‘Poppy the Pea - Oh, what a great way to be’ is the acclaimed first title in a new rhyming picture book series following the adventures of Poppy the Pea. Join Poppy as she engages with fear, setbacks, and wise, loveable characters on her first and formative journey!
This beautifully designed pocketbook is an ideal little gift book and read-aloud story for children aged 5+. It features charmingly simple, quirky, and calming illustrations, paired with playful rhyming verse and catchy refrains at the end of every page that convey a variety of memorable life lessons and discussion points. The division of the story into five short chapters also introduces emergent readers to a more structured format.
'Poppy the Pea - Oh, what a great way to be' has been praised by prominent children’s book reviewers and platforms, as well as parents, teachers, schools, and therapists, with many finding it an especially comforting and empowering read for children navigating anxiety and fears and even a gentle reminder for adults too.
The book has also inspired popular school workshops led by the author and is quickly becoming a favourite among educators, as more teachers and schools embrace its message.
Enjoy this limited, authorised first edition of 'Poppy the Pea - Oh, what a great way to be' - a heartfelt little tale of courage, resilience, and hope, for bedtime, classrooms, and gifting to dreamers young and old.
About the book
ISBN: 978-1-7393909-0-7
Ages: 5 - 105!
Subject: courage, resilience, self-belief, friendship & hope
Size: 138 x 110 mm (pocket book)
Pages: 64
Formats: hardback book, ebook & audiobook
Price: £6.99 (book) (£3.69 audiobook ) (£1.99 ebook)
Wholesale Distributor: Gardners
A few Amazon reviews
For more reviews visit the Poppy page on Amazon
The School Reading List - Tom Tolkien
Armadillo Magazine - Louise Ellis Barrett
Read For Good - Tash Hyde
Whispering Stories - Stacry Garrity
Love Reading 4 Kids - Joanne Owen
Red Reading Hub - Jill Bennet
Love Reading 4 Kids - Susan Gibs
Love Reading 4 Kids - Jill Barton
Achuka - Michael Thorn
Letter Press Project - Karen Argent
For schools and teacher reviews please visit the Learning page
About the Author-Illustrator
Farzad Sharifi-Yazdi grew up in Berkhamsted, England, where he picked up his enduring nickname, Fuzz (later Dr. Fuzz), along with his love of poetry. At fourteen, his poem Brian’s Head won the Young Poet of the Week competition, organised by the Times Educational Supplement (TES), a prestigious pull-out of The Times newspaper, where it was also published.
Curiosity about a war that had displaced him from his birthplace at age five, later inspired Farzad’s doctorate in Geopolitics from King’s College London. His research on rivalries and territorial disputes in the Middle East led to his first book, published by Bloomsbury in 2015. Shortly afterwards, Farzad followed his long-held dream of writing and illustrating for children - seeing it as a powerful way to promote mental wellbeing and international peace, two causes close to his heart.
His first title in this field, Poppy the Pea - Oh what a great way to be, was published in 2023 and has since been widely praised by prominent children’s book reviewers and platforms, and is steadily gaining recognition among parents, teachers, schools, and therapists.
Farzad lives in London with his wife, Sarah, and their son, Cyrus. He is currently working on the second instalment of the Poppy the Pea series, along with other new children’s titles, while continuing to bring Poppy’s first adventure to schools across the UK and beyond.
