Theme: Black Voices

Oprah Winfrey

Discover the incredible story of Oprah Winfrey, the trailblazing entertainer, businessperson, and global icon. From a young girl living in poverty to becoming one of the most influential celebrities in the world and the first Black female billionaire, Oprah’s journey shows the power of dreaming big. Inspiring and insightful, Little People, BIG DREAMS: Oprah Winfrey teaches children the power of empathy, ambition, and determination.

Learn about the inspiring story of Oprah Winfrey! The trailblazing entertainer and businessperson who became a global icon.

Growing up between Mississippi, Wisconsin, and Tennessee, little Oprah loved reading and performing poems and Bible verses at church. Sadly, life at home was very tricky. She lived in poverty and was not always treated with kindness. But Oprah didn’t let this hold her back. She worked hard to achieve a scholarship to university, and by age nineteen she was a news anchor on television!

From there, she went on to host her own TV show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and became a household name. Her empathy and openness changed television forever. She became one of the most powerful voices in media, working as an actor and producer as well as an interviewer and host, and proved herself to be an amazing businessperson. Oprah didn’t stop there: she used her success to become a philanthropist and advocate for education and social justice. From the bestselling series Little People, BIG DREAMS, this title is the perfect gift for little storytellers and budding entrepreneurs.

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

Bob Marley

Discover the inspirational story of Bob Marley, the man who moved the world with his music and inspired generations with his message of peace, love and hope.  

Born to a Black mother and a white father, little Bob learned at a very young age that life could be difficult for reasons that don’t make sense. He was often bullied for the colour of his skin, but he never let unkindness harden his heart; instead, he dreamt of a world where everyone could belong.

At twelve years old he moved to the sunny Caribbean town of Kingston and promptly fell in love with Ska, a popular style of music indigenous to Jamaica, and spent years writing songs and taking guitar lessons to hone his skills. And then? Bob Marley and the Wailers were born!

From then on, Bob began to practise Rastafari beliefs, and through Reggae used their lyrics and melodies to fight for social justice and advocate for peace. Before long, his songs were spreading a message of unity across the world.

Bob Marley was, and is, a cultural icon, whose work and message remain as relevant as ever. His story demonstrates the power of music as a force for good and the joy to be found when we open our hearts to others.

William Kamkwamba

Discover the life of William Kamkwamba, the Malawian inventor and engineer, who overcame poverty and famine to build windmills from recycled materials that brought electricity to his village.

Little William grew up in a small village in Malawi. His parents were farmers, so every day after school William and his six sisters helped them tend the corn. One year, it rained so little that the fields dried up and William’s family could hardly pick any corn. With not much to eat and unable to afford school, William had to quit studying. But William refused to stop learning. So, whenever he had the chance, he went to the library.

One day, he found a book that gave him a great idea: using the wind to make electricity and pump water for the corn! Of course, building a windmill from scratch was no easy task, but William was determined to make it happen. And he did. As soon as the wind started blowing, the blades began to turn and the tiny light bulb that William held in his hands lit up. It was an invention that would eventually bring water to the corn in his village and transform life for people across Malawi.

Patrick Mahomes

Learn about inspiring story of Patrick Mahomes! The legendary American footballer and MVP who grew up dreaming of being a baseball player.

Little Patrick grew up in Texas. His dad was a legendary baseball player and he dreamt of following in his footsteps. As a child, he excelled at all sorts of sports: from baseball to basketball to ping-pong, but it was American football which captured his heart. In college, he dedicated himself to building his skills and strength on the field. His hard work soon paid off when he was asked to join the Kansas City Chiefs. Just two years later he won his first super bowl ring! The next few years bought two more Superbowl victories as well as some losses. But whether he wins or loses, Patrick knows that the most important thing is being a good teammate and a strong leader.

Alongside his football career, he is a dedicated husband and father. He is passionate about improving the lives of children and through his foundation, 15 and the Mahomies, supports a range of charitable causes.

A sporting legend who is loved by all, Patrick’s achievements reflect his tenacity, drive and belief in himself.

Dream Big Bingo

Dream Big BINGO! is a bingo game with a difference! Choose an inspirational figure and collect all the qualities they need to fulfil their dreams.

  • An easy-to-learn bingo game: Screen-free family fun with simple gameplay for 2–6 players
  • Discover inspiring role models from the popular children’s book series Little People, BIG DREAMS and learn as you play!
  • Attractive gift box contains: 6 double-sided bingo cards, 30 bingo chips, 54 tokens, a cloth bag, and an educational booklet; box size is 8.5 × 8.5 × 1.5 in.
  • Edutainment for children age 4+: Little People, BIG DREAMS brings history to life

Discover history’s favorite characters in this inspirational bingo game, from the creator of the bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS books.

