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Best Children's Book Publishing Companies in UK

Showing 28 publishers that match your search.

Hot Key Books

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Children's, and Fiction

Part of: Bonnier Publishing > Hot Key Books

Location: London, GB

Website: http://hotkeybooks.com/

Accepts unagented submissions

💥 Hit titles

Clap When You Land

Elizabeth Acevedo

The Cruel Prince

Holly Black

David Fickling Books

Genres: Picture Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Children's

Location: Oxford, GB

Website: https://www.davidficklingbooks.com/

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Mark Haddon

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The Book of Dust

Philip Pullman

Flying Eye Books

Genres: Picture Book and Children's

Part of: Nobrow Press > Flying Eye Books

Website: https://flyingeyebooks.com/

Yes Queries & manuscript entries - View guidelines →

Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space

Dominic Walliman & Ben Newman

Bandoola: The Great Elephant Rescue

William Grill

Shackleton's Journey

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Puffin Books

Part of: Penguin Random House > Penguin Young Readers > Puffin Books

Website: https://www.penguin.com/publishers/puffin/

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Double Fudge

The Outsiders

S. E. Hinton

Shepheard-Walwyn

Genres: Academic, Biographies & Memoirs, Business, Children's, Christian, Economics, Education & Reference, Environmental, Historical Fiction, History, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Religion & Spirituality

Website: https://shepheardwalwyn.com/

Yes Book proposal or manuscript submission - View guidelines →

The Secret Life of Real Estate and Banking

Phillip J. Anderson

Taken For a Ride: 2nd Edition

Don Riley with Fred Harrison

The Corruption of Economics: 2nd Edition

Mason Gaffney and Fred Harrison

Hatch Press

Genres: Children's and Nonfiction

Part of: Bonnier Books UK

Website: https://www.bonnierbooks.co.uk/news-and-media/hatch-press-takes-flight-with-bonnier-books-uk/?mc_cid=45e3184702&mc_eid=19f692a020

Isaac Newton and Gravity

Alex Woole and Annalise Stoney

Genres: Children's, Cookbook, Diverse Literature, Environmental, Health & Wellbeing, History, Narrative Nonfiction, and Self-Help

Website: https://watkinspublishing.com/

Yes Book pitches - View guidelines →

Kayla Lyons

Rebel Gardening

Alessandro Vitale

England on Fire

Stephen Ellcock and Mat Osman

Bloomsbury Children's Books

Part of: Bloomsbury > Bloomsbury Children's Books

Website: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/childrens/

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Sarah J. Maas

Ruby Has A Worry

Tom Percival

Hodder & Stoughton

Genres: Cookbook, Health & Wellbeing, Biographies & Memoirs, Humor, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Romance, Mystery & Crime, Young Adult, History, Politics, Horror, Action & Adventure, Nonfiction, Fiction, and Children's

Part of: Hachette > Hodder & Stoughton

Website: https://www.hodder.co.uk/

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

John le Carré

David Nicholls

Billy Summers

Stephen King

Art / Books

Genres: Picture Book, Art, Biographies & Memoirs, Photography, Architecture, Nonfiction, and Children's

Website: https://www.artbookspublishing.co.uk/

Yes Book proposals - View guidelines →

The Roundel

Tamsin Dillon

Bettina von Zwehl & Josh Cohen

Modern World

Michael Bracewell

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Related Resources:

• How to Publish a Children's Book: A Guide for First-Time Authors  (blog post)
• How to Self-Publish a Children's Book in 7 Magical Steps (blog post)
• How to Find an Illustrator to Bring Your Children's Book to Life (blog post)
• How Much Does it Cost to Publish a Children's Book? (blog post)
• How to Write a Picture Book Query Letter in 6 Steps (blog post)
• Children’s Books 101: Writing for the Right Age Group (free course by Anna Bowles)
• How to Market Your Children's Book (free course by Eevi Jones)

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Welcome to Firefly Press, we are an award-winning independent children’s and YA publisher based in Wales. We publish quality fiction in all genres for 5-19 years olds.

And I Hear Dragons cover reveal

Happy St. David's Day! Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! To celebrate St Davidʼs Day, we're revealing the cover of our brand new childrenʼs poetry anthology of ʻdragon-focusedʼ poems, conceived and edited by the National Poet of Wales, Hanan Issa, with a wonderful 'dragonʼ cover...

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Firefly Press will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide newsletter updates. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at [email protected].

Our Authors & Illustrators

Meet our lovely authors and illustrators.

Rights & Trade Catalogue

Find out more about our books.

Welcome to HarperCollins Children’s Books

Inspire a lifelong love of reading with our award-winning children’s books, timeless classics and brilliantly funny blockbusters. harpercollins children’s books is home to some of the most popular authors in children’s literature today, including david walliams, hannah gold, michael morpurgo and oliver jeffers, as well as much-loved classics like the tiger who came to tea, a bear called paddington and the chronicles of narnia..

Adventure lies beyond the cat flap!

The first book in the delightful new series by Adam Stower is out now! With charming and hilarious illustrations and immediately loveable characters, Murray The Viking, is sure to become a firm favourite!

Our HarperCollins Children’s Books Spring Catalogue 2024 is now available to view

Head to the World of David Walliams!

Find out more about David’s BRAND NEW comic book adventure, Astrochimp, landing 23rd May!

Discover the next adventure from Ross Welford!

The BRILLIANT and mind-bendingly clever follow up to the bestselling, Time Travelling With A Hamster is out now!

Top Picks for Easter!

The Easter Bunny Hunt

Easter? That’s Not Right!

Paddington’s Easter Egg Hunt

A Percy the Park Keeper Story – One Springy Day (A Percy the Park Keeper Story)

Happy Easter from the Crayons

The Adventures of Paddington – The Adventures of Paddington – Hatching Chicks

Bing: The Rainybow Song: Singalong Sound Book

Baby Bunny’s Easter Surprise

Murray and Bun – Murray and Bun (1) – Murray the Viking

Brambly Hedge – Spring Story (Brambly Hedge)

Sammy – Sammy and the Extra-Hot Chilli Powder (Sammy, Book 1)

A Farms for City Children Book – Katerina the Cat and Other Tales from the Farm (A Farms for City Children Book)

The Lorax Activity Book

The World’s Worst Pets

Mog and Bunny and Other Stories

Featured audiobooks.

The Kid Who Came From Space

The Ice Monster

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth

One Springy Day

Pages & Co.: Tilly and the Lost Fairy Tales (Pages & Co., Book 2)

Privacy overview.

Macmillan Children's Books

Macmillan Children’s Books is one of the UK’s leading children’s publishers, creating and publishing absorbing and exciting stories for children of all ages for over 150 years. Macmillan was the original publisher of classic heritage titles such as  The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland  and  The Jungle Book , and we continue to acquire and publish future classics of tomorrow for the global market. 

We publish as Macmillan Children's Books and also under three other imprints: Two Hoots, Campbell Books and Kingfisher.  We are the number one picture book imprint and are proud to publish best-selling and prize-winning authors and illustrators: Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler, Rod Campbell, Chris Riddell, Emily Gravett, Jill Murphy, Lane Smith and Margaret Wise-Brown. We are home to classic picture books such as  The Gruffalo ,  Dear Zoo ,  Peace at Last  and also fresh new picture books, from the warm and funny  Colin and Lee  and Two Hoots’ stunning book about women’s suffrage,  Suffragette , to the raucous fun of Kes Grey’s  You’re called What?

Our acclaimed fiction and YA list features many bestsellers and prize-winners, from the Costa award-winning  The Skylarks’ War , to Waterstones Book Prize winner,  Children of Blood and Bone . Our authors and illustrators include Chris Riddell, Hilary McKay, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Frances Hardinge, Tomi Adeyemi, Judy Blume, Roddy Doyle, Eva Ibbotson and many more, with bestselling series such as  Treehouse ,  Moone Boy  and Enid Blyton's  Adventure  series and the forthcoming  Adventures on Trains .  We have a growing non-fiction list, featuring authors such as Dougie Poynter, Natasha Devon and Dick and Dom, as well as an extensive poetry list, including bestsellers such as Allie Esiri's  A Poem For Every Day of the Year  and Carol-Ann Duffy’s  101 Poems for Children .   

0 - 6 bestsellers

Cat's Cookbook

Julia Donaldson

Axel Scheffler

Just One of Those Days

Jill Murphy

Arlo The Lion Who Couldn't Sleep

Catherine Rayner

Rod Campbell

The Gruffalo

6+ bestsellers.

You Are a Champion

Marcus Rashford

The 130-Storey Treehouse

Andy Griffiths

Terry Denton

The Highland Falcon Thief

M. G. Leonard

Sam Sedgman

Elisa Paganelli

Children of Virtue and Vengeance

Tomi Adeyemi

The Skylarks' War

Hilary McKay

The Lie Tree

Frances Hardinge

Delta and the Lost City

Anna Fargher

Sharing a Shell 20th Anniversary Edition

Lydia Monks

Who's Amazing?

Camilla Reid

Who's Happy?

Try: A picture book about friendship

Kevin Sinfield

Ben Whitehouse

Colours of Things!

Pippa Goodhart

Maisie Jones and the Dinosaur Bones

Lily Murray

The Gruffalo and Friends Search and Find

Cluedle - The Case of the Golden Pomegranate

Hartigan Browne

The Tooth Fairy and the Crocodile

Winnie-the-Pooh and the Party

Jeanne Willis

Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea

Pari Thomson

A Rainforest Story

Jane Burnard

Kendra Binney

Five Little Ducks

Jill Howarth

Old Macdonald had a Farm

Sylvanian Families: A Day in Sylvanian Land Sticker Book

Macmillan Children's Books

Dear Zoo: Your Colouring Book

My Hair is as Long as a River

Charlie Castle

Emma Farrarons

One Ted Falls Out of Bed 20th Anniversary Edition

Anna Currey

It Wasn't Me!

Marta Altés

Frog's Day Out

Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony

Chris Riddell

Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright

Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse

See all Macmillan Children's books

Nosy Crow Homepage

Nosy crow is a multi‑award‑winning, independent children’s publishing company. we make child‑focused, parent‑friendly children’s books, audio and ebooks for ages 0‑12., latest releases from nosy crow.

A Llama Called Lightning

Baby Faces: Little Lion, Where Are You?

How Many Dinosaurs is Too Many?

Lenny Lemmon and the Alien Invasion

Explore our range of books.

Enrich your child’s world with Nosy Crow books, available to buy online and at your local independent bookshop.

Best Children’s Books for 2023

Below is a list of some of the top…

Latest from the blog

Read an exclusive extract of shadow fox by carlie sorosiak, kid’s club march 2024, happy world poetry day our crow’s favourite poems, want to stay in the loop, we noticed you're visiting from the us or canada.

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Penguin Random House Children’s

By bringing together the greatest stories, brands and authors of any global children’s publisher, Penguin Random House Children’s are here to help create and rediscover heroes for each new generation.

Discover our books

Find stories to read together

Discover your favourite stories

Bestselling books for young adults

Our recent highlights

We make our big brands bigger.

We are a powerhouse of children’s publishing: a business with real scale, reach and ambition. That gives us the unique ability to take our big brands to another level.

We reinvent the classics

We find new ways to tell the world’s favourite stories. We introduce everyone’s favourite childhood characters to each new generation using a fresh and innovative approach.

We create tomorrow's brands today

We invest in brilliant debut stories and brands to discover incredible new talent.

We even think beyond the book

We’re not just a publisher, we’re a brand owner. We bring together our  licensing, consumer products and TV production strategies  to find new ways to tell the world’s favourite stories.

We bring our books to life in lots of different ways

For every age and every stage, from baby to teen and all in between, we bring stories to life everywhere you look. Whether children meet our characters through our award-winning apps, hear from our heroes first on Soundcloud, or pick up a recommendation from one of our YouTube videos, we make sure everyone can find a way into the stories we know they’ll love for a lifetime.

Peppa Stars

Read along as Mummy and Daddy Pig let Peppa and George go outside and look at the stars. With the help of a telescope, Peppa and George find the North Star and more wonders in space.

All 19 of your favourite Roald Dahl audiobooks in one phizz-whizzing library app. Readers include Oscar-winner Kate Winslet, national treasure Stephen Fry and  Little Britain  star David Walliams.

Where’s Dennis? (and Gnasher!)

Can you find Dennis the Menace and his pesky pooch? From Lord Snooty’s castle to the Bash Street dinner hall, these jam-packed scenes are filled with classic Beano faves.

The Anne Frank App

Explore Anne’s world: what it looked, sounded and felt like living in hiding. Rediscover her story with 21 video clips, exclusive audio extracts read by Helena Bonham Carter and commentary from Miep Gies - one of the helpers who risked her life to aid Anne and her family in hiding.

Audiobooks can transform the school run into a jaunt on the high seas, take little listeners to new worlds or simply add an extra whizz-pop to bedtime. Check out the Puffin Books Soundcloud channel for all the latest releases and join more than 500,000 followers listening to the Puffin Podcast.

Go to the Puffin Books Soundcloud

Penguin Schools

Puffin Schools is a dedicated channel for teachers and librarians, inspiring them to share stories and celebrate the power of reading with children and young people. Puffin Schools gives teachers and librarians access to our brilliant Puffin authors and illustrators each term through our varied schedule of live and streamed events, including our Puffin Virtual Visits and our Puffin Story Makers Shows , starring the world’s biggest and most-loved children’s authors and illustrators.

Penguin Platform

A place for young adults to share, create, discover and debate.

Meet our Managing Director

Francesca Dow

Contact representatives from Penguin Random House Children's for enquiries relating to titles from Ladybird, Puffin and Penguin.

