It's a No-Money Day

Produced by the Klaus Flugge Prize winner and author of the award-winning 'My name is not Refugee' Kate Milner. 'It's a No-money Day' is a short but moving story about what it is like to live below the poverty line and the need for food bank to help see us through when times are hard. In this story a young girl wakes one morning to explain to mum that she's hungry. When they go to the cupboards together there is nothing there. 'Today is a no-money day', a day that the young girl seems to know all too well. She explains that on a 'no-money day' there are still fun tings to do; like reading a book from the library, practising singing or chasing pigeons. But on a no-money day when there's no food at home they have to go to the food bank. Something that mum doesn't like to do. The touching illustrations that accompany this text are spot on! They are sensitive and kind to the harsh reality of these circumstances. The illustrations speak volumes for the words we find too difficult to find in explaining these kinds of hard-hitting topics for young children. For example; mum working hard to manage her income. She is placing coins into labelled money banks for things like electricity, transport and housing. Or the images showing their ideals through a game of 'maybe-one-day' Mum dreams of a washing machine as one of her luxury items and the little girl conjures up an image of all the sweet treats she can think of, that until something changes for the better seem far out of reach. This poignant story is an important one to share across both primary key stages to talk about food banks and how they help us. I would share this text to develop empathy and compassion in children to understand the lives of those whom at this time are less fortunate than themselves. Reviewed by Nikki Stiles / 32 Pages / Ages 5+

Suggested Reading Age 5+