***SHORTLISTED for the SLA's Information Book Awards 2024***

The UK was once a huge global superpower. Its influence was felt in countries all over the world, but it didn't just affect countries over there. It affected everything about the islands we live on today. It affected the language we speak, the food we eat, the buildings that surround us, the people who live here, and the prosperity we enjoy. It is who we are today.

And yet while we teach our children about the Romans, Egyptians, Mughals, Ottomans and other empires, we breathe barely a word about the biggest, wealthiest, most powerful and most influential superpower ever.

From the Industrial North to the grandchildren of the Windrush generation, to children in overseas territories and former colonies, to those whose families came here fleeing persecution, this book will examine the modern culture of Britain, the Commonwealth and all countries historically connected to her past. It will look at identity and encourage children to discover and celebrate their own stories and the ways we are all connected to each other.