Marianne Sargent has been a part time primary and early years education lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University and has an MA in early years education. She has previously worked as a foundation stage teacher in maintained schools in Jersey and England. Marianne also wrote the Little Book of Story Bags, which was published by Featherstone Education in 2008.

The stories featured in this book come from all over the world. The Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage sets out the requirement that children be provided with 'positive images that challenge children's thinking and help them embrace differences in gender, ethnicity, language, religion, culture...' Stories are powerful medium that engage and envelop young children, helping them to enter unfamiliar worlds and begin to empathise with characters from different backgrounds. This book provides a range of stories through which young children can explore and learn about other cultures.

Each activity page will include:

* The story
* Adult-led and independent activity ideas to follow up the story
* Related songs, poems and rhymes
* A list of additional stories, information books and websites
* Relevant links with the EYFS Areas of Learning and Development