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WINNER of the Irish Novel Prize

Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award

Adapted for television by BBC

My Name is Leon by Kit De Waal is a story of love, identity, family and the overcoming of loss.

It’s 1981, a year of riots and royal weddings. Amid tumult and change, nine-year-old Leon tries to find his place. He and his little brother Jake have gone to live with foster parent Maureen. They’ve lost one home, but have they found another?

Maureen feeds and looks after them. She has wild red hair and mutters swear words under her breath when she thinks they can’t hear. She claims everything will be okay. But will they ever see their mother again? Who are the couple who secretly visit Jake? Between the street violence and the street parties, Leon must find a way to reunite his family . . .

'Beguiling, tender, funny, compassionate... entirely heartbreaking without being bleak'

Sunday Express

'Everything in My Name is Leon rings true. It's an everyday story and this actually makes it more powerful: these are the lows and joys of real life. Someone will be living them as you read'

Emerald Street

Resources

Age: Key Stage 4

Subject: English Literature

Novel: My Name is Leon 

Author: Kit De Waal

The activities in this resource pack gives teachers and students in KS4 classes, who are studying My Name is Leon, the opportunity to engage with a fiction text, developing their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. The pack includes activities on comprehension, extract analysis, and creative writing. Additionally, there is a Teacher Planning booklet that invites teachers to consider some reflection questions to engage with before and after teaching these themes: Neglect and the Care System, Police Brutality, Interpersonal and Institutional Racism, Language and Identity. Also, there are a number of supporting resources for teachers to use to develop their learning and teaching of the content and context of the novel. 

The activities are designed to be used alongside the videos of author Kit De Waal, and the PDF extracts taken from the text.  

What's included in the resource pack?

10 videos of the Kit De Waal: four respond to (1) Social Services, (2) Police, (3) Identity, and (4) Character and Theme. There is also an Introduction video, a Recommendation video and four extract reading videos. 
4 activities PowerPoints for KS4 students. 
4 KS4 student worksheets.  
Teacher Planning booklet 

How to use the pack

The videos, PowerPoints, and worksheets are all designed to correspond with one another and can be used either together or individually in the classroom. The Teacher Planning Booklet supports both the planning and delivery of the scheme of learning for My Name is Leon, offering reflection prompts to help teachers consider factors that may influence students’ emotional responses and engagement with the novel. The booklet also references a range of supplementary materials to deepen understanding of key themes, and includes additional resources at the end to help bring Leon’s world—1981 Birmingham, as a Mixed-race young boy in care — to life.

Download the resource pack

Extract readings

Author interviews