Alice Broderick

PR Director

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 02071393072

Tania Vian-Smith

Deputy PR Director

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 4402071393058

Rosamund Hutchison

Head of PR, Primary & Teen

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 02071393865

Sophia Smith

Head of PR, Pre-School & Primary

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 4402071393598

Harriet Venn

Senior Publicity Manager

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 4402071393404

Sophia Dryden

Senior PR Manager, Pre-school & Primary

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 02071393634

Simon Armstrong

Publicity Manager, Primary & Teen

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Senior Press Officer, Primary & Teen

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School Reading List

Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK

Home » Resources » Children’s Book Publishers in UK

Children’s Book Publishers in UK

Here’s our list of children’s book publishers in the UK – designed as a starting point for stocking primary and secondary school libraries, or finding similar books to titles that are already popular with your children and teens. These publishers’ lists cover baby & toddler fiction, picture books, fiction for children aged 5-7, early chapter books for 7-9-year-old children, middle-grade novels for 9-12-year-old tweens, 12-16 teen young adult fiction, poetry, nonfiction, textbooks and study guides – all available in the UK.

If you click browse , the link will take you to a list of all the publisher’s titles, available to purchase from Blackwell’s. Each publisher’s catalogue is listed in date order with the most recent and upcoming titles first, so using these links is a great way to keep tabs on the latest new titles from your favourite UK children’s publishers. Please note, this website may receive a commission if you decide to purchase a book from Blackwells.

UK Children’s Book Publishers A-Z

• 360 Degrees – accessible and unique non-fiction for children. Browse
• 8 Books – a select range of award-winning illustrated children’s books. Highly recommended. Browse
• Abrams & Chronicle Books – an extensive list including well-known authors such as Tim Flach, Jeffrey Brown, Hervé Tullet, Andrea Beaty and David Roberts. Browse
• Abrams Appleseed – appealing books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Browse
• Acair – focussing on Scottish Gaelic children’s books with ‘a wide range of titles in Scottish Gaelic and English’. Browse
• Albury Books – a self-publishing firm that lists children’s books. Browse
• Allen & Unwin Children’s Books – the best of Australian children’s fiction now available in the UK. Browse
• Alma Junior – contemporary and classic children’s books with great illustrations. Browse
• Alison Green Books   – vibrant picture books for younger children. Browse
• Amulet Books – novels, graphic novels, and nonfiction for young adults and middle-grade readers. Great for reluctant readers. Browse
• Andersen Press – founded in 1976 by Klaus Flugge, and named after Hans Christian Andersen. Home to many famous picture book authors. Browse
• Andrews McMeel Publishing – ‘dedicated to discovering and publishing authors and creators with original voices’. Browse
• Annick Press – ‘Supporting writers who have been historically excluded from children’s publishing.’ Browse
• Arcturus – Stunning nonfiction, puzzle and activity books. Browse
• Autumn Publishing – Part of the Bonnier publishing group. Browse
• BabyLit – BabyLit (Gibbs-Smith) books teach babies and toddlers basic concepts. Storybooks for 0-5. Browse
• Badger Learning – teaching resources for Key Stages 1-4. Browse
• Barefoot Books – carefully crafted children’s books, children’s CDs and children’s gifts that spark imagination, exploration, and creativity. Browse
• Barrington Stoke – fiction and non-fiction adapted to different reading ages for reluctant, under-confident and dyslexic children and teens. Browse
• Big Picture Press – spectacular, often large format, illustrated nonfiction. A must for the school library and topic book collections. Browse
• Blink – gripping nonfiction for secondary-aged libraries. Browse
• Bloomsbury Children’s Books – one of the most prolific children’s book publishers in the UK. The home of Harry Potter. Browse
• Book Island – an independent publisher offering highly illustrated picture books from around the world. Browse
• Booklife Publishing – curriculum and topic books for children aged 3-11. Very strong on PSHE. Browse
• Boxer Books – picture books, fiction and activity books for younger children aged 3-11. Browse
• Bridge House – an independent publisher that also offers services for writers. Browse
• b small publishing – an inclusive publisher offering inspirational books that make children think. Great for classroom libraries. Browse
• Buster Books – fiction, nonfiction and picture books for creative and curious children. Browse
• Campfire – stylized graphic novels, including sporting heroes, myths, legends, and powerful dynasties. Great for KS3 and GCSE. Browse
• Campbell Books – books for toddlers to explore and play with. Very interactive. Browse
• Candy Jar Books – passionate about discovering new voices. Children’s and YA lists. Browse
• Cranachan Publishing – a Scottish publisher whose imprints include Pokey Hat (8-12) and Gob Stopper (YA). Great for able readers who are reluctant to read fiction. Browse
• Catch a Star – picture books for early readers and toddlers. Browse
• Caterpillar Books – interactive and sensory books for babies and toddlers to help them learn through play. Browse
• CGP Books – thorough and popular study and exam revision guides for all subjects – KS2, KS3 & KS4. Browse
• Charlesbridge – a full range of children’s and YA fiction and nonfiction. Open for submissions. Browse
• Cherrytree Books – an excellent starting point for picking distinctive and standout books for a primary school library. Browse
• Chicken House – a truly forward-thinking UK children’s book publisher. Very strong on contemporary children’s and middle-grade fiction. Browse
• Child’s Play International – the independent publisher behind Storysacks. Strong on child development. Browse
• Cicada – beautifully illustrated picture books. Great for primary school libraries, and especially for eye-catching book displays. Browse
• Crown House – an award-winning independent publisher that specialises in education, personal growth, and an expanding list of powerful issue-based YA and children’s books. The home of Anthony Kessel. Browse
• Curved House Kids – strong on early literacy and promoting STEM. Good for KS2. Browse
• David Fickling Books – A strong range of children’s, middle-grade and YA fiction and comics. Browse .
• Dinosaur Books – ‘fresh fiction for children aged 5-12’. Browse
• Downtown Bookwords – inclusive and diverse books for children and young adults. Very strong on illustrated nonfiction. Browse
• DK (Dorling Kindersley) – an extensive range of often large format and hardback nonfiction and reference books. A staple for KS2 and KS3 school libraries. Browse
• Dref Wen – the leading publisher of Welsh language original and translated books for children. An extensive list. Browse
• Egmont Publishing – established publisher of children’s fiction, graphic novels, nonfiction, and magazines. Their website features useful teacher resources to download. Browse
• EK Books – publishing children’s books ‘on themes that other publishers fear to touch’. A good starting point for beefing up a primary PSHE resource cupboard. Browse
• Electric Monkey – ‘high voltage’ YA fiction. Ideal for that Year 9 group that doesn’t respond to anything in printed form. Highly recommended for KS3/4. Browse
• The Emma Press – a really interesting range of children’s fiction, picture books, poetry, and translated works. Guaranteed to make children think. Browse
• Enchanted Lion Books – an independent publisher with a stunning collection of inspirational picture books, children’s fiction, and YA. Really good for picture books with more complex themes to read aloud to KS2. Browse
• Everything with Words – a small independent publisher with a growing list of award-winning children’s and YA fiction. No fillers here. A good starting point for ‘greater depth’ pupils in upper KS2 and lower KS3. Browse
• Faber and Faber – one of the longest-established children’s book publishers in the UK. A wide range of children’s fiction , real-life narrative, picture books, and young adult novels . Browse
• Faros Books – an independent publisher ‘with a vision to inspire and entertain children.’ Very strong on illustrated fiction for younger children. Browse
• Firefly Press – an award-winning children’s and YA publisher based in Wales. Very strong on fun and gripping fiction for junior and middle-grade-aged children. Browse
• Floris Books – Edinburgh-based publisher with an extensive children’s list including Kelpies. The home of The Nowhere Emporium and Ruby McCracken. Browse
• Flying Eye Books – no KS2 library is complete without a Flying Eye book on display in the non-fiction section. These large format books are lavishly illustrated and ooze awe and wonder from every double-page spread. There’s also an increasing range of picture books, poetry, and graphic novels. Browse
• Frances Lincoln Children’s Books – a wide range of culturally diverse illustrated picture books. A must-see for KS1 librarians. Browse
• Full-Media – a growing collection of full-colour, high-quality picture books and charity tie-ins with organisations including the Rainforest Trust UK. Browse .
• Galore Park – a leading publisher of textbooks and revision guides for KS2 and KS3. A good selection of materials for 11+ and 13+ entrance exams and Common Entrance teacher and revision. Browse
• Gecko Press – picture books and books for younger children. A good range of downloadable teacher resources on the publisher’s website. Browse
• Gill Books – An Irish publisher with a full range of children’s fiction, nonfiction and picture books. Checking their range is a good opportunity to source quality children’s literature that might not be in your local bookshop. Browse
• Girls Gone By Publishers – republished and reimagined classic children’s books with an emphasis on fiction for girls. Browse
• Gob Stopper – a range of gripping YA novels set in Scotland. A great source of new material for KS3/4 libraries. Browse
• Graffeg – a diverse range of vibrantly illustrated books for children. A good range for KS1 and early KS2. Browse
• Greystone Kids – a range of stunningly illustrated fiction picture books for younger readers and engaging non-fiction for 9-12s. Browse
• Guppy Publishing – an independent publisher based in Oxford. Authors include Sharon Creech and Beverley Birch. Browse
• Harper Collins Children’s Books – one of the biggest children’s book publishers in the UK. Home to Katherine Applegate, Grace Byers and Dan Gutman. Browse
• HQ Young Adult – An imprint of Harper Collins. A great starting point for stocking your KS3 and KS4 fiction library. Authors include Melissa de la Cruz and Robin Talley. Browse
• Hamish Hamilton – publishing a small number of children’s books each year. Home of ‘The Lost Words’. Browse
• Hawthorn Press – ‘Thoughtful books to support a creative, peaceful and sustainable world.’ Browse
• Hashtag Press – a small publisher that includes children’s picture books and YA on its list. passionate about strong female characters. Browse
• Head of Zeus – Independent Publisher of the Year in 2017, and joined the Bloomsbury family in 2021. Browse
• Heinemann – a leading publisher of resources and professional development materials for teachers in primary and secondary schools.  Browse
• Hodder Children’s Books – a wide-ranging list of fiction for KS2, KS3, and KS4. Browse
• Hogs Back Books – illustrated picture books for primary school children.  Browse
• Hot Key Books – books for ‘the young and young at heart’. A really interesting output, including Robert Muchamore and Chris Ryan. One of the first places to look for KS3 fiction with bite. Browse
• Hubble & Hattie Kids – for all things animal – fiction and nonfiction. Great for KS2. Browse
• Imagine That Publishing – an award-winning independent publisher of children’s fiction and picture books. Open for submissions. Browse
• Ink Road – A young adult imprint that focuses on edgy, gritty material suitable for KS4 and KS5. Highly recommended for secondary libraries. Home to Akemi Dawn Bowman. Browse
• Jessica Kingsley Publishers – an outstanding collection of books for children and teens that deal with difficult issues such as Asperger’s, autism, dyslexia, loss, and bullying. Browse
• Knockabout Comics – producing comics, books, and graphic novels since 1975.
• Ladybird Books – a wide range of fiction and nonfiction for children aged 0-11 from one of the best-known children’s publishers in the UK. Browse
• Laurence King – a really strong collection of illustrated nonfiction suitable for KS1 and KS2. Useful for sourcing contemporary books for a primary school library. Browse
• Lemniscaat – specialises in beautiful picture books. No primary school library is complete without books from this list. Browse
• Letts Educational – a leading publisher of revision and study materials for KS2-Ks5. Browse
• Little Gestalten – distinctive and compelling illustrated fiction and nonfiction for children up to 11. Books to be looked at as well as read. Browse
• Little Tiger Press – an independent publisher with a wide range of predominantly fiction for preschool to teenaged children. Home to Nicola Penfold and Barry Timms. Browse
• Lonely Planet Kids – a collection of engaging and colourful guides to cities, countries, animals, and worlds. Ideal for KS2. Browse
• Macmillan Children’s Books – one of the longest-established children’s book publishers in UK. Authors and illustrators include Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler, Rod Campbell, Chris Riddell, Emily Gravett, and Jill Murphy. Browse
• Matthew James Publishing – an independent publisher of fiction and nonfiction children’s books with notable religious education resources. Browse
• Maverick Books – picture books for younger readers and an exciting range of middle-grade fiction. Authors include Saviour Pirotta and Alison Donald. Browse
• Miles Kelly Publishing – contemporary picture books and children’s fiction and nonfiction for children aged 3-9+. There’s a spectacular range of books that fold together to create a vehicle, ship or train to get inside. Browse
• Mogzilla – an independent publisher that focuses on historical fiction and graphic novels for children and teens. A good starting point for history topic books. Browse
• National Geographic Kids – nonfiction reference book about nature, science, and animals. Ideal for KS2 libraries. Browse
• Neem Tree Press – features a growing list of children’s and YA titles. This publisher is producing ‘books that change and broaden perspectives’ and ‘dedicated to the enthusiastic discovery of both British and international literature’. Browse
• Neon Squid – Offering ‘beautiful non-fiction books for inquisitive kids’, this range of detailed narrative non-fiction books is perfect for primary school libraries, or to browse for book gifts for 7-12-year-olds.  Browse
• New Frontier Publishing – creating children’s books to educate uplift and inspire. Browse
• Noodle Juice – books that are “visually exciting, fact-packed, laugh-out-loud eyeball magnets”, according to the publisher. Browse
• Nosy Crow – a prolific UK children’s book publisher with fiction, picture books and nonfiction books for children aged 3-12+. A very strong middle-grade fiction output with authors including Nizrana Farook, Catherine Bruton, Philip Ardagh, and Christopher Edge. Browse
• O’Brien Press – an Irish publisher with an imaginative list of children’s books for younger readers through to middle grade. Very strong historical fiction list. Good for something different in your primary library. Browse
• Old Barn Books – board books, picture books, and children’s fiction. Authors include Paul Jennings and Alison Jay. Browse
• Orchard Books – home to popular children’s book series including Beast Quest, Rainbow Magic, and Animal Ark. Be prepared to buy them all since KS2 children can’t get enough of them! Browse
• Otter-Barry – stunningly presented and illustrated picture books, poetry, early fiction, and middle-grade novels. Their list includes the Lolo series, authors Helen Bate and Fiona French, and poets Justin Coe and James Carter. Browse
• Our Street Books – an independent publisher of children’s books ‘for all ages’. Open for submissions. Authors include Mick Inkpen and Andy Robb. Browse
• Owlet Press – a collection of very engaging books for younger children. Ideal for EYFS/KS1 libraries and PSHE discussion. Browse
• Oxford University Press – an established UK children’s book publisher with a vast selection of academic material, teaching resources and fiction for children – including authors such as Valerie Thomas, Tom McLaughlin, Harriet Muncaster, and Philip Reeve.  Browse
• Palazzo Editions – a wide and varied collection of beautifully illustrated nonfiction and republished classic fiction. Worth looking at for a KS2 library. Browse
• Pandora Books – specialises in reading schemes and reading age-banded collections of books.
• Pat-a-Cake Books – books for preschool children to aid with learning development. Browse
• Pavilion Children’s – picture books for EYFS-KS2. Home to Sam Lloyd, Michael Foreman, Matt Sewell and Simon Tyler. Some really gorgeous large-format hardbacks. Browse
• Peahen Publishing – self-publishing for children’s authors with design and illustrating services. Some really well-printed and good-looking books. Browse
• Phaidon – beautiful large-format art books focussing on creative subjects. Great for the reference section of your KS2/3 library. Browse
• Piccadilly Press – a children’s book publisher in the UK with a great range of junior and middle-grade fiction. Home to Caroline Lawrence, Fleur Hitchcock, and Alex Milway. Browse 
• Pikku Publishing – illustrated books for children aged 3-12. Some fantastic illustrators, including William Papas. Browse
• Pokey Hat – fiction books for children aged 8-12 – ideal for KS2. Browse
• Prestel Publishing – owned by Penguin Random House, Prestel offers an exciting range of large format hardback non-fiction books for children, in addition to its adult architecture, art and photography titles. Browse
• Puffin Books – perhaps the best-known children’s book publisher in the UK – with new and classic fiction and nonfiction books for children and early teens, including Robin Stevens, Eric Hill, Eoin Colfer, and Charlie Higson. Browse
• Pushkin Children’s Books – a great range of contemporary middle-grade and YA fiction. Authors include Liz Hyder, Tonke Dragt, Celia Rees, and Dave Eggers. Browse
• QED Publishing – part of the Quarto group – a great collection of early themes fiction and topic books suitable for KS1 and KS2. Browse
• Quirk Books – quirky and different, there’s bound to be something from left field that’s perfect for your KS3 library. Browse
• Ragged Bears – an independent publisher with particular strengths in illustrated picture books for KS1 and KS2 and multicultural folk tales. Browse
• Raintree – a wide range of banded reading fiction, topic books, graphic novels and resources for teachers. A good starting point for finding books for EAL and reluctant readers. Browse
• Ransom Publishing – a wide range of books for reluctant readers – with suggested age bands for each book. The list includes books for the earliest readers through to YA fiction for KS4 teens. Particularly useful for secondary SENDCOs. Browse
• Red Robin Books – an independent publisher based in Somerset. Picture books and fiction for children aged 0-12. Browse
• Rockpool Children’s Books – an independent publisher of illustrated children’s picture books based in the North East of England. Browse
• Rock the Boat – ‘books from around the world, aiming to give a voice to those stories that are shied away from, that are ignored, that go unspoken’. A really good sauce of diverse fiction and narrative nonfiction for upper KS2 and KS3. Browse
• Robinswood Press – an excellent list of books for SEND and EAL pupils, including fiction and graphic novels. Very strong on handwriting resources for pupils and teachers. Browse
• Salariya Book Company – an innovative independent publisher that aims to publish books with a direct appeal to children. Lots of resources for primary school teachers on their website. Includes Book House , Scribo and Scribblers . Browse
• Scallywag Press – a new publisher with an exciting list aimed at younger children. Browse
• Scholastic – a long-established cornerstone in children’s fiction and resources for teachers. Very strong in the primary sector. Browse
• Scribe (Scribble imprint) – award-winning picture books – very engaging for EYFS and KS1. Browse
• Simon & Schuster Children’s Books – a wide range of new and classic fiction for children and young adults. The home of Ben Miller and Abi Elphinstone. Browse
• Stone Cold Fox Press – edgy young adult/teen fiction. A good archive range for Y9 and above in KS3/4/5 libraries. Browse
• Strident Publishing – distinctive fiction for children and young adults – including cartoons and poetry. Browse
• Stripes Publishing – a great range for all ages of children – very strong in illustrated fiction for younger children in EYFS and KS1. Browse
• Studio Press Books – an interesting range of mainly nonfiction books, branded series and positive message books for primary and younger secondary-aged children. Browse
• Sweet Cherry Publishing – an independent publisher from Leicester specialising in engaging stories for children from all backgrounds. Browse
• Tamarind – championing diversity and inclusion in children’s literature since 1987. Browse
• Tango Books – a cracking collection of pop-up books for children. Browse
• Tarquin Group – specialises in STEM and enrichment books and resources, including a fantastic range of books to make teaching shape and space more exciting.  Browse
• Taschen – beautiful large format hardbacks that make excellent gifts. Most of their list is aimed at an adult market (not all of their website is suitable for the classroom) but there are some fabulous children’s titles and plenty of books that will appeal to older teens interested in photography, art and pop culture. Browse
• Tate Publishing – a stunning range of art books for children produced by the Tate Gallery. Browse
• Templar Publishing – a leading children’s publisher of primary-aged fiction and nonfiction. Browse
• Tiny Owl – a range of beautifully illustrated books for children. Strong on teacher resources to download from their website. Browse
• Tiny Tree Books – a wide range of picture books and chapter fiction for children. Accepting submissions. Browse
• Troika Books – a small publisher with an unfailingly interesting list of inspirational children’s and YA books. Browse
• Tuttle Publishing – a diverse range of children’s books with an Asian theme. Browse
• Two Hoots – picture books, narrative nonfiction and poetry for children. A good starting point for an EYFS & KS1 library. Browse
• Uclan publishing – an independent publisher producing beautiful fiction and non-fiction titles for children. Described as “a disruptive spirit and an infectious enthusiasm”. Lots of debut authors in their catalogue. Browse
• Usborne Publishing – one of the best know nonfiction and fiction UK children’s book publishers. Browse
• Wacky Bee Books – an independent publisher of books for primary-aged children. Books with bite. Browse
• Walker Books Ltd – a leading publisher of children’s fiction, nonfiction, picture books, and poetry. Browse
• Wayland Books – stunning nonfiction books for the primary school library. Part of Hachette. Browse
• What on Earth Publishing – amazingly detailed and thorough nonfiction books and timelines. Every classroom should have one of their wall charts. Browse
• Wide Eyed Editions – distinctive and original nonfiction for children and middle-grade. Books to appeal to every child – every title is inspirational. The starting point for stocking your primary reference section. Browse
• Winged Chariot Press – children’s books in translation.
• words+pictures – imaginative picture books for younger children.
• Wren & Rook – edgy and inclusive books for children and YA. Always an interesting list. Browse
• ZonderKidz – Christian-themed books for younger children. Browse
• Zuntold – an independent UK children’s book publisher of chapter books and YA books based in Manchester. Browse

