Description
Book SynopsisEmpower children to stand up for what is right with this picture book inspired by the real-life events around the statue of a slave trader, its toppling and heroic replacement. They call him ‘HERO’, but he’s no HERO – not to me. A Hero Like Me is inspired by the events of 7 June 2020, when
a statue of seventeenth-century slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down and thrown into Bristol Harbour during an anti-racism protest.
Co-author Jen Reid was one of the protesters that day, and despite being afraid of heights,
she spontaneously climbed onto the empty plinth and raised her fist high above her head – a moment that was captured on camera and shared around the world.
On the morning of 15 July,
a statue of Jen by Marc Quinn was added to the empty plinth. It was called
A Surge of Power and it gained national attention for the 24 hours it was
Trade Review“A fictionalised retelling of the events of 7th June 2020, when a statue of Edward Colston was toppled into Bristol Harbour and author Jen Reid became a symbol of change.” * The Bookseller *
“A fictionalised retelling of the events of 7th June 2020, when a statue of Edward Colston was toppled into Bristol Harbour and author Reid became a symbol of courage and power.” * The Bookseller - Black Issue *
"Jen Reid’s defiant gesture defined the Bristol protests. Now she’s inspiring the next generation.” * The Big Issue *
'The book asks us to think about who our heroes are and how we celebrate them, because the choice of who we place on a pedestal matters to the children, and the adults, who walk beneath them.’ * Juno Magazine *