Dream Big BINGO! is a bingo game with a difference! Choose one of history’s most inspirational figures—from writers and artists to scientists and sports stars—and collect all the qualities and experiences they need to help them fulfil their big dreams. Race to be first to complete your card and shout ‘bingo’ to win! Learn about their incredible life stories and amazing achievements as you play, with mini biographies in the accompanying booklet.

Inside the box you’ll find six double-sided bingo cards, 30 chips, 54 tokens, a cotton bag, and a booklet in which you can read the stories of the outstanding people featured in the game. Suitable for up to six players, aged 4 and up.

Usain Bolt

Discover the life of Usain Bolt.

Growing up in a rural town in Jamaica, Usain was a standout cricketeer and sprinter from a young age. His speed was noticed by coaches, and by the age of 14, he was wowing fans with his lightning speed. He took the world by storm at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he broke numerous records and he became the fastest man ever at the World Championships in 2009 with a time of 9.58 seconds. Despite the pressure and even a few off-days, Usain continued to be monumental in his achievements. Usain’s story teaches us that any dream is achievable if you put your mind to it, regardless of what others may say.

Lenny Henry

Discover the incredible life of Sir Lenny Henry, the multi-talented comedian, actor, writer and activist.

Ever since he was small, Lenny Henry wanted to be a comedian. At home in Dudley, England, he would pretend to be the characters he watched on TV, copying scenes from his favourite shows to entertain his six brothers and sisters. But life wasn’t always easy, and at school Lenny found himself the subject of racist bullying—until he figured out a way to beat the bullies using humour. This was when he realised he had a gift: he could make people laugh. He shot to fame aged 16 and the following decades were full of great successes, such as his hugely popular TV programme The Lenny Henry Show.

Lenny co-founded the charity Comic Relief in response to a terrible famine in East Africa. Over 25 years later, Lenny and the charity remain committed to creating a just world, free from poverty, and have raised millions of pounds. An actor, a comedian, an author and a champion of inclusivity, Lenny is a much-loved figure whose story encourages us to keep smiling.

Olive Morris

Discover the life of Olive Morris, the social justice activist and campaigner.

Olive was a child when she moved from the countryside in Jamaica to the busy streets of London in Britain. She soon realised just how tough and hard life was growing up in Britain during the 1970s.

Her life changed forever when she witnessed police brutality towards a Black man and was arrested when she came to his aid.

Olive became a leader within the Black British community, fighting against any kind of abuse and speaking up about racism. She never let the injustices she faced as a Black woman during that time stop her. Olive was involved in the first Black bookshops in Britain and spent much of her life fighting for the rights of those in her community. Olive’s fearless determination inspired the building blocks for change within the Black British community.

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 iconic social justice activist’s life.

Vanessa Nakate

Discover the incredible life of Vanessa Nakate, the Ugandan climate-justice activist.  

As a kid, when little Vanessa heard about climate change, she thought it was something that happened on the other side of the world. As an adult, she saw how droughts led to crop failure that left families hungry. Inspired by other activists, Vanessa took a stand and began campaigning to save the Congolian rainforests. Soon, she was invited to take her campaign around the world.

In 2020, Vanessa participated in an important summit about climate change. But when she was cropped out of a photograph featuring other climate-change activists, it felt like not just her contribution to the movement had been erased, but that the needs of a whole continent had been disregarded.

It was a moment that shocked the world, but it spurred Vanessa on to raise her voice louder and to fight harder for climate justice for Africans. Today, she continues to be a leader in the climate-change movement and a voice of her generation.

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 incredible young activist’s life so far.

Lewis Hamilton

Meet Lewis Hamilton, Formula One champion!

Little Lewis’s childhood was filled with cars, motorcycles and watching Formula One with his dad. On his fifth birthday, he received a remote-controlled racing car and joined a local club. It was hard being the only black child there, but he listened to his dad’s words: ‘Let your results speak for you.’ His hobby led him to go-kart racing, and at the age of 10 he became the youngest ever winner of the British cadet go-karting competition. Shortly after, he began training as a racing driving with McLaren, rising through the ranks to compete at Formula One’s Grand Prix.

Despite his amazing successes, from breaking the record for the most triumphs in Formula One to his knighthood, Lewis has never forgotten where he came from. Today he is a campaigner for racial justice and racial diversity in sport, as well as an advocate for positive mental health as well as environmental issues.

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 incredible racing driver.