John Agard's Windrush Child

A beautifully evocative story of a child's journey to England on board Empire Windrush, from an internationally celebrated, multi-award-winning poet and an extraordinary debut illustrator.

With one last hug, Windrush child says goodbye to his grandmother and the shores of his Caribbean home, before stepping into an adventure across the ocean, to an unknown horizon and a sky full of hope. With stunning, thoughtful lyricism, internationally renowned poet, John Agard, recalls the journey made by thousands of Caribbean children and their families who travelled to Britain as part of the Windrush Generation between 1948 and 1971. Sophie Bass’s joyous and unique illustrations beautifully evoke the changing landscapes, and the uncertainty, bravery and hope of those who travel in search of home.

About the Author

Poet, playwright and short story writer John Agard grew up in Guyana, where his love of language grew out of listening to cricket commentaries on the radio. He has won many prizes, including the Smarties Book Prize and the Queen’s Gold Medal and in 2021 was awarded the prestigious BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award for an outstanding contribution to children's literature. John is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and his work appears in an AQA anthology for GCSE English Literature. With his partner Grace Nichols, John has edited the Walker anthologies A Caribbean Dozen and Under the Moon and Over the Sea, and he is the author of the Carnegie-longlisted My Name Is Book. John lives in Lewes, East Sussex.

About the Illustrator

Sophie Bass is a British Trinidadian illustrator based in London. Having completed her BA in Illustration at Falmouth University in 2013, Sophie now works mostly in the music industry designing record covers and has collaborated with musicians such as Yazz Ahmed, Soweto Kinch and Innov Gnawa. Her work draws inspiration from music, social justice, mythology and symbolism. Sophie works by hand employing traditional techniques with gouache and pen, to create contemporary images characterized by strong figures, vivid colours and a distinctive style. John Agard’s Windrush Child is her picture-book debut.