Is this list missing a publisher? Do contact us with more details!

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For even more new books from children’s book publishers in the UK, see our daily new book recommendations on our Facebook page and our Twitter Feed .

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17 Top Independent Children’s Book Publishers

By Katrina Kwan

Have you written a children’s book and want to publish it traditionally through an independent press?

Below you’ll find 17 top independent children’s book publishers.

1. Andersen Press

Established in 1976, Andersen Press is an independently-operated children’s book publishing company based out of London, UK. Andersen Press has worked with a number of award-winning authors, and publishes books intended for children up to twelve years old. Some of their titles include “Alexander and the Wind-Up mouse” by Leo Lionni, “A Little Bit of Winter” by Paul Stewart, and “War and Peas” by Michael Foreman.

Andersen Press is currently accepting manuscript submissions for children’s illustrated books and juvenile fiction through regular mail. If you’re sending fiction, you should include the first three chapters of your project for consideration. If submitting a children’s picture book, you’re asked to send copies of your artwork along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. For more information, you can review Andersen Press’ submissions guidelines . For general inquiries or more information, you can also reach the publisher’s team via email .

2. Annick Press

Annick Press is an independent Canadian publishing company based out of Willowdale, Ontario. Founded in 1975, Annick Press is a publisher of fiction and nonfiction for children and young adult audiences, and have published a wide range of award-winning books such as “Eyes and Spies” by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, “The Sound of Freedom” by Kathy Kracer, and “The House of One Thousand Eyes” by Michelle Barker.

Annick Press is currently accepting unsolicited manuscript submissions for children’s picture books, middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, and non-fiction for younger audiences. All submissions can be sent via email . You’re strongly encouraged to review the publishing company’s submissions guidelines before sending any material in for consideration. Annick Press is currently interested in working with writers from diverse backgrounds.

3. Barefoot Books

Based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Barefoot Books is an independent publishing company that specializes in children’s books. Established in 1992 by co-founding mothers Nancy Traversy and Tessa Strickland, Barefoot Books operates on the premise that books should celebrate diversity and spark imagination and a need for learning. Some of their award-winning titles include “How Big Is A Pig?” by Clare Beaton, “The Gigantic Turnip” by Aleksei Tolstoy and Niamh Sharkey, and “Catch that Goat!” by Polly Alakija.

They are unfortunately closed to submissions at this time, but strongly encourage you to check back at a later date. For general inquiries or more information, you can reach the team at Barefoot Books via email .

4. Berbay Publishing

Berbay Publishing is an independent children’s book publishing company that’s based out of Kew East, Australia. Specializing in producing books intended for young readers, Berbay is an award-winning publishing company that’s produced titles like “Night Walk” by Alison Binks, “Heads and Tails: Insects” by John Canty, and “The Blue Bench” by Albert Asensio.

While the publishing company is not actively seeking submissions at this time, you’re encouraged to submit a query letter through the company’s online contact form . Alternatively, if you’re an author with literary representation, you can have your literary agent submit a query letter on your behalf.

5. Candlewick Press

Candlewick Press is an independent publisher of children’s books and young reader fiction based out of Somerville, Massachusetts. Established in 1992, Candlewick Press strives to produce high-quality picture books and cutting-edge children’s fiction. They’ve published a handful of award-winning titles like “Raymie Nightingale” by Kate DiCamillo, “Sam and Dave Dig a Hole” by Mac Barnett, and “Home” by Carson Ellis.

Candlewick Press is unfortunately not open to accepting unsolicited manuscripts at this time. If you’re an author with literary representation, you’re strongly encouraged to have your literary agent submit a query letter or book proposal on your behalf. If interested in your project, a member of the Candlewick press editorial team will contact you promptly.

6. Charlesbridge Publishing

Charlesbridge Publishing is an independent publisher of children’s books based out of Watertown, Massachusetts. They produce books for younger readers, middle grade readers, and young adults in both fiction and nonfiction categories. Several of their award-winning titles include “A Long Pitch Home” by Natalie Dias Lorenzi, “Baby Pig Pig Talks” by David McPhail, and “Calabazas” by Jacqueline Farmer.

They are currently accepting manuscript submissions via regular mail. They ask that you do not include an SASE, as materials will not be returned after consideration. They are always happy to work with established and new authors, as the team at Charlesbridge Publishing values unique voices and stories that will inspire young readers. You can find more information bout their manuscript submissions guidelines here .

7. Fat Fox Books

Fat Fox Books is an independent children’s book publishing company that’s based out of Kent, UK. Recently founded in 2014, Fat Fox Books aims to publish books intended for readers between the ages of three to fourteen years old. They love to work with established authors, but are always on the lookout for new talent. Some of their titles include “I Have an Orange Juicy Drink” by Andrew Sanders, “Little Bell and the Moon” by Giles Paley-Phillips and Iris Deppe, and “Prankenstein vs. Yankenstein” by Andy Seed.

Due to the overwhelming volume of manuscript submissions that they’ve received, Fat Fox Books is currently closed to submissions at this time. You’re strongly encouraged to check back at a later date when this status may change. For general inquiries or more information, you can reach the team at Fat Fox Books via email .

8. Flash Light Press

Flash Light Press is an independent publishing company that specializes in children’s illustrated picture books. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, Flash Light Press strives to produce high-quality books with enriching stories and beautiful illustrations. A number of their titles have gone on to win literary awards, including books like “Alley Oops” by Janice Levy, “Carla’s Sandwich” by Debbi Herman, and “Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick” by Roz Rosenbluth.

They are currently accepting submissions for fictional children’s books via email . Their editorial team is primarily interested in books targeted toward readers between the ages of four to eight, that are under 1000 words in length, have universal themes, and deal with topics about family or social situations. For more information, you can review their submission guidelines .

9. Holiday House

Holiday House is an independent publishing company that specializes in publishing children’s books. Based out of New York, New York, Holiday House was first established in 1935 with the express purpose of publishing books for children. Some of their latest releases include “Look and Be Grateful” by Tomie dePaola, “The Croaky Pokey!” by Ethan Long, and “Fish Wish” by Bab Barner.

They are currently open to receiving manuscript submissions via email . They note that due to the high volume of submissions they receive, they will only contact those authors whose projects have piqued their interest. The also note that they do not publish mass-market books like pop-ups, activity books, sticker books, coloring books, or licensed titles. You can review their submission guidelines for more information.

10. Imagine That

Imagine That is an independent publishing company based out of Suffolk, UK, that primarily specializes in fiction and nonfiction intended for younger readers. Some of their picture book titles include “Always There Bear” by Trudi Granger, “Big City Kitty” by Susie Linn, and “Bubble Trouble” by Oakley Graham.

They are currently accepting manuscript submissions via email or post. They note that due to the high volume of submissions that they’ve received as of late, they will only contact those authors whose projects have interested them. You can expect to hear a reply within six to eight weeks. For more information, you can review their submission guidelines . For general inquiries or more information, you can also use their website’s online contact form to reach a member of their team.

11. Kane Miller Book Publishers

Kane Miller is an award-winning independent children’s book publisher that’s based out of San Diego, California. Some of their newest releases include titles like “Axel & Beast: Castel of Cyborgs” by Adrian C. Bott, “Be Brave!” by Dr. Sharie Coombes, and “Boy Band of the Apocalypse” by Tom Nicoll. They are unfortunately not accepting submissions at this time, but strongly encourage you to check back at a later date. For general inquiries or more information, you can contact a member of the Kane Miller team through their website’s online contact form .

