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Gemma Hunt: AUTHOR!
New Book in the "See! Let's Be" series is released on 12th October 2023
BUY HERE
"I am SO delighted to share my second children's book with you."
This is a themed storybook about children's emotions, encouraging young children to overcome
jealousy and anger, bring joy, find peace, and learn to persevere through imitative behaviour.
Children can struggle to understand and express their emotions and feelings. This picture book, containing five different stories, helps them to relate to the children's experiences in the book and then see how best to deal with these feelings. They will also know that whatever they are experiencing and going through, they are loved and valued.
The stories are inspired by the following Bible stories: The parable of the lost coin (Keep trying), Jesus speaks about judging others (Feeling cross), the angel Gabriel visiting Mary (Bring joy), Jesus calms the storm (Finding peace), and the parable of the prodigal son (Feeling jealous).
This is a themed storybook about children's emotions, encouraging young children to overcome
jealousy and anger, bring joy, find peace, and learn to persevere through imitative behaviour.
Children can struggle to understand and express their emotions and feelings. This picture book, containing five different stories, helps them to relate to the children's experiences in the book and then see how best to deal with these feelings. They will also know that whatever they are experiencing and going through, they are loved and valued.
The stories are inspired by the following Bible stories: The parable of the lost coin (Keep trying), Jesus speaks about judging others (Feeling cross), the angel Gabriel visiting Mary (Bring joy), Jesus calms the storm (Finding peace), and the parable of the prodigal son (Feeling jealous).
NEWS
Instagram:
2022
First Children's Book
Mixed-race CBBC star writes diverse Bible stories
Gemma, who rose to fame on CBBC in 2003 and stars in the hit series Swashbuckle, wrote the book for her own daughter – who has a mixed-race mother (Gemma), a white father, a Black grandmother and a white grandfather – so that she could see a family like her own reflected in the books she read.
“We couldn’t find any children’s books which represented a family like ours”, said Gemma, currently a presenter on the BBC and Channel 5.
“While there is more diversity in kids stories these days, there was nothing which truly reflected my own child’s experience of home life. I wrote these stories because it is so important for children to see themselves represented in the literature and media they consume – I want my daughter to look at this book and feel like she’s looking in a mirror”.
As a Christian, Gemma aims for her book to promote a diverse image of Jesus – one that makes mixed-race children and children of colour feel part of the conversation on religion. In A Good Friend, the main characters – a mixed-race family just like Gemma’s own – carry out the parables and teachings of Jesus in a modern context, and are at the centre of every story, rather than confined to the tokenistic sidelines.
Gemma said, “As a child, your own experience of life is all you know. So, if you’re not seeing your life reflected in what you’re reading and watching on TV, it might lead you to question the life that you have and feel like your experience is not normal compared to the rest of the world. It’s so important for children to feel part of things – we all just want to feel like we belong”.
A Good Friend will be published by SPCK on the 20th May 2022.
- CBeebies star Gemma Hunt is publishing her first children’s book – a mixed-race retelling of the stories of Jesus
- The BAFTA-nominated presenterdecided to produce the stories after being unable to find any children’s books which featured a mixed-race family like her own
Gemma, who rose to fame on CBBC in 2003 and stars in the hit series Swashbuckle, wrote the book for her own daughter – who has a mixed-race mother (Gemma), a white father, a Black grandmother and a white grandfather – so that she could see a family like her own reflected in the books she read.
“We couldn’t find any children’s books which represented a family like ours”, said Gemma, currently a presenter on the BBC and Channel 5.
“While there is more diversity in kids stories these days, there was nothing which truly reflected my own child’s experience of home life. I wrote these stories because it is so important for children to see themselves represented in the literature and media they consume – I want my daughter to look at this book and feel like she’s looking in a mirror”.
As a Christian, Gemma aims for her book to promote a diverse image of Jesus – one that makes mixed-race children and children of colour feel part of the conversation on religion. In A Good Friend, the main characters – a mixed-race family just like Gemma’s own – carry out the parables and teachings of Jesus in a modern context, and are at the centre of every story, rather than confined to the tokenistic sidelines.
Gemma said, “As a child, your own experience of life is all you know. So, if you’re not seeing your life reflected in what you’re reading and watching on TV, it might lead you to question the life that you have and feel like your experience is not normal compared to the rest of the world. It’s so important for children to feel part of things – we all just want to feel like we belong”.
A Good Friend will be published by SPCK on the 20th May 2022.
