Book Recommendations from Daybreak
For World Book Day 2024, the Daybreak team reflected on their favourite books when it comes to connection, relationships, problem solving and moving forward from challenging situations.
We wanted to share them with you, in case you are an avid reader and wanted to reflect on the various messages and lessons that these books offer to the world.
FOR THOSE WANTING SOME THOUGHT-PROVOKING READS
Rebel Ideas: The Power of Thinking Differently by Matthew Syed
“I loved this book; despite the title it's a very easy and engaging read. It highlights how diverse perspectives on a problem or challenge provide a greater likelihood of finding solutions; it also focuses on the importance of communication in challenging situations.” - Debbie, Daybreak’s CEO
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
“Whilst staying at my uncle’s home in Greece I found a copy of this book. It was a bit of a challenging and an odd read, if I am being honest, but the message from the book stuck with me, relating to our ability to be resilient and tenacious, even when facing adversity, and we constantly see these strengths daily with our beneficiaries and the positive outcomes they embrace together, when in crisis.” - Karen, Daybreak’s COO
Who Moved My Cheese by Dr Spencer Johnson
“The cheese is a metaphor of what you want in life, a good job, loving relationship, health, wealth, peace of mind, and less stress, but as we all know the ‘cheese’ keeps moving. The story is about anticipating, adapting, and enjoying change. Small book, big impact, thought provoking and bought a copy for all my previous Team Members when transformational change within the organisations was having a big impact on them and me, but the book enabled us to discuss openly how we all felt and put the changes into positive perspectives.” - another one from Karen, Daybreak’s COO
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
“I love the book ‘Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo’ which tells the tales of 12 different women, mainly black and British, and their life stories over the years. For me, it shows we may all be outwardly different but share the same worries, fears, joy, and love as others allegedly ‘different’ from ourselves. So to accept everyone as they are, no judgment and remembering you don’t know what stress they are under or were under in the past that makes them who they are or why they act in a certain way.” - Anna, our Office & Data Impact Manager
FOR CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE & THOSE YOUNG AT HEART
Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
“This book celebrates mistakes and makes it clear that it is ok to make a mistake. Sometimes mistakes can be made into beautiful things! When I was teaching my children loved this book. It helped them to laugh about mistakes on their artwork – often using the mistake to make it into something else, invent new words when they spelled something incorrectly, and most importantly helped them to support and love each other.” - Samantha, one of our Family Group Conference Coordinators
Mr Men and Little Miss Collection
“I am a mum of two young girls, and this is their favourite books to read at the moment. They are fun, short and silly books. My mum used to read the books to me when I was a little girl and it surprised me how much I remembered the words when I was reading them to my girls. This is a reminder to me that life goes by too quickly and I think the messages in the books are not to take life too seriously. I asked my 3-year-old what Little Miss I would be, and she said Little Neat. She reminds me of Little Miss Fun and her younger sister Little Miss Sunshine. So, if they ask me to read a book for the three times in a row, I will, because life is too short.” - Hannah, our Reading and Portsmouth Programme Manager
The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright
“It reminds me that the things that I might find easy, are other people's fears, and my fears are other people's easy things. We all have a comfort zone, but if we come together we can help each other to reach beyond it.” - Jess, our Fundraising & Marketing Manager
Volcano in by Tummy: Helping Children to Handle Anger
“It talks about helping children understand feelings and emotions and includes helpful resources and exercises in there to help children come up with solutions plans and ideas on what to do when they feel angry or emotional.” - Charlotte, Programme Manager for our Wiltshire services
My Best Friend, Bob by Georgie Ripper
“This book was a favourite of my youngest daughter’s (and secretly mine: I was always pleased when this was the bedtime choice!). And funnily enough, I think it’s hugely poignant to the work we do, especially Lifelong Links. It’s a beautiful, heart-rending story about two best friends who are separated and miss each other terribly. I won’t tell you anymore as I know everyone will want to read it and it will speak for itself.” - from Jackie, a Lifelong Links Coordinator
Paddington Bear
“Paddington Bear is a lesson to us all in the power of positive thinking, problem solving (albeit with varying degrees of success) and social responsibility.” - Our CEO, Debbie’s, favourite book
Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
“It is about a fox that loses his tail. Mr Fox is just trying to get food for his family, but the three evil farmers try to kill Mr Fox. Mr Fox gets all his friends together to find lots of food and they all work together to have a big feast.” - Molly, aged 7
“The novel explores the importance of family and friends as well as the power of intelligence in overcoming strength” - Molly’s mum, Charlotte, our Wiltshire’s Programme Manager