A teacher who has spent more than a decade inspiring children to read, write and use their imagination has published her first children’s book – and one lucky reader can win a signed copy.
Zainab Shahid, Assistant Headteacher at Selborne Primary School in Perivale, is celebrating the publication of But, It’s Raining!, a picture book that encourages young readers to see rainy days in a different light.
Drawing on 13 years of experience in primary education, Zainab said working with younger children inspired her to create a story of her own.
She said: “Working in lower school there’s such a focus on reading, writing and using your imagination. I thought I should take my own advice on board and bring the experience I’ve gained from teaching children over the last 13 years into my own story.”
The book follows 6-year-old Ming Mei, who is convinced rain ruins everything and would rather stay indoors than get wet. Through conversations with her mother, she gradually learns how rain helps plants grow, provides water for animals and keeps the natural world alive.
‘It’s about looking at the positives’
Zainab found inspiration for the story in the reactions of her pupils to rainy days, when the weather meant swapping outdoor play for time indoors.
“We tend to complain about the rain, but it does wonders for the Earth. We can enjoy the rain too, it’s just a different experience,” she said.
Zainab hopes the story will show children that even gloomy days can have something good to offer.
‘I wanted the children to be able to see themselves’
“It’s about looking at the positives,” she said.
The book’s main character, Ming Mei, is a British Chinese child, with her name partly inspired by a pupil at the school. Zainab, who is British Pakistani, said she wanted the story’s characters to reflect the diversity of modern Britain without making that the focus of the story.
Growing up in multicultural West London has shaped her belief that children should see a range of cultures and backgrounds reflected in the stories they read.
“I wanted the children to be able to see themselves,” she said.
Since the book was published in July, it has already proved popular among the students at the school. They even performed an assembly based on the story, bringing its characters and message to life, while copies have been placed in classrooms and the school library.
As a first-time author, Zainab self-published the title after finding an illustrator online and navigating the process largely on her own.
“It was very scary,” she admitted. “I had no guidance and didn’t know any authors.”
Alongside the book, she has also created songs and animations based on the story to help bring its themes to life for young audiences.
Zainab is already working on a second book, focused on autumn and helping children understand seasonal change, and says this may not be the last readers see of Ming Mei.
“I think it’s fun writing for little children,” she said. “They’re very curious.”
Win a signed copy
To be in with a chance of winning a signed copy, email aroundealing@ealing.gov.uk with the subject line ‘But, It’s Raining!’. Remember to include your name, address and contact details, before the deadline of 23:59pm on Monday 12 October 2026.
One winner will be chosen at random and notified after the competition closes.
Buy a copy
You can also buy a copy of the book from Amazon and other bookstores including Waterstones.
Competition: terms and conditions
Once the deadline has passed, the winner will be drawn out at random. Only the winner will be contacted and informed. Only 1 competition entry is permitted per person. No financial remuneration will be offered as an alternative. If the winner does not respond within a time deemed reasonable by the competition organisers, a replacement will be drawn out at random from the correct entries, and they will claim the relevant prize instead.
