At the request of the Governments of Scotland and Wales, schools in these areas will be invited to choose to receive copies. The book was originally scheduled to be released to schools in the coming weeks, in anticipation of next month’s jubilee weekend, and would be available in major local languages, including Gaelic and Welsh. New details and images of the book released on Sunday reveal that the narrative will focus on the adventures of a little girl named Isabella, who visits her great-aunt and learns about many of the highlights of Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign. In collaboration with royal experts and historians, the book includes famous excerpts from the Queen, facts about the coronation ceremony and anecdotes about the lives of famous Commonwealth figures such as Nelson Mandela. It also contains information about notable kings and queens and a chronology of Queen Elizabeth’s own life. The UK government has reportedly awarded a 12 12 million contract to London-based publisher DK books to produce 211,000 bilingual copies of the book to be distributed to children in less than 3,000 schools and colleges in Wales. But after seeing the first pages, members of the Welsh government felt it would not be appropriate to distribute it to every student. Instead, they asked in March for the schools to ask for their copies. It has been described as having an Anglo-centric line that did not give due importance to the history of the decentralized regions of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Government ministers are said to have been disappointed by the Welsh government’s initial reaction to their plans, especially as the book covers how the four nations came together as one UK, including a few pages in Owain Glyndwr’s Welsh revolt against the British. in 1400 to take the title of “Prince of Wales”. The book traces the history of Britain through the memories of Grandma Joyce. When Isabella arrives at Joyce’s house, she discovers a treasure chest with souvenirs that become her guide to the history of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. The souvenirs in the box give descriptions of the lives of inspired people, important arts, design and cultural achievements, as well as innovations and landmark inventions. These include the construction of the Channel Tunnel, the election of Margaret Thatcher – the first female Prime Minister – and the creation of the World Wide Web. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “Queen Elizabeth II is the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee and Her Majesty’s dignity, commitment and grace continue to inspire people around the world. “I hope all our students are as excited as I am about reading about Her Majesty’s amazing life and the people and events that have shaped history over the last 70 years.” The book will also be on private sale from June 23.
