Hanna Asks for Help: an uplifting picture book about maths struggles and asking for help

Hanna Asks for Help: A Big Bright Feelings Book is a 32-page paperback by Tom Percival, published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, part of the bestselling Big Bright Feelings series. Hanna loves playing sport but finds maths a real puzzle, and nothing she tries seems to work until she finds the courage to ask for a little bit of help. It suits both home and school settings, including children with dyscalculia or other maths-related learning differences.

At 296 x 234 x 8 mm and 200 g, it is a large-format paperback well suited to shared reading. Its reassuring, funny tone makes it a springboard for talking to children about asking for help, built on the idea that everyone is good at different things.

For parents and home use

• Gives families a gentle, relatable way to talk about struggling with maths and asking for help.
• Reassures children that finding one subject hard does not mean they are not good at other things, like Hanna and sport.
• Large-format illustrations make it easy to share and enjoy during quiet time or at bedtime.
• Part of the wider Big Bright Feelings series, ideal for building a collection around emotional health and confidence.

For schools

• Works well as a whole-class or small-group read-aloud to open discussions about maths anxiety and asking for help.
• Its story of a child struggling with maths can support conversations with pupils who have dyscalculia or other maths-related learning differences.
• Low-cost, consumable format makes it practical for a school library, book corner or SEND resource base.
• Simple, story-led structure suits pupils who benefit from a warm, low-pressure introduction to a difficult topic.

For children with dyscalculia, seeing a character like Hanna, who finds maths a genuine struggle despite trying hard, can help normalise their own experience. The story's message, that asking for help is a strength rather than a weakness, can be especially reassuring for children who have found number work frustrating or upsetting.

Picture books that model asking for help are widely used by parents, teachers and SENCOs as an accessible way to open conversations about learning differences, self-confidence and emotional wellbeing.

Hanna Asks for Help is available now from The Dyslexia Shop, ready for home reading time, school libraries, or as a gentle conversation-starter about maths struggles and asking for support.

• Follows Hanna, who loves sport but struggles with maths, as she learns to ask for help.
• Part of Tom Percival's bestselling Big Bright Feelings series.
• 32 pages of large-format, colourful illustrations.
• Dimensions 296 x 234 x 8 mm, weight 200 g.
• Written and illustrated by Tom Percival, published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.

• A relatable maths struggle. Hanna's honest frustration with maths can help children with dyscalculia feel understood rather than alone.
• Reframes asking for help as a strength. The story shows that finding the courage to ask for support is one of life's greatest joys, not a weakness.
• From a bestselling, trusted series. Part of Tom Percival's Big Bright Feelings series, described as the ideal starting point for discussions about emotional health.
• A trusted specialist retailer. Supplied by The Dyslexia Shop, a UK retailer focused entirely on dyslexia and other learning differences.

Delivery and Returns

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• What is Hanna Asks for Help by Tom Percival?
  It is a 32-page picture book from the Big Bright Feelings series, following Hanna as she struggles with maths and eventually finds the courage to ask for help. It is designed to open conversations about asking for support.
• Is this book suitable for children with dyscalculia?
  Yes, Hanna's honest struggle with maths can help children with dyscalculia or other maths-related learning differences feel understood. The story reassures children that asking for help with a difficult subject is a strength.
• Is this book suitable for use in the classroom?
  Yes, it works well as a whole-class or small-group read-aloud to open discussions about maths struggles and asking for help. Its low cost also makes it suitable for a school library or SEND resource base.
• Is this a good book for a child who struggles with maths?
  Yes, Hanna's story of finding maths a real puzzle, despite trying hard, can help a child feel less alone with their own maths difficulties, while showing that help is available.
• What age range is Hanna Asks for Help suitable for?
  It is designed for young children, in line with its picture book format and the wider Big Bright Feelings series, which is aimed at early years and primary-age children.
• What is this book about?
  It follows Hanna, who loves playing sport but finds maths a real puzzle, as nothing she tries works until she finds the courage to ask for a little bit of help.