12. Literary Mango

As a small, independent publishing company based out of Little Neck, New York, Literary Mango primarily publishes children’s picture books, as well as young adult science fiction and fantasy. Some of their titles include “Start with Sorry” by PT Finch, “Animals Can Sing” and “Thinking of Mom” by MO Lufkin.

They are currently accepting submissions for children’s picture books via email . For more information, you can review their submission guidelines. If interested in your project, a member of their editorial team will reach out to you promptly to discuss marketing and publication. For general inquiries or more information, you can also contact a member of the Literary Mango team through their website’s online contact form .

13. Native Ink Press

Based out of Monrovia, California, Native Ink press is an independent publishing company that specializes in producing nonfiction and children’s books. As an imprint of Ink Smith Publishing, Native Ink Press first began in 2013, publishing only a handful of titles every year. Some of their children’s books include “Baby Moo’s Great Escape” by Julie Flanders, “The Many Amazing Lives of Hildebear” by Dudley B. Dawson, and “The Gorilla Picked Me!” by Michele McAvoy.

They are currently accepting children’s books submissions from US-based authors only. They ask that you submit your manuscript via email , along with your contact information, a brief author bio, a marketing plan, and a synopsis of your story. For more information, you can review their submission guidelines . For general inquiries or more information, you can also reach out to the team at Native Ink Press through their website’s online contact form .

14. Nimbus Publishing

Nimbus Publishing is an independent Canadian publishing company based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. They publish a wide range of fiction and nonfiction, and have an ever-expanding children’s book category targeted to all ages of young readers –including a category for younger French readers! Some of their titles include “Baby’s Lullaby” by Jill Barber, “Bud the Spud” by Stompin’ Tom Connors, and “Bounce and Beans and Burn” by Doretta Groenendyk and Shannon Murray.

They are currently accepting submissions for children’s fiction, and are especially interested in representing authors from Atlantic Canada. You can submit a query letter regular mail. You should include information about your intended audience, a marketing plan (if applicable) a brief author bio, and the first three to four chapters of your book. Be sure to include an SASE if you would like your material returned to you. For more information, you can review their submission guidelines .

15. Nosy Crow

Nosy Crow is an independent publishing company based out of London, UK. Specializing in children’s books, this publishing company has won several awards for their amazing publications. Some of their titles include “A Bear is a Bear (Except When He’s Not” by Karl Newson and Anuska Allepuz, “A Chase in Time” by Sally Nicholls, and “A Duckling Called Button” by Helen Peters.

They are unfortunately closed to submissions at this time, as they are currently going through a high volume of submissions. You’re strongly encouraged to check back at a later date. For general inquiries or more information, you can still contact the team at Nosy Crow via email .

16. Pajama Press

Founded in 2011, Pajama Press is an independent Canadian publishing company out of Toronto, Ontario. They specialize in producing books for children and young adults, and publish a wide range of picture books, early chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, as well as literary nonfiction. Some of their titles include “A Bear in War” by Harry Endrulat and Stephanie Innes, “A Good Day for Ducks’ By Jane Whittingham, and “A+ for Big Ben” by Sarah Ellis.

Due to the high volume of submissions that they’ve received, Pajama Press is unfortunately closed to submissions until February 28 th , 2019, at which point they will reopen. In the meantime, you can review their submission guidelines and prepare your manuscript for consideration. For general inquiries or more information, you can contact their team via email .

17. Peanut Butter Press

Based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Peanut Butter Press is a small, independent Canadian publishing company that specializes in children’s picture books. Some of their titles include “Brandon’s Big, Bad Barfday” by Tina Powell, “Airplanes in the Garden: Monarch Butterflies Take Flight” by Joan Z. Calder, and “Emma’s Gems’ by Anne Renaud.

They are currently open to accepting children’s picture books after first receiving a query letter via email or regular mail. You should include your contact information, a brief author bio, any relevant credentials or experience, and a short synopsis of your book. If interested in your project, a member of Peanut Butter Press’ team will reach out to you.

Are there any other independent children’s book publishers that need to be on this list? Please tell us about them in the comments box below!

K. Z. Kwan is a freelance writer based out of Halifax, Canada.

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Double Felix Again!

Feb 23, 2024

Following on from the phenomenal success of the first Double Felix (now out of print), we will be publishing a brand new edition later this year. Together with a new-look cover, it also includes a whole extra section on how to make your own comic. Put together by the...

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Feb 22, 2024

From 1st March 2024 we're moving back south of the river. We're now going to be based in shared offices alongside Impact in Brixton. We're very excited about this move and hope it will be the last for a while. We are also scaling back our email addresses. Going...

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Red Robin Books is an independent children’s publisher based in Somerset in the UK.

We publish books for children aged up to 12, written by great storytellers and illustrated by fabulous artists from around the world. they feature strong storylines, memorable characters and enchanting language. we look for stories that are full of wit and humour, carry a message but above all can be read for pleasure., the look and feel of our books is important to us and we pride ourselves on good design and production values. we want our products to be the best they can be, so that they are enjoyed time and time again by our readers., we hope our books will leave a lasting memory and will set the younger generation reading them on a path of discovery and wonder., red robin books – where story matters.

For information on our In-service training, workshops and seminars please visit www.cornertolearn.co.uk .

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Neil Griffiths

About neil griffiths.

Neil Griffiths was a Primary School headteacher for 13 years before taking on the role of director of a National Literacy Project for the Basic Skills Agency.

Neil came up with and developed Storysacks, promoting them to schools and communities throughout the U.K. After six years, Neil began to devote all of his energies to the project and set up what is now the worldwide, highly acclaimed, and award-winning Storysack phenomenon.

Many publishers and institutions have asked Neil to contribute his wealth of experience to their projects over the years – his knowledge of learning, his gift of story, his passion for teaching, and his love of children – helping them to produce prized resources and to achieve success in the highly competitive educational market.

He has created award-winning play resources, written a nursery curriculum, a best-selling resource book on creative play for Nelson Thornes Publishers, and imaginative material for the Early Learning Centre. He has developed a scheme for supporting English as an additional language for Harcourt Publishing and has consulted for a highly successful toy manufacturer.

Neil also finds time to write his own children’s picture books, published exclusively by Red Robin Books. They feature strong storylines, memorable characters, enchanting language, and arresting illustrations. They charm children and have sold in the thousands. Neil loves to tell a story and a story time with him is a rare and highly entertaining event as he magically draws his audience into his storyworlds.

Neil is also available for inspirational training worldwide. He is known internationally for his unique delivery, exceptional energy, and his rare storytelling gift.

Video: Neil's Garden

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Video: Neil's Favourite Places

Helen Elis Jones trained in Bangor to become a Primary School teacher, she taught in a number of schools, teaching all ages within EY / KS1. Later, she was appointed as a Primary Mathematics Advisory teacher, thus visiting schools, offering advice and running courses for teacher, parents and children. Helen is now a Primary maths lecturer at Bangor University, mainly involved with teaching Early Years / KS1 mathematics. Helen wrote Walter's Windy Washing Line Activity Resource Guide .

Hilary Harriman has taught in the Primary sector for 26 years, specialising in education for 3- to 8-year-olds, and spending 9 years as the Headteacher of a rural Primary School. In 1996, she became a Primary Education Officer, Inspector and Adviser for Wrexham LEA – subsequently taking on the role of Lead Officer for Early Education (3- to 7-year-olds), before retiring in 2013. Hilary is totally committed to helping children learn through discovery, exploration and investigation. Hilary wrote The Outdoor Classroom .

Anne Pratt (B. Ed. Hons) taught in the primary sector for 24 years, specialising in the education of 3– 8-year olds. She had Headship experience in both a Nursery School and a Primary School. In 1988 she was appointed Early Years Adviser for The Wiltshire LEA and was responsible for developing and extending nursery provision throughout the county. Since her retirement in 1997 she has worked as an independent consultant. Anne wrote Sand and Water Play .

Illustrators

Judith Blake has worked with Neil Griffiths for many years, illustrating a number of his best selling books. Using traditional watercolour and with intricate detail, she is able to make his stories come alive! Her books include: Albert's tuneful trunk! , If Only… , Itchy Bear , The Journey , Mrs Rainbow , Ringo the Flamingo , Ten Sleepy Sloths and Walter's Windy Washing Line .

Eileen Browne is the author and/or illustrator of over forty children’s books. The best selling Handa’s Surprise has become a picture book classic and together with Handa’s Hen, has been animated, and turned into a theatrical puppet production performed throughout the country. Eileen collaborated with Neil to illustrate one of our best selling titles, Winnie Wagtail .

Gabriella Buckingham has illustrated for some of the biggest publishers in the UK, so we were delighted when she agreed to produce her wonderful watercolours for some of our stories. Her books include Grandma and Grandpa's Garden and Sam's Sack from Santa . Find out more about Gabriella at gabriellabuckingham.co.uk

Peggy Collins is one of our most popular illustrators. From a small town in Ontario, Canada, her fun style and use of bold, bright colours has helped to create the perfect backdrops to compliment Neil's wonderful stories. Her books include Tallula’s Atishoo! , There’s a spider in the Bath! , Shaun the shy shark , Fatou, fetch the water , Don’t invite dinosaurs to dinner , The Pelican that couldn’t and Scaredy Bear . Find out more about Peggy at peggysillustration.com

Christine Grove is an illustrator from Georgia, USA. Her first published book was Esme's Egg! What better way to announce yourself to the world than through the eyes of a chicken with attitude! Find out more about Christine at christinegrove.com

Vicki Leigh is a traditional watercolour artist who creates beautiful illustrations in perfect sympathy with the stories. She illustrated The Scarecrow who didn't scare .

Janette Louden has a talent of being able to change her illustrate style to suit any situation! She brings fun and humour to everything she creates. With small, detailed, touches she is able to make stories come alive! Her books include Animal Antics , Did you see them too? , The Jolly Dodgers , Little Moon , Hats off! , Sneezy Bear , Sock it! and Where have you two been? Find out more about Janette at redleadillustration.com

Doug Nash learnt his trade at Warner Brothers, becoming a Winnie the Pooh expert! He now creates his own characters in his unique cartoon style. His books include: Florence was no ordinary Fairy , Messy Martin , No room for a baby roo! and Who'd be a fly?

Melanie Siegel is from Conway, Arkansas, USA. We were attracted by her unique style and bold use of colours, which surprisingly is all created digitally! Melanie illustrated The Best Present Ever! Find out more about Melanie at melaniesiegel.com

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20 uk children’s book publishers accepting your manuscript.

Unsolicited submissions

You have just finished your manuscript and now you are eagerly looking for a publisher that will accept your unsolicited submission. As you may know, technically you can't get published without an agent.

A literary agent is a representative of you who negotiates a deal with a publishing company. Literary agents can be extremely helpful in getting into the publishing world. The problem is that often you can't get an agent without being a published author… Yes, it doesn't make much sense. As a first-time author, you may struggle like J.K. Rowling did: She couldn't find a publisher that was interested in Harry Potter! But, we all know what happened to J.K. Rowling. So: don't give up!

For our Wee Bookworms Book Subscription, we choose books from indie publishers and big publishing companies. There is a good chance that your book will be in one of our subscription packages!

Of course there is always the option to self-publish. It is easier than ever to publish your book on amazon, for example. But one problem remains: Your book may be fantastic or even a masterpiece but you need to reach the crowds. And that is why self-publishing isn't as straightforward as it seems. You are alone in a MASSIVE market.

However, you also can't simply assume that a traditional publisher will boost your book with special marketing tools like there is no tomorrow. In the end, a publisher will only put effort into the books they truly believe in.

This means that, regardless of whether you self-published your book or you were chosen by an actual publisher, you may have to market your book too. Never ever simply publish your work and leave it at that. But hey, we can talk about marketing your book in another blog posts.

First of all, what actually are unsolicited submissions?

To lift the confusion over unsolicited submissions, the following explanation might help:

Unsolicited submissions are submissions that the publishing house did not ask for.

Unagented submissions are submissions that were not sent by literary agents.

Let's put our focus on the independent publishing industry. In the UK there are a few children's book publishers that still accept unsolicited manuscripts. These independent publishing houses have different submission requirements. Please spend some time reading them and adapt your submission to their guidelines.

20 Children's Book Publishers accepting unsolicited submissions

Before you start your search for suitable publishers, take a look at the follow tips:

Check the books that were published under the publisher's imprints. Does your book fit into this?

Read the submission guidelines carefully. Some publishers do not only want your manuscript but also a cover letter and a synopsis of your work. Others do not want the entire manuscript but only the first three chapters. To be considered, you have to follow their individual guidelines.

Adapt your manuscript accordingly.

Be patient! These publishing houses may receive hundreds or thousands of manuscripts every month. It simply takes time to go through them all. Most of them do send you a wee message and let you know whether they are interested in your manuscript or not.

Wee Bookworms Book Subscriptions also consider books from indie publishers! Our book choices depend on the story line, creativity, educational factors and on illustrations. We love supporting small publishing companies with high-quality books!

The following publishers accept unsolicited submissions. You do not need to have a literary agent to submit your work to them.

