Alexandra Strick

LET’S PLAY is officially an award-winning book! Say what??!! I was just a bit shocked when they announced it (as the first photo by @lucyreynoldsauthor illustrates) and then had to go up and make a (messy) acceptance speech. Huge huge credit to the amazing Annie Kubler, Sarah Dellow, @kelsea_childsplay and @childsplaybooks . Beyond delighted - it was exciting enough just to be in a room with talented people like @annamcquinnwrites @jeffreykboakye @hey.chante @sophiap_author @george_webster_actor @timbudgen @sumana.seeboruth @wilsonmaxken @_serena_patel_ @evawongnava @sophiap_author @ruthhearsonillustrator @daishu_ma @jakegatehouse @stories_fest @bookjo @andreareece18 @juliaeccleshare @gregstobbs_illustration @jen.hawke1 and many others. Huge congratulations to all the incredible shortlisted books and massive thanks to @ibc_reads for the recognition.

Another snapshot of what was the most memorable and varied fortnight in my life. From giving a key note lecture at a huge conference and appearing on Japanese TV to sitting in a natural ‘onsen’ spa with a monkey… all absolutely unforgettable. #authorlife #tokyo #kyoto #nagano #nara

🏆📚⭐ Here it is! #IBCawards2026 Baby & Toddler WINNER award for LET’S PLAY! Thank you @ibc_reads , it’s a beauty! Just like our winning book LET’S PLAY by the fabulous Alex Strick, with vibrant gorgeous illustrations by Annie Kubler & Sarah Dellow. Congratulations! 🏆📚⭐ More + FREE resources via our bio 😃 #InclusiveBooksforChildren #Bookswithusallin #TactileBooks #WendysLegacy #NationalYearofReading2026

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

⭐️ LET’S PLAY #IBCawards2026 Baby & Toddler WINNER! 📚🤩 Congratulations to author Alex Strick whose passion for all children to be included in books and for all children to be able to access books is a passion after our own hearts, and to illustrators Annie Kubler and Sarah Dellow who are the heart and soul of this and many Child’s Play books. Child’s Play began more than 50 years ago with a philosophy of learning through play, so to say winning the award for LET’S PLAY, a project created to honour the late Wendy Cooling founder of the Bookstart programme for BookTrust, is a thrill and honour, well, it means everything. We couldn’t be prouder working with Alex Strick and to support making books where children can see themselves, as we always have – and LET’S PLAY specifically, a sensory touch-and-feel book for absolutely everyone! “The judges praised Let’s Play for its simple yet joyful illustrations, rich tactile elements and subtle inclusion of Braille. Its inclusive design – through diverse characters, uncluttered pages and sensory-friendly features – makes it enjoyable for a wide range of young children.” @ibc_reads Huge thank you ❤️ what an evening to remember! #bookswithusallin #booksforallchildren #readingtogether #wendyslegacy

Warning - do not watch if you are feeling hungry. #Japanesefood #foodporn #eatinginjapan

Will share more soon but here’s an initial snapshot of my first week working in Japan, taking part in a series of lectures, meetings, workshops and ‘in conversation’ events at all sorts of fabulous venues and with audiences young and not so young. I’ve been talking about, well, basically what I’ve been doing for past the 26 years since my last visit to Japan! So the importance of accessible (or ‘barrier free’) books, disability representation and good practice (including favourite books like those by @thecatchpoles ), listening to children’s voices, my own books like YOU CAN, WE CAN and touch and feel books with @childsplaybooks , the value of sharing books with young children, consulting people with lived experience, the power of libraries…. and more! Huge thanks @bookstart_japan for inviting me, it’s been absolutely amazing. #bookstartjapan #childrensbooks #inclusion #inclusivebooks

We went all the way to London for a glam evening at the UK’s oldest bookshop, celebrating The Golden Egg Academy’s exciting new First Look deal with MacMillan Kids & First Ink and many successes in nurturing emerging writers and building fantastic publishing partnerships - and all we got was some dodgy selfies on the train and a little bit of grainy footage that doesn’t do the Big Honk justice! Apologies @thegeacademy - an Instagram fail by @lucyreynoldsauthor and @strickalexandra 😅 But thank you so much for the most wonderful evening celebrating books and all their incredible creators, plus meeting so many fellow book lovers old and new. We are in awe of the work you do! #writers #writersofinstagram #goldeneggacademy #publishing #bighonk @thegeacademy @hatchardspiccadilly

Are carefully designed books like this one ‘special books’ made for specific audiences? Here’s my thinking. #booksforall #goallin #inclusion #booksareforeveryone

Such lovely recognition for this small but powerful little book. A book for EVERY young child. Thank you so much @ibc_reads for selecting it. I’m beyond proud - and also of the whole team - Annie Kubler, Sarah Dellow and all at @childsplaybooks . And all the families, organisations and individuals who helped me research, write, plan and roadtest it to help make it as accessible and inclusive as possible, like lovely people from @rnib @ndcs_uk @toylikeme Clearvision Books Sussex Baby Lab and so many others. It’s one very special book thanks to all you ❤️

Here’s my little (60 second) celebration of the humble ‘touch and feel’ book. So much more than ‘novelty books’, the very best ones can offer sensory appeal, meaningful experiences, recognisable shapes and plenty of fun for EVERY child. #Booksforall #touchandfeel #touchandfeelbooks #inclusive #accessible

Here’s just a tiny taste of my recent visit to the incredible Sussex Baby Lab where the research team embark on groundbreaking work that can help us better understand how babies perceive and make sense of the world - and what they want to look at in books. So useful to see what they loved about my book LET’S PLAY. I’ll also share the Baby Lab’s reel from my visit, in which I am very excited getting to cuddle baby Rowan! #babylab #babybooks #babyvision #childsplaybooks #babylab #babybooks #childsplay #sussexbabylab