Book Nook - We Are Home

 With his powerful new children’s book published on 3^rd August 2025, author Kevin Dobbs’ We Are Home shares the importance of unity, resilience and pride that can thrive in multi-cultural communities.

Aimed at Key Stage 2 readers (7-11 year-olds), the author does not shy away from the complex realities of our world, but immerses his readers in real-life issues like racism, belonging and the wonder of diverse communities.

A story told with warmth and hope, We Are Home delivers a timely message about standing up to hate and creating something beautiful in its place. It also reminds children that their voices and actions matter, and that from the ashes of division, something lasting and beautiful can grow.

 

Synopsis:

Kasey lives in a British neighbourhood.  Kasey’s neighbourhood is multi-cultural (the book aims to challenge the right-wing trope that ‘multi-culturalism can’t succeed’).  One day, they discover some graffiti saying ‘Go Home.’ Kasey is disgusted by the graffiti and comes up with a plan to cover it up by asking all of the neighbours to give her a piece of fabric that represents them.  We then learn about the ethnically diverse neighbourhood- some neighbours born in the UK, others abroad- as they give Kasey a piece of fabric.  With the help of her elderly Japanese neighbour, she makes a patchwork using the fabrics, that represents the community.  The community then come together to hang the fabric over the graffiti. 

In a quiet moment of reflection, Kasey wonders, ‘How can they tell us to ‘Go Home’? We Are Home.’  This sentiment recognises that Kasey doesn’t see any difference between any of the neighbours.  It also shows that Kasey recognises that we all have a role in ‘making a house a home’ within a united community.  As well as seeking to show that we are stronger together, the story shows that beautiful things can come from ugly beginnings and that hope is stronger than hate.

 

The author says:

“I was inspired to write this book by the Spellow Lane Library and Community Hub fire in Liverpool during the riots last summer.  The attack on books and ‘community’ really spoke to me.  Its release date is chosen to be the one year anniversary of this event.

“While it is a traditional children’s picture book in size and shape, it is definitely aimed more at the Key Stage Two age group. I am a Key Stage Two teacher, and I firmly believe that picture books are under-represented for this age group.  Some KS2 children like or need to finish a story in one go. Some need pictures to aid comprehension and language acquisition. Some just prefer them for their aesthetics.  This type of book is brilliant at distilling one key theme and focusing on that and as such make better discussion stimuli (at home or school) as well as just being enjoyable to read!”

 

Published on 3^rd August 2025, We Are Home is available to purchase  on Amazon at www.amazon.co.uk/dp/8409727668

 

About the Author:

 

Kevin Dobbs is a41-year-old father of two-a three-year-old and an eight-month-old.

He says: “I live in Spain now, with my Spanish wife, having moved here two years ago.  Prior to that, I worked in a school in a multi-cultural community in the centre of Peterborough for close to 15 years.  I still teach in a British School in Spain, and this is my first book.  Reading together is my older son’s favourite thing to do, so it is a thrill that he will have his name in a book in the dedication.  I also love sports, quizzes and reading (children’s and adults’ books!).”