• Andersen Press. Named after Hans Christian Andersen, the author of countless magical fairy tales, Andersen Press was founded by German born Klaus Flugge in 1976. Flugge left East Germany in 1953 due to his political views. Andersen Press is famous for publishing books from authors such as David McKee (Elmer the patchwork elephant) or Max Velthuijs (Frog). They really have some bestselling books in their collection. Obviously, Andersen Press only accepts children's books (picture books, children's fiction and teenager fiction). Take a look at their submission criteria and give them a go. Click here for their submission guidelines.
• Quarto Knows. The Quarto Group, founded in the 1970s, is an international publishing house that has various imprints. They have been publishing children's book since 1990. Maybe you have heard of the books 'Little People: Big Dreams' before? It is a fantastic series about famous people that changed the world. One division of the Quarto Group is Quarto Kids with the imprint 'Lincoln Children's Books'. It is great that they are accepting unsolicited manuscripts. Keep in mind that they are especially interested in innovative ideas. Take a look at their submission information.
• Penguin Random House Ireland. Penguin Ireland is part of Penguin Random House (Ireland)- one of the biggest publishers in the world! They are interested in all genres apart from picture books and you can send in your manuscript via email with a short synopsis of your work. Click here for their submission guidelines.
• Ransom Publishing. Ransom and their sister company 'Dragon Books' specifically targets unenthusiastic or struggling readers by offering age- appropriate books with lower reading ages. They do not publish picture books and general books for the early years. Ransom Publishing was founded in 1997, so this publishing house is well-established. You can find their submission guidelines here.
• Dinosaur Books. Dinosaur Books is one of the smaller publishing houses. It especially focuses on the age group 5-12. As you can imagine, they seem to be super interested in Dinosaur Books and adventure stories. Click here for more information.
• Maverick Books. Maverick Books has a submission window that opens and closes occasionally. This publishing house has been around for 10 years now! They are especially interested in picture books (up to 650 words), junior fiction (6000-18000 words) and even illustrator submissions!
• Piccadilly Press. Piccadilly Press wants to read your manuscript! This publishing house is interested in stories for kids that are 5-12 year old. They also accept picture books. Their submission info isn't very detailed, so I would suggest to take a look at their published books on their website to get a feel for what they like. Click here for more info.
• Michael O'Mara Books (Buster Books). Buster Books (an imprint of Michael O'Mara books) is always on the lookout for new manuscripts in the following categories: non-fiction, picture books, early years, fiction and activity books. However, they are not interested in poetry. This independent children's book publisher has some beautifully illustrated books on offer. Click here to find out more.
• Everything with Words. Everything with Words is a little independent publisher since 2017. They only publish fiction for younger children and children aged 10 and older. You can find their submission guidelines here.
• Fledgling Press. The Scottish publisher Fledgling Press has a submission window that is closed from the 22nd of February until the 1st of July. It is a small independent publishing house that is based in Edinburgh. Click here for more info.
• Floris Books. Kelpies is the imprint of Floris Books. This Scottish publisher only accepts unsolicited manuscripts of writers from diverse and underrepresented communities. Additionally, they are also interested in books for the Steiner-Waldorf community. Their guidelines can be found here.
• O'Brien Press. This well-established and award-winning publishing house from Ireland has been publishing books for over 40 years. They only accept postal unsolicited submissions. Click here for their submission guidelines.
• Flying Eye Books. Flying Eye Books is an imprint of the publisher Nobrow. They publish beautiful, high-quality children's books for various ages. On their website you will find detailed submission guidelines.
• Candy Jar Books. Candy Jar Books is an award-wining indie publisher that accepts submissions from new authors. Their submission window for children's fiction is open from time to time. However, they are not interested in picture books. Click here for more information.
• Sweet Cherry Publishing. This publisher specialises in sets and they love a good book series! They are especially interested in fiction and also accept picture book submissions. Please read their guidelines, as they want you to send a pitch + the first two chapters/ 3000 words and not your entire manuscript. Their guidelines can be found here.
• Imagine That Publishing. Imagine That Publishing has been around now for over 20 years! Keep in mind, they do not consider manuscripts that also have been sent to other publishers. This publishing house specialises in chapter books and picture books. Click here for more information.
• Wacky Bee Books. Wacky Bee is on the lookout for books for 3-12 year old children. They are interested in all themes and also love a little bit of humour. Their submission guidelines can be found here.
• BookLife. BookLife has been around for over 50 years now! They like fiction and non-fiction for 3-9 year old children. Want to know more? Click here.
• Matthew James Publishing Ltd. Matthew James Publishing specialises in children's picture books. Their kids books imprint is called 'Tiny Tree'. Click here for more info.
• Strident Publishing. Strident Publishing doesn't want your manuscript initially. Instead they would like to receive a 'pitch' about your story and why it could become a great success. They will request your manuscript, if they are interested. Their submission guidelines can be found here.
• Birlinn Limited. Birlinn is another Scottish publisher. They are especially interested in books that, in some way, have Scottish and UK based themes and they also accept poetry. Their imprint is called BC Books. Click here for more information.

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How to Get Published

The world of publishing: a guide for writers

It can be hard as a new writer to understand how the document saved on your laptop could ever make it onto the shelves of your local bookshop. Here’s our guide to navigating the publishing process as an aspiring author.

Tips on fitting writing around...

Family commitments by sara collins.

When my children were younger I worked full time as a lawyer, convinced that I’d always be too busy to attempt to write a novel. It’s no good having a room of your own if it’s forever being invaded by the demands of school drop-offs, or homework, or four out of five children ill with chicken pox at the same time as you have a major deal to negotiate at work. But after a milestone birthday, and my youngest child starting secondary school, my attitude changed.

The first step is accepting that it might be slow, but that it will be possible. A book is built word by word. Guided by that idea, you can schedule writing into whatever time you have to spare, without worrying about whether it’s enough. Mark it on your calendar; think of it as making an appointment with your own ambition.

The second step is to accept your limitations. I read once that Alice Munro wrote short stories instead of novels because as a mother of small children her time was measured in fragments. If she had to write what she could fit in, you can too. But you won’t write anything if you don’t start. The only regret I have is that I left it so long.

I suppose the best advice for busy parents who want to write is: do what you can, when you can. Approach whatever that is in a spirit of acceptance, and you will build your novel, word by word.

Sara Collins 's debut novel The Confessions of Frannie Langton was published in April 2019.

Work by Mohsin Zaidi

First thing first: there is no magic formula. Whichever way you cut it, trying to write a book and maintain a job at the same time can feel like trying to ride a bicycle and write a book at the same time.

For this reason, my first tip is make sure you enjoy it. There were certain evenings when I really felt like I should write but I didn’t want to. So I didn’t. Listen to yourself. Get off the bike. Sometimes. Your work product will thank you for it.

That’s all well and good, I hear you say, but what if I listen to myself too much and never sit down to write? Good question (if I do say so myself), and the answer is in my second tip...

This is where having an achievable plan comes in. Don’t set an unrealistic target. I once told myself I wasn’t allowed to leave the library until I'd finished the chapter I was working on. After seven precious weekend hours, I succeeded. But I was exhausted, so didn’t write anything else for weeks and, the real kick to the gut, the chapter was edited out entirely, probably because I was more concerned with typing words to meet targets than to inspire readers.

So, third and final tip: balance. Now, I’m cheating because this is really a combination of tip one and tip two, but balance is key. Let yourself enjoy it but know that if you didn’t get any time off, you might end up resenting it and resenting something you love would be awful. Set realistic goals and make sacrifices; evenings or weekends but not both. Otherwise you might get too tired. And you don’t want your writing to be tiring, you want it to be inspiring.

Mohsin Zaidi is a barrister and author. He was selected for the WriteNow 2017 programme and is writing a memoir.

Financial concerns by Jane Corry

As a writer, I’ve gone through periods of earning quite a lot of money and times when I‘ve rooted through my old handbags, hoping to find some spare change. If you don’t have a book contract that provides you with peace of mind, the best piece of advice I can offer is to have a part-time job that can just about pay the bills while giving you enough hours in the day to write.

Ideally, this job should be creative, otherwise you might find your soul being sucked out of you. For example, before I was published as an author, I used to write regular features for a women’s magazine in the morning and then spend my afternoons writing novels in the hope of getting published. Later, after my divorce, I took a job as a writer in a prison, which, again, helped pay the bills but gave me two days a week to write novels. I also ran writing classes round my kitchen table and worked into the small hours as a tutor for online writing courses.

You might well find that a paid part-time job actually feeds your writing. For example, the prison work inspired me to write psychological suspense, which led to a contract with Penguin.

Another tip is to explore your ‘best’ writing time. I used to think I could only write in the morning because that was when I was freshest. But when I worked at the prison I had to write in the evening instead. At first this was hard but then I discovered that I had a ‘second wind’ between 7pm and 9pm. This was a useful find!

The fear of not having enough money can affect your creativity, so I’d like to flag up certain organisations that can help writers in financial difficulties. The Royal Literary Fund provides grants and pensions besides running a fellowship scheme in which authors are paid to foster good writing practice in universities. The Society of Authors also offers financial assistance. Good luck!

Jane Corry is the author of a number of novels published by Viking , including I Looked Away .

How to know when your book is ready

Five questions on life as a writer with Claire Malcolm

Claire Malcolm is the founding Chief Executive of the writer development charity New Writing North . Here, she answers some questions commonly asked by new writers.

• Do writers have to go on paid writing courses to be a published author? No. However, in my experience many writers find that undertaking training of some kind can help them to finesse their craft and make improvements to their work. They can also benefit from meeting and working with others who have similar creative ambitions. Signing up to some kind of study can also help to set timescales to drive the completion of work, keep your energy and motivation going, and perhaps offer ways to get critical feedback on your work as it progresses, which are all important when you're aiming to work professionally as an author.
• Is there any financial support available for authors? Yes. When you are applying for funds it’s worth remembering that you will be in competition with many other writers and you will need to prepare yourself to experience knock-backs as well as success. Arts Council England offers funding and support for writers, though it helps if you have a track record that demonstrates that publishers, competition judges and other producers are supportive of your work. With bids to Arts Council England you can also build in costs for access, mentoring, childcare, etc. There are lots of regional and national awards and competitions for writers, such as the Northern Writers' Awards and the competitions run by Mslexia.
• Should I consider going on a writing retreat? I know writers who plan to take focused time out to work or to rework and edit material. Sometimes a change of scene or removal from day-to-day responsibilities can help you pick up the pace or solve problems. I know writers who have house-swapped or booked an Airbnb room for a week to get on with work. Of course, that’s not possible for everyone. More important, in the long run, is working out how you can write day to day.
• What should and shouldn’t I be paying for as a writer? Don't ever pay a publisher to publish your work, and be very careful about some of the packages that are offered if you are considering self-publishing. To support your creative work you might pay for mentoring, professional manuscript appraisal, editing support or training opportunities, although this is not required to get published. If you have one, you pay your literary agent a percentage of your contracted income, as their business advice will no doubt be earning you more than you would be otherwise. A subscription to the Society of Authors is also worthwhile for advice on contracts and other aspects of a writer’s professional life.
• What support do regional writing charities like New Writing North provide for writers? We act as brokers for writers with publishers and producers and are a central point for networking, professional development activities and advice, and for hearing about opportunities for new writers. At New Writing North we run a year-round programme of awards, broadcast opportunities, open commissioning calls, residency projects, and training and conference events. We also offer paid work for writers and support writers working with young people and within the community.

Most major publishers don’t accept manuscripts directly from writers, which means that to get your book published you will often need to get a literary agent as a key early step. Literary agents take a cut of what you earn from your book in return for finding the right publisher for you, negotiating the best possible price and supporting your career development as a writer.

A day in the life of an agent

Niki Chang is a literary agent at The Good Literary Agency , a social enterprise which aims to discover, develop and launch the careers of writers of colour, or living with a disability, from a working-class background, who are LGBTQ+, or anyone who feels their story is not being told in the mainstream. Here, she reveals what a typical working day looks like.

9am Emails, emails, emails! Inevitably, so much of our business happens over email, so the first thing I do when I get in is check my emails. Urgent emails will be replied to at home before I leave for the office. We try to keep office hours for responding to emails unless it’s an emergency. Some days I will then switch off my email alerts and phone calls for the morning so that I can do an edit on a client's manuscript prior to submission, or read through submissions from writers looking for representation.

10am Meet with a prospective author. I will have read their work and would like to discuss it with them. This is also a chance for them to ask me about what I do and how we work as an agency. It’s also an opportunity to get to know each other as the agent-author relationship is a personal as well as a professional one. All being well, I will offer them representation and hopefully they will accept. We always encourage prospective authors to talk to other agents too before they make a decision.

11am We might have a quick agency meeting where we update each other with the latest news, what stage our authors are at with their manuscripts and what response we are getting to a book that is on submission. In the absence of an agency meeting, we are a very small, very collaborative and supportive team, so we are constantly chatting to each other throughout the day anyway, either in person or on Slack, a messaging app. We are greater than the sum of our parts and Slack functions as a sounding board where we can swap advice and ideas.

12pm Prepare a manuscript before submitting to editors for their consideration. This involves selecting which editors I want to send the manuscript to, writing a submission letter to the editor which will accompany the manuscript, and telling them a bit about the book and why it’s so brilliant. I usually call these editors to discuss the author and their work before sending over the manuscript via email.

1pm Meet an editor for lunch to catch up. We might discuss what’s going on in the industry, what books they’ve bought or published recently, what books I’ve sold recently. We might also discuss books they have tried to buy but which they lost to another publisher, as well as what books they would kill to publish. I will also ‘pitch’ them books I am going to send out soon so that they are on standby to receive them. We all work hard to maintain relationships across the industry. Editors receive dozens of submissions from agents every day, so if they are expecting yours, they will hopefully prioritize it.

2pm Phone call with an author, for a general catch-up, to talk about their work or to talk through something they are worried about. It’s my job either to reassure them what they are concerned about is normal, or to take action if it’s not. Likewise, I might call an editor to discuss a cover design that is not quite right, ask for sales figures for a book that’s been published, or look at publicity and marketing plans for a book that will be published soon.

3pm Sending out an author’s book to a select list of editors is like matchmaking – we are trying to find the best home for an author and their book. If it’s a good week, I’ll have at least one offer from a publisher to acquire an author’s book. If more than one publisher wants to acquire the book, the fairest way to decide is to hold an auction. I set the rules of the auction to make sure it’s a level playing field for the publishers. We might go in to meet the editor and their team to talk through their ideas and vision for how they will publish the book. As agent, it’s my duty to look after my author’s best interests and advise them accordingly, bringing my experience of the industry to the conversation as well as listening to what they want and what is important to them. Auction or not, I will negotiate the best deal possible with the editor.

4pm Coffee with a literary scout or our foreign rights team to discuss what the foreign markets are doing as well as plan submissions of our authors’ books to foreign publishers for translation.

