My Bright Shining Star

Introduce young ones to the strength of love and kindness in this touching story about finding hope in the toughest places, authored by Olympic-medal-winner Fatima Whitbread.

North Star, North Star,
Are you near or are you far?
Shining with a twinkling glow,
Please show us which way to go.

Join Little Fatima on a journey to find her forever home, even though it is not as easy as she had hoped. But through this journey, a bright shining star is always there to guide Fatima.

Lots of people look after Fatima and her friends at the children’s home, but Aunty Rae always makes Fatima feel special and loved. Even as the other children leave with their new parents, Aunty Rae encourages and cares for Fatima, filling her life with warmth and hope.

Through the uncertainty and disappointments, Aunty Rae is a constant support. Together, Fatima and Aunty Rae look out at the bright North Star and dream of Fatima’s happy future with a family waiting for her somewhere. But the brightest light in Little Fatima’s life is her Aunty Rae, her bright shining star.

Kindness and love can make you feel safe and strong, no matter your circumstances. All you need is one bright shining star to make you feel better, and this is the central message of this beautiful, powerful picture book. My Bright Shining Star gently demonstrates how important kindness is for children and families everywhere. Acts of kindness can make a true difference in other people’s lives, and this simple message is central to Little Fatima’s story - and is important for families everywhere.

Written by world javelin champion, world record holder and twice Olympic medallist Fatima Whitbread, and informed by her own childhood growing up in children’s homes, this heartwarming story will fill readers with hope and love. An inspiring true account of Fatima’s own adoption and successful Olympic career follows the picture-book story, bringing the reality of growing up in care to life for readers in a gentle and comforting way.

Paired with richly glowing, whimsical illustrations from Rhian Wright, this is a truly poignant story to be shared over and over again. My Bright Shining Star is a wonderful story of kindness to be enjoyed by all families, celebrating how love and hope shine through all darkness.

FATIMA WHITBREAD MBEis a world javelin champion, world record holder and twice Olympic medallist. After Fatima’s inspirational career as an athlete, the former BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner headed the Chafford Hundred Elite Runners Club. Fatima has served as a school governor, is a qualified javelin coach, and spent many hours reporting at the Olympics. Fatima works very closely with the charity ’Action for Children’ to fundraise and raise awareness.

Rhian Wright lives with her husband, two children and a very miserable cat called Margaret in Cardiff. Inspired by the outside world, she creates fun, expressive images of diverse characters, focusing on connection and emotion. As a reluctant reader, illustrations were how Rhian accessed stories. She hopes her illustrations help children develop a lifelong love of stories and make sense of things they may not understand, but most importantly have fun!