dreams of being a professional athlete – but he soon finds following your heart isn’t an easy road.

Under pressure from his mum to make the most of his academic opportunity, his best friend who doesn’t want him to change, his community to make them proud, and a rival who will do anything to make sure Kofi doesn’t outshine him – Kofi isn’t sure where to turn.

Can Kofi find a way to follow his own path?

Growing up in foster care, Simone’s gymnastics training was an anchor in her life. She first tried the sport after visiting her local gym on a field trip. Coaches spotted her natural talent and, after years of hard work, she began winning world championships and Olympic gold medals.

Widely cited as the greatest gymnast of all time, Simone is also an advocate for mental health awareness, having famously put her health before her sport by withdrawing from the 2020 Olympic finals. At the 2024 Olympics, Simone staged one of the most dramatic comebacks in sport history, propelling the U.S. team to win gold with her dazzling routines. This picture book tells her heroic story in a way that inspires young children to follow their dreams while taking care of themselves.

This powerful book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the gymnast’s life.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS! ]]> https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/usain-bolt/ Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=40008 From the bestselling biography series Little People, BIG DREAMS, discover the story of Usain Bolt, the fastest person in the world.

Travel to Greece and watch Cynisca, a Spartan princess, become the first ever woman to win at the ancient Olympic Games. Or touch the heavens with Junko Tabei as she carves her path through history and mountain ranges with little applause but a lot of bravery.

In this book Kate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, tells the fascinating stories of some of history’s most talented female sports stars.

From football superstars to trailblazing Olympians, women throughout history have fought for the right to take part, win or lose, in sports across the globe. Whether they were making impassioned pleas for support on the football pitch, or working behind the scenes to set up rival games when the Olympics said ‘NO’, these women are all sporting heroes.

Including diary entries, postcard messages, maps and more, Fantastically Great Women Sports Stars and Their Stories is a celebration of just some of the women whose tenacity and skill have made a mark on the world. A fantastic gift for girls and boys alike!

List of women featured: Cynisca, Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Dod, Alice Milliat, Junko Tabei, Derartu Tulu, Marta Vieira da Silva, Ellie Simmonds and Simone Biles.

An exciting, laugh-a-minute guide to every Olympic and Paralympic sport – updated for the 2024 Paris Olympics!

From boxing to boccia, find out just what it takes to become an Olympic and Paralympic star in this hilariously informative guide to the games. For each sport you’ll discover why it’s great, why it’s not so great, what skills and equipment you’ll need to start practising and even how to sound like a pro! You’ll learn about some of the greatest Olympians in history, events that might appear in the future and there’s a helpful guide to your chances of becoming a champion.

With bold, energetic illustrations and an up-to-date text packed with weird, wonderful and wildly hilarious facts written by sports journalist Scott Allen, this paperback gift book is the funniest guide you’ll find to the next Olympics!

A powerful, contemporary teen novel about the courage to be yourself in the face of online and in-school peer pressure, from the co-author of Can You See Me? – perfect for fans of Tamsin Winter, Holly Bourne and Moxie.

Fourteen-year-old Eden McCoy doesn’t fit in. All she’s good at is running, and she doesn’t even dare join the track team. Her priority is to stay in the shadows and avoid the Glossies – a ruthless clique of girls who use social media to punish and humiliate their targets, led by their queen Bea and her sidekick Mikki.

But one day, Eden breaks her vow to stay unnoticed: she beats track star Mikki in a race. This bold move captures the attention of Bea, who decides Eden needs to either prove her loyalty and become one of the Glossies – or suffer the consequences. And so The Testing begins…

As Eden is challenged to play a cruel prank on another kid or have that same act inflicted on her, her will is pushed to the limit. The only thing keeping her afloat is an unexpected connection with a boy called Riley, a fellow runner who messages her online. But how deep does The Testing run? And how long until Eden breaks?

• A sharply written, grippingly entertaining and moving story that explores the joy to be found in running, sports and exercise – as well as in community, real friendship and solidarity.
• Inspired by research into real teen opinions about the risks and benefits of social media.
• Empathetically explores the different ways girls can be ‘put in boxes’ and the pressure to act in a way that society or their peers expect of them, with a touching mother-daughter relationship at the heart.
]]> https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/winner-takes-gold/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=37342

 

It’s not how good you are, but how bad you want it …

Pearl is a  young gymnast hoping  to be selected for the World Cup in Paris – tumbling  her way to medals in memory of her mum.  

Her best friend Ryan is also  invited to train with the Elites which include champion Jada-Rae.  

All face fear, falls and injury – but then there’s the cheating, bullying and sabotage …

If this is the way to win, is friendship for losers?

• An all-action sporting drama set in the world of gymnastics, from the author of  Sister to a Star
• Packed full of friendships, drama and action; perfect for tweens aged 10-13 years
• Author Eloise Smith is an ex-Olympic fencer and three-time Commonwealth gold medal winner!

Praise for SISTER TO A STAR:

‘This fun story has plenty of excitement’  THE WEEK JUNIOR  

‘[An] action-packed adventure’  BIG ISSUE NORTH

‘[A] thrilling, rollercoaster mystery’  LANCASHIRE EVENING POST

 

]]> https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/my-first-ballet-book/ Thu, 17 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=34668 What should I wear to ballet class? How do I make the correct shapes with my arms and feet? What should I remember when I dance on stage?

My First Ballet Book provides the answers to these and many more questions. It will inform and inspire all young dancers – those just starting out and those who are already immersed in the world of ballet.

Perfectly pitched text by expert author Kate Castle, a former dancer with the Royal Ballet, provides a highly practical guide to every aspect of ballet, while beautiful photographs truly capture the magic of dance – from the excitement of a child’s first class to the joy of dancing on stage and the wonder of watching ballet in performance. Hints and tips throughout will help every child make the most of their ballet classes.

]]> https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/anna-pavlova/ Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/anna-pavlova/ In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the true story of ballet dancer Anna Pavlova.

Little Anna fell in love with ballet after watching a performance with her mother. At the age of just nine-years-old, she auditioned for the famous Imperial Ballet! But? she was rejected.

The set-back didn’t stop Anna – she auditioned again a year later and was accepted into the company. Although ballet was her passion, it didn’t always come easily to her, and she worked fiercely to become the best.  

After her training was complete, she performed across Russia and later formed her own company with which she toured the world. The story of Anna Pavlova, one of the greatest dancers to have ever lived, teaches us that with hard work, our talents can take us wherever we want to go.

This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the star’s life.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!
 

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