4.30pm Discuss submissions with our assistant. At The Good Literary Agency we have an in-house development editor as well as freelance editors who may work on our authors’ manuscripts. And while our assistant is often the first person to read our submissions, we all look at the ones that are most promising so we can decide whether to offer representation, discuss what work we think might need to be done before we do or give the most constructive feedback we can.

5pm Review, negotiate and finalise contracts for the deals that have been agreed with publishers. This involves negotiating the best terms for our clients, answering any queries they might have on the contract and then getting them to sign on the dotted line! We keep an eye on the money to make sure our clients get paid as quickly as possible.

The thing about agenting is that every day is different. But a lot of our job takes place outside office hours and might include the following on any given evening ...

• Give a talk to aspiring writers, students who are studying creative writing, literary festivals etc.
• Judge a literary prize
• Attend a party held by a publisher. Authors, agents and all manner of people from the industry will be invited to attend. This is an opportunity to catch up with familiar faces, meet new people or even fangirl over a dream author, but they can also be tiring and take up your precious free time – they are also not obligatory.
• An author’s book launch. Budgets are smaller these days so most books are not celebrated with a launch per se – the editor, agent and author might go out for lunch or dinner – but they do still happen, usually in a bookshop.
• Try to read for pleasure when possible!

Dos and don'ts of approaching literary agents

The publisher

Our role as publisher is to work on your manuscript alongside you and your literary agent to make your book the best it can possibly be. we then bring together experts from across our business, including design, sales, publicity and marketing, to connect your book with as many readers as possible around the world..

What editors are looking for

What if you’re writing for children or young adults?

Children’s books vary hugely from cloth and board books for our youngest readers, up to young adult fiction for teenagers. Here, three of the team from Penguin Random House Children’s talk about what they’re looking for.

Joe Marriott, Picture Book Commissioning Editor

I work with a team of designers and editors making picture books for babies and readers between 2 and 6, both stories and illustrated non-fiction. I’m looking for original texts and ideas (and illustrations) that are funny, clever, surprising or heart-warming. Key elements to think about are a clever or thought-provoking scenario, memorable characters and a structure that allows every page, and word, to count.

I usually know quickly whether I like something, but ultimately it must have broad appeal beyond just me – and be right for the mix on our specific picture book list. This involves discussions with many different areas of the business.

As an adult looking for ideas that will entertain children I need to tap into the part of me that loved books, stories and ideas as a child. I also think about what works when I read books to children – and what appeals to me as a grown-up; it’s important not to lose sight of the adult reader, who needs to enjoy reading and re-reading the book to their child.

Most important is the child’s reaction – it’s key that they are engaged and entertained, but there should always be something that makes them think, and opens a conversation – however silly or serious.

Millie Lean, Assistant Editor

Editors are looking for so many different things in middle-grade submissions (books for 8 to 11 year-olds, although the term ‘middle-grade’ can be used to encompass anything for ages 6- 13), but a combination of being fresh, full of heart, unique, and unputdownable with brilliant writing is a great place to start. Each editor has different tastes in genre, writing style and voice, but literary agents are great at knowing who the right person is for your manuscript.

It is always great to bear in mind which books are already doing well in the children’s market and why. You can do this as easily as going to a bookshop or looking at the Amazon bestseller pages. Do you notice any similarities between what you want to write, the top-selling titles and the books that the shop is promoting the most? Which titles would you place your story between on the shelf?

It is also important to define why your book is similar to but different from market comparisons. Make your story stand out and fill a gap in the market. Think about what you represent as an author, and if there is anything about the way that you view the world and what you really want to say which you could utilise to make your manuscript unique.

The next step is to test your work on real-life children! Think about whether each child picking it up would feel represented in your story. Make sure that if you want your book to be funny the humour is actually laugh-out-loud hilarious for kids. The most successful middle-grade stories, like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series or Roald Dahl ’s books, are fabulously entertaining and accessible for kids (and parents love them because their child loves reading them)!

Children’s books have the power to shape a young person’s understanding of the world and help them develop a love of reading which can stay with them for the rest of their life. Publishers want kids to love our books, for reading to be fun, and for all children to be able to see themselves in the books we publish.

Carmen McCullough, Commissioning Editor

What I look for in a young adult book can vary quite a lot depending on what stories are resonating with the current young-adult audience. Most importantly though, I look for strong immersive writing – voice-led stories with distinctive characters that you feel invested in from the very first page. I also feel strongly that every child or young adult should be able to see themselves in a book, so I am particularly keen to publish diverse stories that reflect the world we live in.

Liking a book is instinctive, and if you feel a genuine passion for it, then it’s highly likely that it is publishable as there will be other readers who feel as strongly as you do. The question you then ask is how you would position the book in the market and whether it would be for a very broad audience or a more limited one because of the type of story that it is. A great story is a great story whether it’s aimed at children or at adults.

As a children’s book editor, I’m always interested in what is appealing to children or young adults at the moment (whether that’s books, films, games), but ultimately if you have a brilliant story then you feel confident that readers will enjoy it.

More than anything, I want readers to enjoy the books we publish – whether a story is funny or sad, dark or uplifting, I want them to feel that they were able to really engage with the story and characters and that the experience encourages them to keep reading.

The acquisition meeting

The key moment a publisher decides which books to ‘acquire’.

Publishers regularly have ‘acquisition meetings’, which is when new manuscripts for possible publication are discussed. This meeting involves people from a variety of departments who all give their input as to whether a book should be acquired, or bought for publication. Here, the team from our publishing house Cornerstone explain some of the factors which affect their decision making.

The Managing Director: Susan Sandon

As chair of our weekly acquisitions meeting I try to ensure that an editor is given the time and space to pitch their project and that the ensuing discussion gives all the meeting’s participants a chance to express their view. I’m always interested in how passionate the acquiring editor is: it’s hard to make a success of a book you don’t wholeheartedly believe in – inspiring and rallying the team are such key parts of the publisher’s role. Much of what I am looking for crosses over with other attendees at the meeting: is there a market for the book, how big is it, do we have a clear view of how we might target the audience, should we be trying to acquire world rights in it, what format ought it to be, what price could it take and when might we publish?

Because our publishing house, Cornerstone, is made up of individual imprints with different editors acquiring for each imprint, it’s also my job to join the dots and think about how the book fits into our overall Cornerstone list. This is so that we don’t, for example, have a glut of first novels all publishing at the same time.

I will also be thinking about workloads: have we enough room to take the book on or does it need to be published at a point when sales, marketing and publicity already have their hands full? Is the editor being realistic about the work they will need to do with the author and have they the space to take it on among their other projects?   

Before the book is acquired I will also appraise the project financially together with our Head of Commercial Affairs, determining whether it meets our financial criteria and what level we might set the advance at.

The editor: Tom Avery, Editorial Director at William Heinemann

For editors, the acquisitions meeting is a chance to present the new titles we would like to publish to our colleagues. It is the biggest step in what can be a long process, starting with speaking to an agent or writer or receiving a submission, and ending (hopefully) with the acquisition of the project. In between there are many stages, from imprint editorial meetings to extensive research, to conversations with colleagues across the company. The acquisitions meeting is the key moment when we decide, collectively, if we are going to pursue a project.

My job at the acquisitions meeting is to communicate three connected things to my colleagues.

Firstly, my passion. There is no better feeling than reading a submission and falling in love with it, and knowing how you will be able to publish it successfully. I try to spend a bit of time in each presentation describing and explaining not only why I care so much about the project, but why I think everyone will.

Following this is the question of why I think the project I am raising is worth us pursuing, taking into consideration its subject and approach, the author’s profile and publishing history, and where it sits in the market and what gap it might fill (including a mention of any suitable comparable titles).

Lastly, I have to clearly set out my vision for how we would publish the project, including publication date, format (size and shape), price, and, more broadly, how we would get it into the hands of as many people as possible.

The sales rep: Claire Simmonds, Sales Manager

In the acquisition meeting, my role is to identify the sales potential of a proposal. This involves identifying what retailers I think the book will sell through, across all formats, and to what level. My team’s job is to flag the opportunities a book presents in regards to our retailers and the potential challenges that could arise. Initially, I decide this through analysing the current market and trends, and where I see the proposal sitting within this.

The acquisitions meeting is, then, a great forum to discuss the editorial, publicity and marketing vision for the proposal, which further helps us determine the overall sales potential. We discuss what publication date, format and RRP (recommended retail price) we think will give the book the best chance of getting into the hands of as many people as possible. Once we have determined if we want to pitch for a book, sales then provide our sales forecast, which needs to be a fine balance between being both realistic and ambitious.

No two books are ever the same and so the meeting is always full of fresh discussions and brilliant energy.

The publicist: Charlotte Bush, Director of Publicity and Media Relations

My role is to look for the publicity potential in a book and give feedback on what the media opportunities might be.

For a non-fiction book I’m looking for media hooks – is there a special date this book would launch on or is it a particularly timely idea? Has the author had exclusive access, or do they show special expertise and/or originality?

For fiction the approach is slightly different: perhaps the author has an interesting backstory that they would be willing to talk about, or there may be a connection between the novel or its’ characters and a real-life story. And if the author is already in the public eye I will look into previous interviews and their social media profile too.

I’ll also involve other members of my team: they may have more expertise in certain areas or be closer to a current trend. At this stage it is all about putting yourself into the shoes of a journalist and sometimes playing devil’s advocate!

The marketer: Rebecca Ikin, Marketing Director

The marketing team will read and review every title ahead of the weekly acquisitions meeting. Marketing are involved at this early stage to help identify the book’s potential target market – who the book is for and how will we go about reaching them. We also consider how efficiently we can promote the book and what marketing budget we will need for the project.

We help the meeting understand the audience (who the book is for), positioning (the hook of the book and what will capture imaginations or help set it apart) and platform (market trends and demand or the individual’s profile).

At Penguin Random House we use audience segmentation and also run desk research, using tools like social media listening software or YouGov consumer data – particularly for non-fiction where we might be considering a new idea or a personality with a public profile.

We hope to blend that data and research with our collective and varied experience and instincts (built up over many years) with, of course, a more immediate response to the book and the writing. After all, you still want to be blown away by what’s on the page, and when that happens it’s incredible; the whole meeting is energized. It’s still the most exciting thing for us all, a real privilege in fact.

When lots of other publishing houses also have that same reaction, then an auction can get very heated. In those situations, marketing will work really closely with editorial and also very quickly (sometimes over just 24 hours) to pitch for the book to the author and agent. In those cases we are outlining (writing and designing) our entire publishing vision and promotional strategy for the book and hoping that our ambition and passion for it helps us win the book. It’s intense but can be hugely rewarding if your highly concentrated efforts pay off!

Jargon buster

Returns, rights, royalties. Synopsis, slush pile, subsidiary rights.

At times, it can seem like the words used by the world of publishing are just nonsense sounds, there to deliberately confuse you or make it harder for you to get a foot in the door.

But, while publishing has its own language, it's not as impenetrable as you might think. To help, we've compiled a handy jargon buster which gives you clear definitions of all the terms you need to know as a writer. You'll soon know the difference between an ARC and a proof (hint: there is none) and publishing will be a puzzle no more.

Read our jargon buster here.

What does an editor do?

Ask the editors: dealing with feedback

Getting feedback from an editor for the first time can be a daunting process. Here, four editors answer some common queries from writers.

My editor’s just sent me the first letter about my book, and it’s so long. Does this mean my book is awful?

Simon Prosser, Publishing Director at Hamish Hamilton : Not at all. It may mean the book is terrific – but could be even better still. Perhaps the plot is complex and needs fine-tuning; perhaps there is a compelling character who could be given more space; perhaps there are unconscious repetitions of phrase or idea which need cutting or replacing; perhaps there is a tendency to say too much, when condensing would give the writing more strength.

An editor’s job at this stage is to be the writer’s ideal reader: which is to read with the utmost sympathy and understanding of what the writer is trying to achieve, while at the same time maintaining as objective an eye as possible, remaining alert to any ways in which the work can be improved. Even the simplest novel is a complex structure, with many moveable parts. And even a novel composed of individually perfect sentences may be imperfect – but, with luck, perfectible.

I thought the editor bought my book because they thought it was great. Why am I getting feedback?

Joel Richardson, crime and thriller Publisher at Penguin : Firstly, they did buy the book because they thought it was great! Editors are incredibly selective, so the fact that they’ve acquired your book means they think it’s something special.

That said, unless you’re the first person ever to write the perfect book (if so, congratulations!), the next stage is making sure it’s as good as it can be before it publishes. You’ve been working on the manuscript for an awfully long time, and so it’s nearly impossible for you to appraise it with fresh eyes. Do your characters come across the way you want them to? Will your twist ending successfully take readers by surprise? Those are questions only a new reader can answer.

In that sense, if an edit wasn’t focused on what could be improved, then it’s not really doing its job. Trust your editor to share your goal of making a great book even better, and look at everything they say with an open mind – and ask questions yourself if you don’t understand something, or don’t agree. There might still be hard work to go, but it will be worth it when you finally finish, and know that you left no stone unturned in making your book brilliant.

My editor’s asked me to change something I really love. Do I have to change it?

Andrea Henry, Editorial Director at Transworld : The work of a good editor can make all the difference, so listening carefully to what your editor has to say can be crucial to a book’s success. When you’ve perhaps spent years writing, investing time, energy and emotion, it becomes your baby and you feel protective of it. But it can become hard to see the wood for the trees. Your editor is reading with fresh eyes – seeing things more clearly than you might now be able to.

You might not always like what they’ve got to say and the edit can feel like a nit-picky process, in which your hard work is scrutinized and found lacking. If they’re trying to change something you love, be open to the conversation. You can push back and argue the toss, arrive at a compromise, or indeed reject suggestions that you feel really strongly about. But you’ll need to be able to justify your decision. The key thing is always to take your editor’s thoughts seriously. Keep in mind that, despite finding flaws, they loved your book enough to want to publish it. It’s their baby too now, and they’re there to help make your book the best it can be.

I’ve got so much to do and I’m not sure I’m going to get it done by the deadline. What should I do?

