Darren Chetty
@darrenchetty.bsky.social
2.2K followers 2.5K following 220 posts
Welsh Indian South African Dutch Londoner. PhD in Philosophy of Education. Antiracist Dialogic Pedagogy. Children's Books. Teaching & Writing. Rep: Rachel Mann, CAA https://www.darrenchetty.com/
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
darrenchetty.bsky.social
Beyond the Secret Garden is HERE: www.englishandmedia.co.uk/publications...

Thx to @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social for the foreword, @lucyfarfort.bsky.social for the cover, Farrah Serroukh for the chapter on #ReflectingRealities. Special thanks to @engmediacentre.bsky.social for publishing us!
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
And now, (some of) our 2025 #LittleRebelsAward Shortlistees
happily join our little gallery of past shortlistees- thank you, all of you, for all of the work you have done making social justice topics engaging, riveting & accessible for young audiences ♥️
#KidLitUK ⤵️
Reposted by Darren Chetty
Reposted by Darren Chetty
oconn270.bsky.social
It's the start of Banned Books week. And the Nobel Prize for Literature will be announced on Thursday bannedbooksweek.org
Banned Books Week | October 5-11, 2025
bannedbooksweek.org
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
…your contributions were spot on,highlighting the political/radical ‘work’ of your books &truly showcasing why you all own the title BIG REBEL It was a privilege to hear you all-the audience feedback was so, so good!
@northodoxpress.bsky.social
@knightsofbooks.bsky.social
@graffegbooks.bsky.social
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
1/2 A fabulous Little Rebels Award Shortlistee Panel at our award night last week. Thank you @darrenchetty.bsky.social for your always-thoughtful & inquisitive chairing. And thank you @sarahhaggerholt.bsky.social @ellemcnicoll.bsky.social @sflayzell.bsky.social &Cathy Jenkins..
#KidsLitUK
#UKKidsLit
Chair, Darren Chetty, sat down, in profile. He is speaking, holding a mic in left hand and looking down at his iPhone in right hand. To his left is author Cathy Jenkins who looks down, laughing. Author SF Layzell holds a mic & is talking. To her left is author Cathy Jenkins. To her right is author Elle McNicholl and, next to her, author Sarah Hagger-Holt. All are sat down, front facing. Everyone is smiling. Author Sarah Hagger-Holt has the mic now and is gesturing with her other hand, legs crossed, in a casual pose. To her right is a big board with a kids book illustration (red riding hood?) To her left is Elle McNicholl who is turned towards her and laughing. To her left we can just see SF Layzell. Now Elle holds the mic. The other panellists are all laughing.
Reposted by Darren Chetty
liselatulippe.bsky.social
More than 6,800 book bans were enacted during the 2024-25 school year in 87 p-s districts across 23 states, acc2a report released Wed by PEN America, a nonprofit that advocates4free expression. The report was released ahead of Banned Books Week, which starts Sunday.
www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...
The 15 most banned books in U.S. schools
In the 2024-25 school year, book bans affected more than 3,700 unique titles in 87 school districts across 23 states, according to PEN America.
www.nbcnews.com
darrenchetty.bsky.social
A superb collection!!
nosycrowus.bsky.social
Happy Book Birthday to This is Not a Small Voice by @tracintodd and illustrated by @jadefrolics!

This stunning hardcover anthology is a beautiful, bold collection of more than 100 dazzling poems by Black poets for the whole family to treasure.
darrenchetty.bsky.social
Enjoyed talking about Beyond the Secret Garden, children's and YA literature, racism and antiracism...and Roy of the Rovers...Huge thanks to Susan Cahill and Sinéad O'Hart for inviting us!
darrenchetty.bsky.social
'A Response To James Farquharson’s Public Attack On The Integrity Of Budmouth Academy' dorseteye.com/a-response-t...
darrenchetty.bsky.social
In an open letter, Walker Books 'is concerned to see the latest developments in Weymouth, particularly given the extreme reality of book banning in the US. We must ask ourselves is this the beginning of something, and what comes next?'
www.bookbrunch.co.uk/page/article...
Walker attacks The Hate U Give ban
BookBrunch - The publishing trade's daily news magazine
www.bookbrunch.co.uk
Reposted by Darren Chetty
letterssounds.bsky.social
Michelle’s Autumn 1 pick is I’m Going to Make a Friend by @darrenchetty.bsky.social and Sandhya Prabhat. 💛 A debut picture book about the worries of making friends when moving home/school - playful, reassuring and perfect for your new class.
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
while steeling themselves for contemporary protest.” 

Congratulations again!

[ @housmansbookshop.bsky.social @darrenchetty.bsky.social ]
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
..and Sarah Hagger-Holt’s novel could hardly be more timely and relevant for the queer community—particularly for young people, who are paying close attention to a history of both discrimination and resistance…
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
..in book bans and pre-emptive censorship decisions by librarians. Add to that the chaos and harm being caused in this country by the recent Supreme Court Ruling on the legal definitions of sex and gender, alongside the creeping encroachment on LGBTQ+ rights across several western democracies..
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
The award organisers said:  

“The Fights That Make Us is a beacon of resistance in this current climate. Last year’s research by PEN America and UK @indexoncensorship.org both revealed that children’s books representing people of colour and LGBTQ+ people are
disproportionately represented..
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
1/4
🥳CONGRATULATIONS to the first ever double prize winner of The Little Rebels Award for Radical Children’s Fiction @sarahhaggerholt.bsky.social

#KidLitUK
#UKKidLit
…a little thread on why this book matters so much ⬇️
Reposted by Darren Chetty
mobiquotes.bsky.social
Black literature is taught as sociology, as tolerance, not as a serious, rigorous art form.
Reposted by Darren Chetty
littlerebsprize.bsky.social
The Shortlistee Panel is always an Award Ceremony highlight.

This is last year’s panel ⬇️, chaired by @darrenchetty.bsky.social who has everyone’s attention here!

We’re so looking forward to hearing from our 2025 shortlistees tomorrow. And we’re delighted Dr Chetty will be back chairing!
#KidLitUK
Shows a colour photo of a panel discussion. All are sat, looking towards the chair, Darren Chetty who is on the far right. To his right and onwards are shortlistees Kate Rafiq, Karen George, Jane’s Catchpole, Harry Woodgate, Helen Rutter, Eliza Paganelli, Jen Reid, (barely visible) Yaba Badoe and J.T.Williams. 
Behind them is a screen with a poster image of the 8 books in that year’s shortlists. There is a surround of bookshelves.
Reposted by Darren Chetty