New book Granny’s Flag is now on sale!

We are very pleased to announce the publication of our new book Granny’s Flag, on sale now!

You can buy Granny’s Flag from our shop here or from My Body is Me Publishing here.

Granny’s Flag is a picture book for girls aged 4 – 7. It is the story of a girl, her granny and a very special flag.

Granny has a very special flag of purple, white and green. For many years, brave women have held it to show they want a better world for all women and girls. When her grand-daughter comes to stay, she too discovers all the wonderful things this flag can do!

We are delighted to be able to publish this new book by the much-loved, award-winning children’s poet Rachel Rooney, author of My Body is Me! We are also grateful that an illustrator of such high calibre as Ros Asquith has joined forces with Rachel to create the most joyful and inspiring book for girls. Read more about Ros here and see more of Rachel’s books here.

We hope this book will let girls know that they don’t need any of the numerous gender identity flags promoted to children, they already have their own flag especially for girls! We also hope that it helps give girls a sense of connection with older women in their families, fostering a feeling of strength and confidence in belonging to a female line that goes back generations.

At a time when ‘gender neutral’ language is promoted everywhere, including in schools, which can lead to a situation where girls are made invisible, we are proud to unashamedly produce a book specifically for GIRLS! (Curious boys are also welcome to read it of course!)

We are also proud of our record for publishing books of the highest quality of both writing and illustration for children, who we believe deserve nothing less. Granny’s Flag is a wonderful addition to our titles. As well as girls (and grannies!) it is perfect for public and primary school libraries – and of course makes a great stocking-filler if it’s not too soon to mention Christmas!

Here are some words from Rachel and Ros.

Rachel Rooney

‘After the backlash I received for publishing My Body is Me! I had no intention of writing another picture book. But ironically, it was the negative responses that I, and the book received – along with the welcome show of support from many like-minded women – that eventually inspired me to write Granny’s Flag.

The Suffragette flag serves as a symbol of courage, resilience, and unfinished work—a thread that ties the characters together across time. In writing Granny’s Flag, I hope to honour the women who came before us, the importance of remembering where we come from and what we still need to achieve.

But of course, for very young children, it’s simply a book about Granny’s special flag and a little girl’s imagination. (I highly recommend gifting it along with its flag, for maximum impact!) If reading the book leads to further age-appropriate discussion about the positives of intergenerational female relationships, or the rights of girls & women then that’s a bonus.

I was very lucky to work closely with Ros Asquith who brought the book to life (in record time) with her signature, quirky illustrations and amusing added touches’ ~ Rachel

Ros Asquith

‘It was an enormous pleasure to illustrate Rachel’s gorgeous text. I was particularly attracted to it, not just because of her graceful verse and ability to be moving and light hearted simultaneously, but also because the relationships between different generations of women is so important and uplifting.

When the Lionesses won the world cup, I watched with a group of much younger people. As we cheered the players on, I mentioned that women’s football had been banned by FIFA until the 1970s. My companions were gobsmacked. None of them knew anything about it. This reminded me how important it is to keep telling our stories.

So any story that might lead to discussions about women’s fight for their rights has to be a good thing. If ‘Granny’s Flag’ is simply enjoyed for its lyricism and simple fun then that’s great too. It’s a fabulous depiction of what a girl with a big imagination can do with a piece of cloth – and that will resonate with any parent who’s watched their child organising pebbles and saucepans into Noah’s Arks… or going to the moon in a cardboard box.

I’m very proud to have been a small part of ‘Granny’s Flag’, with a really great team’ ~ Ros Asquith

We hope many girls will enjoy this new book and we’re sure parents will love it too!

Buy Granny’s Flag from our shop here or from My Body is Me Publishing here.

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Sarah

    Copy arrived today – it’s lovely! Congratulations to you all.

  2. Ruth Ferez

    well done with your work, it matters. are you aware of enid burke in ireland who is being treated like a leper for his brave stance against children being referred to as gender neutral or as their opposite sex in the school where he worked?

  3. Muttmere

    This Muttmere approves, though I only have grandsons. I’m in the middle moving, so I won’t be able to order until my change of address is settled and I are settled in new home..

  4. Barbary Clarke

    Hi Rachel,
    Please forgive me if I’m trying to teach my grandmother(!) how to suck eggs. I have not (yet) had the pleasure of reading your book, (I plan to give it to my great-niece). But, from your description of Granny’s Flag as being ‘purple’, white & green, I’m wondering if you are aware of the secret message to women encoded in it? It was actually G-reen, W-hite, and V-iolet, with the initials standing for Give Women the Vote.
    All the best for HUMUNGOUS sales! As you know, we need to get the message out to VERY YOUNG kids!
    GO WIMMIN!
    Barbary Clarke, Melbourne

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