Ruth Knowles, Publisher at Puffin : Talk to us: we’re here to be your partner in this process, to help you make your book the very best it can be - and you absolutely don’t need to carry this worry alone. It’s always better to over-communicate rather than just stay silent, and it’s extremely likely that there’s some more time in any deadline to be found.  Talking to your editor can help you unpick what’s causing the writing to feel hard or not right to you as well, and we’re so proud to be publishing you and working with you we’ll be delighted to be involved in even the most tricky bit of the process, I promise.

It can be good to take a break from struggling over the same section of the book too. Maybe try writing a couple of pages from a different character’s perspective or jump to a scene later in the book. It can free you up creatively and energise you for coming back to a section you’d previously found tricky.

The moment you've been waiting for - holding your published book in your hands - is a special one for writer, agent and publisher. It's likely that your book will also be published as an ebook and audio book. While it varies hugely how quickly a book is published, for many debut authors it can take around a year from when your book is acquired to publication day - allowing us to build a buzz around you and your book ahead of the big day.

Designing a cover

Books shouldn’t, of course, be judged by their cover, but no one can deny that the way a book looks can influence our feelings about it.

Designing a jacket for a book is not a simple matter of moving around some images and typing the author’s name and book title across the top. Rather, it involves meticulous research of everything from typefaces to patterns for wallpaper or clothing from a certain era, and sometimes multiple iterations of a cover before it is finalized.

Suzanne Dean is an award-winning designer and the Creative Director at Vintage , and has directed and designed dozens of book covers.

She has worked with the author Julian Barnes on the covers for his books for more than 20 years, and the two sat down to discuss what makes a good cover, and designing the jacket for Barnes’s The Noise of Time .

The first jacket Dean designed for Barnes was for Letters from London , a collection of the author’s journalism. At that time, Dean and Barnes had never met. Dean said: 'I read the text and came up with this idea of objects that had been sent through the post that represented different articles. I trudged round London, finding various things like a bowler hat, put stamps on them to make it look like they’d been sent through the post, and photographed them.'

It clearly worked, two decades later Dean and Barnes have worked together many times. In fact, the relationship between the pair is so fruitful that Barnes said: 'I do say to her on regular intervals, 'You’re not allowed to retire until I’ve stopped writing', and I mean it!'

You can read the full discussion between the pair, hosted by literary journalist Alex Clarke, here or listen to it as a podcast here .

How to create a campaign around a book

Brilliant books can sell themselves, but it helps to have a marketing and publicity campaign in place as well! When we talk about marketing we mean paid-for content such as adverts on social media or billboards at train stations, whereas publicity is ‘earned’, for example through press coverage. Here, Olivia Meade, Campaigns Manager at Penguin General , explains more about how to create a buzz around a book.

A marketing and publicity campaign is essentially all about telling people about a brilliant book. So, a campaign begins with the book – but does not end there. The book is merely the jumping-off point for us to work out all the ways we can bring it to the right attention in the right way.

The first thing to do is look at who the book’s audience is and all the different ways we can reach them. This involves sales and editorial too, whom publicity and marketing will work with incredibly closely. A publicity and marketing campaign is a crucial part of the publication and sales strategy, and we need to make sure everyone is on board with how we have decided to position the book in the market.

We publicists will have read the book cover to cover, sniffing out feature and interview angles, and looking at how it fits in with the wider world - thinking about pop culture and current affairs. For example, does it tie in with any emerging literary trends?  Are there any upcoming anniversaries that work for the book? What is it saying about the current political moment? Is there a brand or charity we could look to partner with that links to the book? Alongside this we will be talking to the author, discussing how involved they would like to be in the campaign, what they are comfortable with, any ideas or contacts they may have, or personal angles they are willing to discuss.

Our collective marketing and publicity brains are whirring away strategising the campaign from the beginning. We look at all the possible avenues we have and, while a few remain the same for every book, not every campaign is the same. Working in publicity, you learn a lot on the job, including what media outlets impact sales, whether that be traditional (newspapers, magazines, radio) or digital (podcasts, the ‘influencer’ effect). This can vary hugely depending on the type of book! For instance, it is more unlikely for a debut novelist to be on BBC Breakfast than a famous face promoting a book. For the debut novelist, however, being picked for a prestigious slot like the Observer‘s New Faces in Fiction would be a fantastic coup. A book with a largely female readership will appeal to the literary editors of women’s glossy magazines (who are always such champions on social media too!), whereas harnessing the power of the brilliant online crime fiction community is key for a crime novel. They key thing is that a publicist tries all possible avenues open to them across national print and broadcast media.

For marketing, the same applies – so much is learnt on the job. As in publicity, there are many different avenues to go down to promote a book, so a marketer’s job is varied: from helping develop an author’s social media profile to designing proofs of books to send out to influencers and media to build a buzz around the book ahead of publication.

The difference between publicity and marketing is that the marketing strategy is dependent on how big budget marketers have to spend. They will look at who the audience is and how to reach them best, from the traditional, like train station billboards, to digital, e.g. social media advertising, all the while bringing out the messages of the book. I’m in awe of my marketing colleagues and the way they monitor, update and react to consumer behaviour, particularly online.

When marketing and publicity are working in harmonious tandem, campaigns zing with creativity, passion and excitement. Our ultimate aim is always to get brilliant books in front of, and hopefully in the hands of, readers who will love them as much as us.

We know that the process of writing and getting published isn’t always an easy one. We hope that this guide has given you both useful information and inspiration to keep writing and to navigate your next steps to getting published.

We wish you the very best of luck.

WriteNow is our programme to find, mentor and publish new writers from communities under-represented on the UK’s bookshelves.

It offers the chance to take part in free regional workshops, get personalised feedback on your work from an editor, and ultimately join our year-long mentoring programme.  

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Further resources

If you want to know more about the publishing process, from writing through to publication, here’s some further reading, listening and viewing.

On Writing by AL Kennedy (Vintage) The author’s collection of blog posts and essays about the craft of writing, touching on topics including voice, writers’ health and research.

Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook This bestselling guide is updated each year, and as the definitive place to find a literary agent it includes contact details for more than 4,000 people in publishing.

Get Started in Writing Young Adult Fiction by Juliet Mushens Literary agent Mushens covers everything from how YA fiction works to the big dos and don’ts of the genre.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King One of the most famous books on writing, Stephen King’s tome can be found, well-thumbed, on the shelves of many authors and editors.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss (HarperCollins) A humorous and useful guide to grammar and punctuation.

The Penguin Podcast Guests on this podcast discuss how they write and where their ideas come from, and talk listeners through five objects that have provided inspiration for their work. Acast | Apple Podcasts

The Vintage Podcast This weekly books podcast includes book news, discussions and interviews with authors discussing their work. Acast | Apple Podcasts

20 podcasts about writing that will have you penning a bestselling novel in no time - Bustle

14 podcasts every writer should listen to - Book Fox  

20 inspiring writing podcasts to subscribe to right now - The Write Life

Blogs and videos

#Merky Books: How To Get Published : Watch this in-depth panel discussion about the publishing process between an author, literary agent, editor and publicist at the first ever #Merky Books New Writers’ Camp.

Abir Mukherjee: 10 Things I Learnt About the Publishing Process - Penguin.co.uk

Kit de Waal on why we need more diverse writers - Penguin.co.uk

Author Jane Corry shares her original covering letter - Penguin.co.uk

More posts about publishing can be found on Penguin.co.uk’s Getting Published blog .

See behind the scenes of publishing in Penguin's videos on printing, design and more on YouTube . See more of life at Penguin with our Work in Publishing videos.

Networks and organisations

Arts Council England offers financial support to individual writers who need time and space out of their day to day lives to progress their writing project.

Arvon is the UK’s home for creative writing, offering residential courses and retreats as well as mentoring opportunities. Grants are available for writers unable to afford course fees.

The Association of Authors’ Agents represents the interests of agents and authors, and a full list of its members can be found on its website.

The Good Literary Agency is a social enterprise supported by Penguin, which aims to discover, develop and launch the careers of writers of colour, disability, working class, LGBTQ+ and anyone who feels their story is not being told in the mainstream.

Pathways is a new two-year illustration programme, supported by Penguin, for talented and ambitious artists from diverse backgrounds who believe they can be the next generation of children’s illustrators.

The Society of Authors is the trade union for UK writers, and offers advice on contracts and more, as well as lobbies on the issues that affect authors.

Pen to Print  provides a safe, collaborative environment for emerging writers in a number of genres including free workshops, competitions, events and through its new  Write On!  magazine, which aims to showcase emerging writers in print.

Regional writing organisations

Regional writing organisations are home to advice and information for new and established writers, and are a great resource if you want to find out about prizes for unpublished writers and local writing groups.

New Writing North - based in Newcastle, and supports writers in the North of England.

National Centre for Writing - based in Norwich, the National Centre for Writing was formerly known as Writing Centre Norwich, and covers the Eastern region of England.

New Writing South - based in Brighton, covering the South East region of England.

Spread the Word - based in London, and runs schemes including the Young People's Laureate for London.

Writing West Midlands - based in Birmingham, supporting writers across the West Midlands.

Writing East Midlands - based in Derby, supporting writers across the East Midlands.

Literature Works SW - based in Exeter and covering the South West region of England.

Commonword - based in Manchester.

Literature Wales - Literature Wales is the national company for the development of literature in Wales.

Scottish Book Trust - this is a national charity which promotes books, reading and writing.

Images of Sara Collins and Jane Corry by Justine Stoddart. Image of Claire Malcolm by Richard Kenworthy. Image of Madeleine Milburn by Libi Pedder.

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Over the past decade, BookLife Publishing has transformed into celebrated creators of children’s books that span the globe, with nearing 3,000 titles hatched right here. We’ve been spinning tales faster than a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly – and our creative cocoon shows no sign of slowing down!

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As we emerge from the winter months, the sun starts to poke its head through the clouds and shine down on us. We are thankful for its warmth and would be unable to live without its nourishment. Wendy Kuchta’s book is a reminder that we need to cherish our fiery friend and protect ourselves fro...

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Oh, to be in love in New York City! The big apple is alluring to all sorts of romance: movies and TV shows, music, novels and, of course, real life. If you’ve never visited New York yourself, Rhys J. Freeman does a wonderful job of replicating the steamy skyscraper-enclosed streets in his late...

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Elmer and the climate crisis: lost story by David McKee set to be published

The late illustrator’s elephant hero is to star in a new ecological fable after the discovery of a rough manuscript and drawings

From the depths of his extraordinarily vibrant imagination, he famously conjured up Mr Benn, Not Now, Bernard , King Rollo and Elmer the patchwork elephant .

Now a manuscript and rough sketches for a new illustrated story about Elmer has been in the archive of the late British children’s author and illustrator David McKee . It will be published next year by his family.

Dates on the handwritten manuscript suggest McKee finished writing and drawing the book shortly before he fell ill and died of a pulmonary dysfunction 10 days later on 6 April 2022 at the age of 87.

His son Chuck McKee said: “A couple of weeks later, I sat down at his work desk to go through his papers. There was stuff all over it. He’d pick up bills and doodle on them. You could see where conversations were going, you could follow things through, at what point he was losing track and going on to something else; a block of paint would suddenly start becoming a face and a body and breaking into something.” McKee’s son found handwritten pieces of paper with a story written on it, corresponding to numbered thumbnail sketches drawn in black ink. “When I came across the sketches, laid out page by page, I realised that he had a book going on.”

The final draft was labelled “Elmer + White Bear: 7th version.” It follows Elmer and his cousin Wilbur as they meet a mysterious white bear in the jungle who is trying to find his way home after floating from the frozen north on a tiny scrap of melting ice.

“I love where I live,” the bear tells the elephants, explaining that he is lost in the jungle “because of global warming. The world getting warmer”.

Chuck McKee thinks his father became concerned about the climate emergency at the end of his life and later discovered that he had consulted his publisher, Andersen Press, about writing such a story involving Elmer, to help parents talk about the issue with their children.

“So many people have wanted to use Elmer as a mascot – so many organisations – and he never wanted that to happen, because Elmer belongs to everybody. So the idea of doing something, of making a statement with Elmer about climate change, was a first for him,” he said.

He thinks his father was inspired to write the story during the summer 2021 heatwave after getting stuck in Provence in the south of France because of the Covid travelling restrictions.

“I reckon he was hot himself. Among the papers that were around the book was an early version, where Elmer says: ‘We’re going to have to do something about this [global heating]. We can’t just leave the fridge door open.’”

His father, he thinks, was reflecting on his own experiences of the heatwave. “It was super hot that summer. He had a huge fridge and I reckon he was going down there and cooling off every now and again.”

McKee’s ink sketches will be turned into colour illustrations in the forthcoming book, Elmer and the White Bear – and a second unpublished, undisclosed Elmer story that his son found that is set to appear in 2027 – by the painter and illustrator Marysia Milewski, a long-term friend and admirer of David McKee’s work.

“She asked me where my dad got his colours from and I picked up everything – the paper, the paints, the pencils, the whole lot. I bundled it all into the car and took it to her,” said Chuck, adding that his father, who was fond of French creme caramel, often used the dessert pots to mix his paints.

As well as having McKee’s rough sketches to guide her, Milewski found – inside a parcel of papers his son gave her – two incomplete illustrations for the book. “That was amazing and a great help,” she said.

In May 2020, in one of his last interviews , McKee spoke to the Observer about his desire to write discursive books that adults would want to talk about with their children.

“Picture books should be shared and I like the fact that you’ve got the adult audience,” he said. “And that idea of having something to talk about in the book, not just a little tale with a happy ending, I think is the area which interests me more.”

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‘Problematic’ Children’s Books: Is Cancel Culture the Solution?

We all had books that we adored as kids. Whether it was marvelling at how a bathtub could possibly be attached to a broomstick in Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom , or enduring the Biff, Chip and Kipper series that many of us were forced to read in primary school, some of our favourite characters and fondest childhood memories have originated from reading.

