With its gruff hero, vibrant, strong colours, bold design and spare text, this story about looking beyond appearances has a satisfying punchy simplicity and jazzy feel.

With gorgeous illustrations that bring the characters to life, this book is perfect for reading out loud. This is an awesome book with a lot of hidden messages for the younger generation; it teaches you that others have feelings, not to exclude anyone and not to judge them by their looks. The start of the new school year seems an appropriate time to share a favourite bear of mine - the big-hearted Boris in his debut, Boris Starts School, written by Carrie Weston.The benefits of music: inclusivity, making friends, improving self-esteem, a way of expressing emotions, the joy music can bring. Vere’s core message – that being big (or in some way different) is not scary – is delivered with a light touch, notes The Book Bag: ‘The person who looks different has the same feelings as everyone else.

Happily, his music draws people from all over town who want to know who is playing such beautiful music.Here's a look at some of the fantastic picture books that we've handed out around the country, for free, over previous years. He studied fine art at Camberwell College of Art and has been writing and illustrating children's books since 1999. This story can be linked to cross-curricular subjects such as PSHE learning about friendships, feelings and music such as creating music with feelings and emotions such as what Mr Big did. I think it's important for everyone, especially at a young age, to learn not to judge a book by its cover and that's exactly what this book teaches. The letter read thank you for your beautiful music, everyone has been listening to your music and who are you?

It deals with what is potentially quite a complex concept in a very simple way and its illustrations are attractive and stylish. Vere’s clever compositions further enhance Mr Big’s massive proportions, which are squashed into the page – almost as if the book struggles to contain him. They would also only drop off a case of books and leave us to run it – it was so lovely to have you on hand to chat to the children and recommend them books, as well as the small (but appreciated! Addressed to the Mystery Pianist, it thanks him for the beautiful music and invites him to join ‘a couple of the guys’ at the Blue Note. I guess books like this always make me feel like, what if you are just someone who's body takes a form that is not culturally "acceptable" but you are NOT also very talented.Things changed for Mr Big in the end and he was not as lonely as he used to be as he had something to share with the world. The message of the book is clear, essentially do not judge a book by its cover, and this story livens up the teaching of the age old message. Eagle-eyed readers will spot Mr Big (also silhouetted, except for his big eyes and green hat band) high up in his lonely apartment, at his piano. It’s a fantastic independent book seller that will actually be responsive and select appropriate books for you.

The children also participated in a number of activities based around the text such as role playing, performing in a band and sequencing the events of the story. This has a lovely message about friendship, and joining in, and can speak to children in the younger years about making friends and ensuring that other children don't feel left out. However Mr big was still alone and sad, until one morning when he received his first ever letter to the pianist. I really loved reading this book as it is a great story about a huge gorilla that is made to feel really small on the inside.

It, too, ‘drifts across the rooftops’ in its empathy and the rightful placement of Mr Big as a winner defined by his jazz prowess, rather than his size (Daddio. Ed Vere did a fantastic job with the words as he made the text size larger or smaller for words he really wanted to emphasise. This is such a great book to discuss themes of fitting in, being different, and everybody having their own talents which make them unique and special.