Lenny Henry

I like the Little People Big Dreams series so much. I encourage not just children, but adults too, to get acquainted with these simple biographies. I had not heard of Lenny Henry before, but I knew about two of important projects of his … Comic Relief and Red Nose Day. How great to learn of his many contributions to the entertainment industry.

This inspiring biography series for children (4-7 years) brings the exciting figure of Lenny Henry, the talented comedian, actor, writer and activist.

Lenny was born in UK, but his family came from Jamaica. At school, he was bullied because he was Black. Instead meeting aggression with aggression, he fought back with his jokes. At home, he watched his favorite characters and studied how they moved and talked. He auditioned for a TV show and got the part. He became very successful in his business.

He shares his success with others by motivating minority children to dream big, to follow their dreams as he was one of them and was able to achieve it.

His story is a wonderful inspiration for children to dream big. With his contagious character, he shows a different path for fighting back. It doesn’t have to be aggression. Laugh is so much better, and it brings much better results.

This story is accompanied by original illustrations, and easy to understand sentences, right for the target audience.

This is the first book in the little people big dreams series and I thought that it was lovely. I appreciate that it is aimed for children but the ending putting it more into adult/YA wording makes it suitable for all ages to gain something from it. I have always liked Lenny Henry and thought that he did a lot of good work but this gave me a litle more insight into his youth which has obviously made him what he is today.
Great read

I am today years old when I learned what Red Nose Day was really about and how it started, all thanks to this story about Lenny’s life. Lenny is such an inspiring artist and I loved learning all about his persistence and dedication to his comedy and his generous heart that has inspired and helped many around the world. Can’t wait to add this book to pur family’s collection!

As a big fan of the series of Little People, Big Dreams books, I loved reading this one about Sir Lenny Henry. I know of him from his tv work but was intrigued to read more about his life.

My own children at home, and my class at school, adore these books and are always looking out for new ones.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.

Lenny learned to disarm school bullies by using humour and then became good enough to win a TV contest. He went on to become famous all over Great Britain and instituted a number of charity telethons. He learned how to help others overcome color lines, as well.
The illustrations by Diane Ewen are fun, simple, colorful, and delightful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
@QuartoKids @CBCBook @Frances_Lincoln #littlepeoplebigdreams @sanchezvegara @TheQuartoGroup

Another great book in this series. As a fan of Lenny Henry and with family from Dudley, it was great to see this addition to the series

Another fine review of the life and times of Lenny Henry. I did not know who he is, but I like this series of books so I read it. He is a British comedian and sounds like a wonderfully funny and kind chap. Maybe I'll look into his works. So, thanks for the introduction. I enjoy this series of quick reads.

This is the best series to introduce little ones to biographies. I really liked this one! Lenny Henry is hilarious but I didn’t realize how early a start he had! As always the illustrations are so cute!!!

Another great addition to the Little People, Big Dreams series! I'm not really familiar with Lenny Henry, but this book contains an excellent balance of detail and storytelling. The illustrations are lovely. The message of inclusion and empowerment that comes through the story of Lenny's life is very inspiring - especially for kids who may not see a lot of themselves represented in mainstream media and entertainment. I loved this story and think it's an excellent choice for highlighting to young readers!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC to read and review!

I always love how these books not only teach kids the amazing stories of iconic people, but I also learn a lot myself as an adult. This story teaches about how no matter your racial or financial background, you can make your dreams come true - what's more important than that!

I love Lenny Henry and grew up with him being a part of my usual tv viewing so it's great to learn more about him.

I really like Lenny Henry, and as the Chancellor of the university I went to (Birmingham City University (kind of)) I was interested to find out more about him. I knew he was a big part of the Comic Relief nights and I've always loved watching and taking part in the Red Nose Day festivities but I don't think I ever knew he was the founder! This book was fascinating as always, with great illustrations for the little ones. Amazing!

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara has written three children’s books that will be released in early 2024: Lenny Henry, Tenzing Norgay, and Sally Ride. These books are part of the bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS biography series for kids. Each book is 32 pages and beautifully illustrated. They are perfect for reading to small children during “quiet time”.

Lenny Henry tells the story of Sir Lenny Henry, the multi-talented comedian, actor, writer, and activist from Dudley, England. When he was a young boy, Lenny would pretend to be the characters he watched on TV to entertain his six brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, Lenny was bullied at school, but he used humor to deflate the bullies. He became famous at age 16 and later had a very popular TV show, The Lenny Henry Show.

In 1985 Lenny and screenwriter Richard Curtis founded the charity Comic Relief in response to a terrible famine in East Africa. To this day Comic Relief holds its annual Red Nose Day telethon which raises funds for numerous charities that help children in need and tackle worldwide poverty.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, for the advance reading copy.

This is the perfect example of how a short biography for young readers to be like. Enough information. Amazing illustrations. Easy to understand writing. Basic facts and pictures for reference.

Well done.

I love these books, and this one is no exception

A brilliant series, with books for a wide range of children to find someone similar to themselves in

I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

Summary by my daughter: This was a story about a boy who was bullied at school. One day, Lenny Henry fought back with jokes, not fists. When he was older, Lenny Henry made a comedy show that was loved by a lot of kids. When help was needed, he and his good friend raised money for people who needed it. He started Red Nose Day, a day when people all over the world raise money for those in need.

This was another lovely Little People, Big Dreams book. Our family loves these books because they are short but interesting and often inspiring, as was the case with Lenny Henry's story. I highly recommend this book and others in the series for young readers to explore biographies and history.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books for gifting our family with an ARC to review. All opinions are our own. We enjoyed it!