But in recent years, an unprecedented number of children’s books have become victims of cancel culture . The Very Hungry Caterpillar , for example, has been accused of ‘ promot[ing] childhood obesity ’ and just last year, hundreds of alterations were made in the name of political correctness to Roald Dahl’s books. The word ‘fat’ was purged from all his novels, and women working as ‘cashier[s] in a supermarket or typing letters for a businessman’ in The Witches , have become ‘top scientist[s]’ or businesswomen.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea Controversy

Judith Kerr’s beloved The Tiger Who Came to Tea is no exception. Published in 1968, the book was recently labelled as ‘problematic’ by Zero Tolerance campaigner Rachel Adamson. For those who haven’t read it, the story follows a young girl called Sophie and her mother who try to accommodate a tiger that eats all the food in their house. The premise sounds innocent enough, but Adamson has condemned the ‘old-fashioned’ way in which women are portrayed in the novel.

Multiple pages allegedly show ‘ outdated viewpoints and lifestyles, ’ including a scene where the mother holds a broom whilst standing in the middle of a filthy kitchen, and another where the father returns home from work, briefcase in hand. These depictions, Adamson claims, compound negative gender stereotypes and present women in a submissive, subservient role. Dr Helen Adam from Edith Cowan University’s School of Education, Australia, makes a similar case, claiming that the book has ‘ outdated viewpoints of masculinity and femininity .’ Dr Adam fears that the female characters in the book ‘promote[…] traditional … and stereotypical viewpoints of gender and gender roles,’ which could distort young girls’ self-esteem.

She isn’t entirely off the mark. Evidence shows that gender stereotyping in literature does affect children’s confidence and career aspirations. A 2018 Dublin Institute of Technology study became the first to investigate the effects of gender representation in kids’ books on young readers. It found that books greatly ‘contribute to children’s understanding of expectations associated with gender and shape the many ways in which they understand their place in society as girls and boys.’ The study further maintains that stereotypical depictions of women in children’s books ‘have implications for children’s construction of gender in early childhood.’ Even in the 21st Century, girls arguably continue to predominantly consume media that portrays them as wives and side characters.

Could Children’s Books Lead to ‘Rape and Harassment’?

Negative gender stereotypes in literature don’t just affect young girls and women. What is perhaps more concerning, Rachel Adamson argues, is the effect they can have on impressionable boys, possibly leading to more cases of ‘rape and harassment’ if they don’t see girls as their equals. However, this has yet to be proven. The media’s portrayal of women is likely to be one of many factors that could influence young boys’ behaviour. However, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that it will lead them to ‘ become perpetrators of violence against women’ later in life — which is a very weighty claim to make.

While many support Adamson’s views, the Zero Tolerance campaigner has also received backlash, notably from Meghan Gallacher, the Scottish Conservatives’ spokesperson for children and young people. Gallacher argues it is unfair to criticise ‘publications from days gone by.’ And rightly so. The Tiger Who Came to Tea was published during the ’60s and naturally reflects the societal conventions of that time. The protagonist’s mother remains at home to cook dinner and look after the child because that is what most women did; with fewer than 5 per cent of housewives hiring paid help. No one is disputing the importance of positive female representation in literature. The Tiger Who Came to Tea may not be an empowering story in the modern sense precisely because Kerr never meant for it to be.

So rather than cancelling fifty-year-old books that show women in traditional gender roles that are still practised today, would it not be better to educate children on the conventions of the past? We cannot and should not erase history, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. Let children enjoy these classic stories, but make them aware of how society has progressed. As the Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana said : ’those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’ By encouraging children to read from a wide range of literature spanning the past and present, we give them access to more inclusive representation. This way, they can determine for themselves how attitudes have changed.

The Failings of the Modern Publishing Industry

While tastes and expectations have undoubtedly changed, we may also be looking at the issue from the wrong angle. Perhaps we should be scrutinising the failings of the modern publishing industry, rather than attacking stories published over half a century ago. Currently, just 41 per cent of children’s books in the UK have a female protagonist, and only a staggering 5 per cent have an ethnic minority one. A lack of diverse representation can be just as harmful as negative representation. Children will ultimately feel disappointed if they are excluded from mainstream media, as it sends girls and minority groups the message that people like them are somehow less worthy of being seen on the pages of a book. Trish Cooke, a Black British playwright and author of the Hairytales series, says she experienced this growing up. She argues that if marginalised groups are missing from children’s books ‘that’s saying [to children] they are not important enough to have stories about them … and I think for children to start thinking that they’re not important, that’s not good.’

Cancel culture is not the solution. Instead of condemning classical children’s books for being out of touch with modern ideas, the publishing industry should focus on promoting and providing a wider range of positive literature for children of all backgrounds to enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: The articles on our website are not endorsed by, or the opinions of Shout Out UK (SOUK), but exclusively the views of the author.

Tilda Gladwell

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Bologna 2024: Heinz Janisch and Sydney Smith Win 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Awards

The International Board on Books for Young People announced the 2024 winners of three prestigious book awards on April 8, the opening day of the 61st annual Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

This year’s recipients of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international distinction given to authors and illustrators of children’s books, are Austria’s Heinz Janisch, for writing; and Canada’s Sydney Smith, for illustration.

Bestowed every other year by IBBY, the award recognizes lifelong achievement and is given to an author and an illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children’s literature. The prize is sponsored by Nami Island Inc.

The winners were chosen from a list of 59 nominations from 33 countries and then whittled down to a shortlist by a jury led by Liz Page, former executive director of IBBY. The jurors included Evelyn Arizpe (Mexico/U.K,), Brenda Dales (U.S.), Sabine Fuchs (Austria), Diana Laura Kovach (Argentina), Shereeh Kreidieh (Lebanon), Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer (Germany), Jaana Pesonen (Finland), Tan Fengxia (China), Pavle Učakar (Slovenia) and Morgane Vasta (France), with IBBY executive director Carolina Ballester serving as an ex officio jury member.

A veteran radio journalist and editor at a children’s magazine, Janisch is the author of several picture books, poetry books, and screenplays. According to the jury’s citation, “In Janisch’s eyes, ‘nothing is too small for literature.’ His preference for poems, miniatures and fractions of thoughts illuminates the extraordinary in seemingly trivial objects and features of daily life.”

Smith is the illustrator of acclaimed picture books including I Talk Like the River and My Baba’s Garden , both by Jordan Scott, and the solo books Do You Remember and Small in the City . Speaking on behalf of the jury, Page said, “For Smith, picture books do not pose a separation between child and adult—they are about human experience and emotion, part of any and every age.”

The medals will be presented at the next IBBY Congress, to be held August 30–September 1 in Trieste, Italy.

During the afternoon presentation, Junko Yokota, chair of the IBBY Reading Promotion jury, also announced the two winners of the 2024 IBBY-iRead Outstanding Reading Promoter Award, sponsored by the Shenzhen iRead Foundation in China. Basarat Kazim of Pakistan and Irene Vasco of Colombia were recognized for their dedication to fostering global literacy. They were selected from 13 nominees.

Writer and social activist Kazim works with Pakistan’s Alif Laila Book Bus Society, a network of more than 7,000 mobile libraries that serve one million children across the country. Vasco is a children’s literature expert, lecturer, writer, and reading promoter who has been active in launching multiple public libraries in so-called “red” territories, so named because they are marked by social conflict and the presence of illegal armed groups. She is also engaged with government programming that champions Indigenous communities, remote farming villages, and former soldiers.

The IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award, sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun Media Group in Japan, went to France’s ATD Fourth World Street Libraries. ATD, which stands for Agir Tous pour la Dignité or All Together in Dignity. The organization is dedicated to providing access to books, stories, music, and artistic activities for children and families in under-resourced communities.

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Psychology Student Sierra Miller '27 Publishes Children's Book

• Richard Gross
• 10 April 2024

Author Richard Gross '24 is a Media & Communications major and works as a student assistant at JWU, contributing to JWU News.

Johnson & Wales student Sierra Miller ’27 has a story to tell. In fact, she may even have a few up her sleeve. As a first-year psychology major, Sierra has already written, illustrated and published her own children’s book titled, Rascal the Raccoon’s NF Adventures . The book follows a raccoon named Rascal through his daily life with neurofibromatosis (NF1), a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow along nerves.

This condition is one that Sierra is very familiar with — she was diagnosed with NF1 when she was just three and a half years old. After enduring numerous hospital stays throughout her childhood, Sierra was inspired to create something that would help children get through similar experiences.

“I really needed a character like a Rascal when I was younger,” she shared. “I didn’t know what was happening to me. I want kids to know it’s not their fault and there is a support system who will get them through things — it’s important to know that you're not alone.”

Bringing her book to life

The idea to write a book came from one of the children Sierra used to babysit. Sierra had written them a short story about camping safety that they adored, so they pushed her to keep writing. “I was like, sure, why not?” said Sierra. “I really enjoy working with kids and hopefully when I’m working in the future as a therapist, it’s with troubled youth or kids who suffer from chronic conditions.”

Part of, if not all of Sierra’s mission with her writing is to advocate for and educate children who may be battling a chronic condition. Hospitals can be extremely intimidating, and at times they can be scary places — especially for a young child. Through her first-hand experience and knack for storytelling, Sierra aims to help younger individuals achieve a sense of comfort and security in medical environments, all while amplifying their voices and creating stories that make medical terminology and experiences easier to understand.

Through her journey with NF1, Sierra has received a variety of treatments, including chemotherapy. During her sophomore year of high school, Sierra underwent treatment to remove the remainder of a plexiform tumor. Though she experienced a tremendous loss of energy, she found that baking offered her some relief, and it ended up playing a vital role in her recovery. It was then she discovered that her passion for baking went hand in hand with her aspirations of being a beacon of hope for young kids dealing with chronic illness.

Finding Johnson & Wales

When a counselor at her Colorado high school suggested Johnson & Wales for college, Sierra knew she was headed in the right direction. JWU offered the opportunity to explore both Psychology and baking, unlike other schools. She came for a tour of the university, loved what she saw and submitted her application. Even though she was advised that it would be difficult to have both an academic and culinary major, Sierra channeled some determination and enrolled anyway. She now majors in psychology and plans to take intro-level baking classes as electives in the future.

In her short time at JWU, Sierra has already found an ever-flowing channel of creativity that she is able to touch upon both in and out of the classroom. “I love being creative, but I also think there’s times where it needs to be within the box,” she said. “Especially with psychology, it’s important that you follow the rules and are taking care of your clients. Johnson & Wales has really provided a lot of space for different creativity, especially my professors. I’ve been able to share rough drafts of my book to get feedback and hear what they're thinking of it, which is really useful because that helps the creative process.”

She has found that the JWU community always strives to celebrate and uplift student work, whether you’re perfecting your craft in the classroom or pursuing a passion project. “My professor connected me with the JWU media team, who put out pictures of my book and everything,” Sierra said. “That’s been really amazing.”

Looking ahead

As of now, Sierra’s published work is rooted in her own experience and journey with NF1, but in the future, she hopes her books can be used as a platform to explore other conditions. As far as illustration and art style, Sierra says she’d be open to working with other artists and writers who suffer from chronic conditions.

Unfortunately, Sierra was also recently diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that causes the heart rate to increase very quickly after getting up from a sitting or lying position. She was inspired to write another book focusing on that condition. She hopes to work alongside someone else who deals with POTS in order to accurately portray the experience, as well as give them an opportunity to share their story and have their voice heard.

After graduation, Sierra shared that she hopes to become a counseling therapist — with a twist. She hopes to combine therapy with her passion for baking to open a shop where she can teach children dealing with chronic illness how to channel their energy into baking.

“I want to teach kids how to bake so they can have it as a life skill, but also as a healthy coping mechanism,” she explained. “The proceeds of this baking therapy could be donated to charity, future college funds or medical expenses.”

Sierra Miller is a remarkable example of a student who not only thrives academically and creatively but is a figure of inspiration for the entire JWU community. Her advocacy for those with chronic conditions comes from a truly selfless mindset and approach to life, and her journey serves as a testament to the exciting opportunities that await prospective students at Johnson & Wales.

If you would like to learn more or support the cause in any way, check out the Children’s Tumor Foundation .

Don’t forget to check out “Rascal the Racoon’s NF Adventures” and keep an eye out for upcoming works!   Purchase Sierra's book

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Maren Morris and Karina Argow bring garden friends to life in new children's book, "Addie Ant Goes on an Adventure"

By Analisa Novak

April 9, 2024 / 11:58 AM EDT / CBS News

In a journey from the world of music to the realm of storytelling, Grammy Award-winning artist Maren Morris and her best friend, Karina Argow, a former English teacher, have collaborated to create a children's book titled "Addie Ant Goes on an Adventure."

The book tells the story of a young ant named Addie who sets off on her first solo journey, guided by the wisdom and support of her garden friends. The narrative is designed to instill values of independence, curiosity and the importance of asking for help among young readers.

The idea for the book was born from conversations during road trips with Morris talking about a desire to delve into children's literature, motivated by her own experiences of reading to her son.

"I've always wanted to do some sort of children's book or children's album, and then, Karina is like, 'Well, I have a whole cast of characters in my head because I garden all the time and I just create bugs in my head,' and I was like, 'Well that's half the work,'" Morris said.

They both picked Addie the ant to be their main character as a way to capture the innocence and curiosity of childhood and encourage young readers to be adventurous yet mindful of their safety.

"There's a ton of curiosity about the world and it's not quite scary yet, so I feel like we try to touch in the book on, 'Yes, be curious. Yes, ask questions, go on an adventure,  but also, know when to avoid someone or just be cautious,'" Morris said. "Those are like survival things as parents and educators that we instill in our children. And we wanted to do it in a not scary way in the book."

The book also talks a lot of the power of friendship, which Morris says mirrors the foundation of trust and support between her and Argow.

"I don't know what I would do without you," Argow said to Morris in an interview on CBS Mornings. I don't. And knowing that I can ask for help from you gives me courage, all the time."

Morris said the book also allows her to give something back to her son and work with her best friend.

"I just love collaboration. I read a lot of my songs with my best friends. So it just seems so natural to do this with her. And we've already started book two, so we're on a little roll," Morris said. 

Analisa Novak is a content producer for CBS News and the Emmy-award-winning "CBS Mornings." Based in Chicago, she specializes in covering live events and exclusive interviews for the show. Beyond her media work, Analisa is a United States Army veteran and holds a master's degree in strategic communication from Quinnipiac University.

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