In Care and Incredible

An inspiring children's book featuring bite-sized fact files about remarkable people who have experienced foster care, kinship care, or adoption.

Did you know that some of the world's most inspiring people - from Steve Jobs to Mary Seacole - didn't have the easiest childhoods?

In Care and Incredible introduces young readers to 30 outstanding individuals who spent time in foster care, lived with relatives, or were adopted, and went on to achieve extraordinary things. From record-breaking athletes and award-winning writers to inventors, activists and leaders, their stories show that your beginnings do not define your future.

This unique and inspiring collection for children aged 6+ celebrates remarkable people from history, sport, music, science, and beyond who have experienced care. Featuring individuals from diverse backgrounds and countries around the world, including:

Simone Biles - Olympic gymnast and sporting icon

Maya Angelou - writer, poet and civil rights activist

Raheem Sterling - international footballer

Li Cunxin - ballet dancer and author

Steve Jobs - entrepreneur and co-founder

John Lennon - musician, songwriter and cultural icon

Filled with fun illustrations and fascinating facts, each profile highlights resilience, determination and achievement. The book also includes a special section where readers can create their own fact file, encouraging confidence, self-reflection and ambition.

Written and illustrated by creators with lived experience of being in care, In Care and Incredible celebrates the many different paths to happiness and success.

Perfect for opening up conversations about identity, belonging and aspiration, it inspires care-experienced children-and all young readers-to believe in their potential and write their own success story.

Selected as 'One of the Best New Inclusive Children's Books in July 2026' by Inclusive Books for Children
''A lovely collection of 30 uplifting and inclusive biographies... The challenges the children faced are skilfully blended into inspiring stories of how they went on to become world-renowned inventors, scientists, entertainers and other impactful figures.' - IBC Reviewer

'What a fantastic concept-a book all about extraordinary people who spent part/all of their childhood as an adoptee or in foster care. A book to give great hope to children in similar circumstances and to those who work in the foster care system.' - Educator, NetGalley Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'It opens up important conversations about identity, resilience, belonging and aspiration in a positive and sensitive way... A thoughtful, empowering and much-needed book that I would happily recommend to schools, families and anyone working with care experienced children.' - Educator, NetGalley Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rosie Canning is a writer and researcher who uses a care experience lens-a way of seeing the world through the eyes of those who have lived in care. She grew up in London in foster care and children's homes. A reader of orphan tales, she went on to study literature and become a librarian. Rosie completed a PhD which reflected on the practice of writing an autobiographical novel, Hiraeth, and the representation of care-experience in literature. Hiraeth follows a young girl leaving care in London in the mid-1970s and finding her way in the world.
Dee Michell is a researcher, academic and advocate based in South Australia. She was placed in foster care at age 3 and lived in that system for about 15 years. Later in life she went into higher education, completing her university studies (including a PhD) as a mature-age student. One of her major publications is The Slow Evolution of Foster Care in Australia - Just Like a Family? (co-written with Nell Musgrove) which traces the history of foster care in Australia, situating personal stories of care-experienced people alongside policy, institutional and social change.