Ali’s First Day

 

Audience: Children and Preschool/Early Childhood

Language: English and Arabic

 

Join Ali on his first day at school!

This delightful full-colour children’s picture book is aimed at early readers aged 4+. It follows Ali through his first day at school, struggling to have his voice heard in the classroom and the playground, baffled by the canteen choices and completely overwhelmed because English is not his first language. Will he find a way to cope?

This is not only a relatable story for any child who has felt nervous before starting school, but also a hopeful tale based on the experiences of real immigrants. We need more resources that will encourage local kids to be tolerant, welcoming, kind and immigrant kids to be resilient, curious, patient. This book aims to do just that.

Illustrated by talented Egyptian artist Noura Adel, the hand-drawn images capture Ali’s emotions in a way that AI could never. Ali’s First Day addresses big questions about immigration, language and belonging in an accessible and child-friendly format that belongs on every child’s bookshelf.

 

Order now via Browns Books or Etsy!

 

About the Author

Martina Gilli, known to students as Tina The Tutor, is an experienced teacher and tutor based in England. An immigrant herself, Martina vividly remembers her first day as an Italian girl in an English-speaking school in South Africa.

As a young adult she emigrated to England, obtained Qualified Teacher Status and worked for years teaching languages across Year 7 to Year 13. She now runs Tina The Tutor, teaching languages to children and adults. Martina is also a form tutor in a state college, offering pastoral guidance to teens from all walks of life. Through this role, she was shortlisted for the Outstanding Personal Tutor Award in 2021, coming third nationally.

In 2025, Martina decided to write her first illustrated children’s book, Ali’s First Day, inspired by her own childhood and the experiences of her many students. With the vertiginous rise of AI, she was adamant her work would be written and illustrated entirely by herself and a professional illustrator.

A proud speaker of five languages (Italian, French, isiZulu, Spanish and English), she wants to learn Arabic and Korean someday.