The sun is shining for Day 2 of @londonbookfair #LBF Publishers, make sure to visit the Inclusion and Accessibility Hub Stand 2D110 (top left of mezzanine) to find out how to make sure your books include and are accessible for all children.
#inclusion #ChildrensBooks #Publishing
Exciting to see bookings coming in for our Pop Up Book Clinic at LBF next week. This is a RARE chance to get free consultancy from myself and Alexandra Strick.
- If you’re wondering if your books are unintentionally alienating readers – through text, illustration or design…
- If you don’t know what you don’t know, and want an external (but non-judgemental) critique…
- Or if you want to ask questions or sense check something in a book you are working on…
Book an appointment and come and visit us at the Inclusion and Accessibility Hub (Stand 2D110).* https://bit.ly/LBF26BookClinic
*Please note, book clinic sessions are currently only available to those working in publishing/published book creators, but any aspiring publishing professionals and book creators are welcome to drop by the stand and see if anyone is available for a quick chat.
#LondonBookFair #LBF26 #PublishingIndustry #BookPublishing #InPublishing #PublishingLife #PublishingEvents #BookIndustry #PublishingProfessionals #PublishingCommunity #InclusivePublishing #AccessibilityInPublishing
The news is out! @strickalexandra and I are hosting an Inclusion and Accessibility hub at the @londonbookfair this year.
The hub will act as a base for a range of organisations and charities, all committed to ensuring children see themselves in and have access to a wide range of books.
We'll also be running a Pop Up Book Clinic at the hub where children’s publishing representatives and published authors/illustrators can book a 20 minute in-person consultation for free inclusion/accessibility advice on a published or forthcoming title. Book your appointment via https://bit.ly/LBF26BookClinic
The hub will be based at stand 2D110, upstairs on the mezzanine level of Olympia Grand Gallery (step free access is via the lift on the right side of the grand hall).
Visitors will be able to find resources relating to children’s books and inclusion/accessibility and connect with great organisations, including RNIB, ClearVision, Living Paintings, Inclusive Minds, Empathy Lab and more.
You can the full announcement in Books for Keeps:
/latest-news/
#InclusionAccessibilityHub #lbf2026 #Publishing #ChildrensBooks #Inclusion #Accessibility
📚❤️Charming books that help kids build self-esteem through fun activities and positive affirmations!
📘Love Being You -✍@bethcinclusion@powerthoughtsnc@doodlesvb 📚@bsmallpublishing
For help learning how to take up space in the world and love being themselves. Perfect for children who need a confidence boost to see that they are special ... inside and out!
📘Stretch Your Confidence
Confidence is like a muscle, and everyone's confidence can benefit from a bit of coaching to stretch and strengthen that muscle. Children will learn how to build empathy and interact with confidence. From dealing with friendship wobbles to embracing mistakes and coping with change, the activities at the heart of this book are designed to help children discover just what they can do.
🌸 Follow, like, save and share with others who would ❤️ this. #picturebooks #activitybook #kidsbooksuk #kidsbookstagram #childrensbooks
I’ve been thinking about how publishers can genuinely make inclusion part of the day-to-day creative process.
Inclusion is only as strong as the support behind it and I’ve come up with a practical solution to ensure that it is embedded and supported in the publishing creative process.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Can you see a Creative Inclusion Lead benefiting your organisation?
#Publishing #ChildrensBooks #Books
#InclusivePublishing #DiversityEquityInclusion #CreativeLeadership #FutureOfPublishing #BookIndustry #PublishingCareers #DEIinPublishing
I'm delighted that my book, All Bodies are Wonderful published by @bsmallpublishing has been shortlisted for the @theroyalsociety Young People's Book Prize 2024.
Amongst the depressing and somewhat scary news this morning, this is a title that hopes to shape a more inclusive world, where we can all be ourselves. And that's something that we need more than ever.
One of the judges, @chantellenaturelle Chantelle Lindsay commented that: “This is the kind of book I wish I’d had as a child, and one that would be a great addition to any classroom. The author explains the principles of DNA, anatomy and how our environment shapes who we are in a really accessible way. The illustrations really bring home that everyone is different and that difference should be celebrated!”
Hugely grateful to Deborah Mackay, Professor of Medical Epigenetics who consulted on this and made sure that the science was correct, and @sm_illustration for bringing it to life with her illustrations!
/medals-and-prizes/young-peoples-book-prize/
Today is the last chance to complete my survey on how you feel about creating inclusive content.
Help build an accurate picture of the current feeling in the industry by sharing your thoughts - the survey is completely anonymous!
https://bit.ly/BethCoxInclusionSurvey
#Publishing #ChildrensBooks #InclusiveBooks #BookEditor #BookDesigner #Editor #Designer #Publisher #bbf2023 #BolognaFiere #BolognaChildrensBookFair #BookBusiness #KidLit
A lot of the time we focus on the big things we need to do to make a difference, forgetting that little things are important too and can have more of an impact.
The subtle messages that books give us that have an impact on our unconscious bias and how we think, much more than when something is presented more directly.
For example, books about different types of families may tell children that there are lots of different families and all of these set ups are equal and valid. But if the majority of other books they read always feature two heterosexual parents, or refer to ‘mum and dad’ constantly. The message they get is that actually having two heterosexual parents is more usual. This is why I’m passionate about incidental inclusion. Because it’s only really inclusion when it’s natural, a non-issue, and just a part of life.
I'd like to set you a challenge. Take a look at a project you are working on right now. What could you do to make it incidentally inclusive? Are there any simple changes you could make? Let me know in the comments.
#inclusion #ChildrensBooks #Publishing
Inclusion Incubator and FFI Alumni, I'm looking at you to kick this off!
On the blog...
Samuel Langley-Swain @story_dad features on my 'Finding my Family, Finding Myself' guest blog series this month.
He talks about his personal experience, what finding representation meant to him, and what drives his work with Owlet Press @owletpress , as well as the problems with the 'orphan' trope in children's literature.
"Authenticity takes a lot of leg work and there is a fine line between helping to represent a community and being lazy. It is a learning process too though - as long as publishers listen, learn and pivot when needed!"
I love Sam's final message to those in the children's book world:
"Put in the work (even if it means making sacrifices), it's needed!"
And if you want help with knowing how to put the work in, today is the last day to enrol in this round of Foundations for Inclusion.
All links available from my bio.
#Adoption #ChildrensBooks #Publishing #Inclusion
I had an email this week from someone wondering if Foundations for Inclusion would be helpful for them given the type of projects they work on.
As well as reassuring them that the learning is applicable across genres, I also asked some FFI Alumni for their input.
Some of the responses were too specific to this particular query to share (although the answer was resoundingly 'yes'), but one former participant shared this:
"I'd say that anyone would benefit from this course even if they don’t work in publishing. I quote things I learned from this course just as often in non work related conversations. The reflection and self reflection opens your eyes even if you thought they were pretty open in the first place."
Enrolment is open now for a start date of 12th May. Link to more information from my bio.
#Publishing #ChildrensBooks #Inclusion
#ChildrensPictureBooks #PictureBookPublishing #ChildrensBookPublishing #ChildrensBooksEditor #Editor #InclusiveBooks #InclusivePictureBooks #ChildrensEditor #ChildrensEditorial #PictureBookMakers #ChildrensBooksPublishing #ChildrensBookEditor #KidLit #PublishingIndustry
#ChildrensPictureBooks #PictureBookPublishing #ChildrensBookPublishing #ChildrensBookAuthor #ChildrensBookIllustrator #Illustrator #Author #Editor #FreelanceEditor #InclusiveBooks #InclusivePictureBooks #SelfEmployedLife
