Every child will get to know Anglia Ruskin University student's 'Bumblebear'

A book by an Anglia Ruskin University graduate is to be given to every reception-age child in the country.

Booktrust is distributing 700,000 copies of Nadia Shireen’s The Bumblebear, a tale about a bear who infiltrates ‘bee school’ on a honey-stealing mission.

Nadia, who lives in Tufnell Park, London, graduated with an MA in children’s book illustration in 2010, said: “It’s a huge privilege that so many kids will be able to read my book.

“Booktrust does an amazing thing and gets books to children who don’t necessarily have access to them. At the age of four or five, children’s minds are so open and they’re in charge of how they interact with books, so it is an unquantifiable gift to have my book chosen. It’s mind-blowing really.

Nadia, 38, who also has a law degree, decided to undertake the course part-time while working as a magazine journalist in London. Her books first came to the attention of publishers at an Anglia Ruskin degree show.

She added: “I will always be indebted to Anglia Ruskin – I was a magazine journalist with no experience as an illustrator when I sent in some of my drawings, I didn’t even expect to be accepted onto the course.”

Professor Martin Salisbury, Course Leader for the MA Children’s Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin’s Cambridge School of Art, said: “We have followed Nadia’s career with great pride. Her books are intelligent and funny (just like her!). It is good to know that even more children will now get to enjoy them.”