About Me

Hi, I’m Shaleena; a mum, Deputy Headteacher, SEND educator, author and content creator, with a passion for supporting children and mothers through the earliest years of family life.

Motherhood changed everything for me.

After having my son, I experienced postnatal depression, and during that period, getting out of the house and attending baby classes became so much more than simply something to do. They gave me routine, connection and a reason to get ready and leave the house on difficult days. They helped me meet other mums, spend intentional time with my baby and, slowly, begin to feel like myself again.

That experience is a huge part of why I created Little Readers. I wanted to create the kind of space I needed as a new mum: welcoming, relaxed and purposeful — somewhere children can learn and explore, but where parents feel equally supported and connected.

Educator at Heart

I have over 10 years' experience in education and currently work as a Deputy Headteacher within a specialist SEND school. My career has taken me from nurseries and Early Years settings through to schools and senior leadership, with particular expertise in EYFS and SEND.

I hold a fully qualified teacher status as well as a degree in Language, Literacy & Communications, and early reading has always been particularly important to me.

The early years provide the foundations for so much of a child's future development. Introducing babies and young children to books isn't simply about teaching them to read; it's about developing communication, vocabulary, attention, imagination, connection and a genuine enjoyment of stories.

That's the thinking behind Little Readers. I combine my professional experience with sensory play and well-loved children's texts to make stories engaging and accessible for different ages, developmental stages and needs.

Supporting Mothers, Too

My passion for supporting mothers extends beyond Little Readers.

I am the author of 365 Ways I Love You: Words of Love for New Mothers, a collection created to offer new mothers the reassurance, encouragement and love that can sometimes get lost amongst the practicalities of having a baby.

I also create personalised pregnancy and postpartum poetry and gifts because I believe new mothers deserve gifts that acknowledge them, not just another baby onesie!

My own wellbeing journey has also led me to train as certified Meditation Instructor and complete a Yoga Teacher Accreditation I use these skills to weave into all my services.

Motherhood, Unfiltered

Alongside my education and writing, I'm a motherhood and lifestyle content creator, sharing the funny, beautiful, chaotic and sometimes difficult realities of raising a little person.

Whether I'm creating content, writing for mothers, working with children with SEND or sitting on the floor bringing a story to life with a room full of toddlers, the thread running through everything I do is the same:

Supporting children to grow and helping mothers feel a little less alone while they do it.