Little Tiger to publish key worker tribute for Independent Bookshop Week

Little Tiger is to publish a picture book celebrating the work of key workers, to raise money for the NHS during Independent Bookshop Week.

The annual celebration of the role indies play in their communities is run by the Booksellers Association and sponsored by Hachette UK.

Thank You, Heroes: A celebration of Our Key Workers has rhyming text by Patricia Hegarty and illustrations by Michael Emmerson. It includes tributes to healthcare workers, delivery staff, shop workers and teachers.

Hegarty said: “Like many people fortunate enough to be able to work from home during this pandemic, I have been astounded by the resilience of both our frontline and key workers who have been working so hard to fight the virus and keep the country going. As well as paying tribute to these heroes, I wanted to provide a resource for all those parents hoping to reassure their children by telling them to look for the helpers."

" I think it is incredibly comforting for children in times of stress and uncertainty to recognise the strength of people pulling together to help one another, and I hope Thank You, Heroes will prove some reassurance to those feeling anxious or worried.”

All publisher profits on UK sales will be donated to NHS Charities Together. Little Tiger’s parent company Penguin Random House will also publish the book as Thank You, Helpers on the Random House Children’s Books imprint in the US, with a donation being made to US non-profit organisation Americares.

In the UK, a paperback edition will be available from independent bookshops and online, to support Independent Bookshop Week, which will run from 20th to 27th June. The book will be released to the wider trade on 23rd July. An e-book version will be available exclusively through Hive for the same period.

Booksellers Association head of campaigns Emma Bradshaw said: “At the Booksellers Association, we have been doing everything we can to support our members in these most challenging of times. I have been absolutely blown away by the resilience and creativity of the independent sector and their commitment to not only safeguarding their businesses but serving their communities. They really have proved to be retail heroes and I’m delighted that Little Tiger has taken this opportunity to make Independent Bookshop Week a key part of its campaign for Thank You, Heroes.”