You can buy the book here:
https://spckpublishing.co.uk/a-good-friend
2022
Gemma made her debut on Channel 5, co-hosting Today at the Caravan Show, available to watch on My5.
2020/2021
What a year we all had in 2020? It has been tough for everyone and we are still navigating the future for us all.
Gemma lost the majority of her work due to the Pandemic and turned to performing in her spare bedroom for Zoom parties, conferences and charity events all over the world.
CBeebies were able to use some presenters for socially distanced recordings of shows such as Christmas in Storyland, The Night before Christmas and Romeo and Juliet, which Gemma appeared in.
There have been a few new opportunities for Gemma during this season, including joining the presenting team on the longest running religious TV show in the world, Songs of Praise and co-hosting a course alongside author and speaker Pete Greig on Unanswered Prayer.
She has also joined the writing team for the new family prayer app from 24-7 called Lectio for Families.
Gemma has proudly become an Ambassador for The Outdoor Guide Foundation fronting their Waterproofs and Wellies campaign, seeking to get 10 sets of wellies and waterproofs to every state primary schools in the UK, all 20,000 of them! She also visited Drayton Manor with the Camping and Caravanning Club to meet competition winners and look at new camping equipment.
Gemma also fronted a campaign for Belvoir Farm Premium drinks and hosted an online quiz for Kids Matter.
Gemma has become Head of Training for Amplify, helping professionals to unlock their voices in presentation.
What a year we all had in 2020? It has been tough for everyone and we are still navigating the future for us all.
Gemma lost the majority of her work due to the Pandemic and turned to performing in her spare bedroom for Zoom parties, conferences and charity events all over the world.
CBeebies were able to use some presenters for socially distanced recordings of shows such as Christmas in Storyland, The Night before Christmas and Romeo and Juliet, which Gemma appeared in.
There have been a few new opportunities for Gemma during this season, including joining the presenting team on the longest running religious TV show in the world, Songs of Praise and co-hosting a course alongside author and speaker Pete Greig on Unanswered Prayer.
She has also joined the writing team for the new family prayer app from 24-7 called Lectio for Families.
Gemma has proudly become an Ambassador for The Outdoor Guide Foundation fronting their Waterproofs and Wellies campaign, seeking to get 10 sets of wellies and waterproofs to every state primary schools in the UK, all 20,000 of them! She also visited Drayton Manor with the Camping and Caravanning Club to meet competition winners and look at new camping equipment.
Gemma also fronted a campaign for Belvoir Farm Premium drinks and hosted an online quiz for Kids Matter.
Gemma has become Head of Training for Amplify, helping professionals to unlock their voices in presentation.
2019
Spoke at 'Sister Act' Ladies Breakfast at Christchurch Flackwell Heath
Spoke at University of Bedfordshire for Communication Skills students,
Led a Pirate Party Fundraiser in Skipton, Yorkshire
Hosted a Pirate Praise Party at Moorends and Thorne Pentecostal Church
Keynote speaker at 'Bountiful Conference' in Sevenoaks
Hosted a Pirate Party at the Civic Centre, Trowbridge
Hosted a Pirate Praise Party at Christchurch Worksop
Gemma hosted the Main Stage at Big Church Day Out
Gemma also appeared at Wildfires festival
Filmed Series 6 of Swashbuckle in Glasgow
Hosted a Pirate Party and Alpha testimony at St Combs Gala in Aberdeen
Appeared at Lark in the Park, Sidcup, Thanet & Torbay
...As well as hosting children's birthday parties around the country
Spoke at 'Sister Act' Ladies Breakfast at Christchurch Flackwell Heath
Spoke at University of Bedfordshire for Communication Skills students,
Led a Pirate Party Fundraiser in Skipton, Yorkshire
Hosted a Pirate Praise Party at Moorends and Thorne Pentecostal Church
Keynote speaker at 'Bountiful Conference' in Sevenoaks
Hosted a Pirate Party at the Civic Centre, Trowbridge
Hosted a Pirate Praise Party at Christchurch Worksop
Gemma hosted the Main Stage at Big Church Day Out
Gemma also appeared at Wildfires festival
Filmed Series 6 of Swashbuckle in Glasgow
Hosted a Pirate Party and Alpha testimony at St Combs Gala in Aberdeen
Appeared at Lark in the Park, Sidcup, Thanet & Torbay
...As well as hosting children's birthday parties around the country