Some 44,000 people displaced by flooding across the country as relief operations intensify amid widespread destruction.

Spread the Word has rebranded as the London Writers Centre, after 30 years 👇 #BookSky

ICYMI: The National Literacy Trust has highlighted the “urgent need to broaden our understanding of literacy in the digital age” in a new paper titled The Future of Literacy: Multimodal Reading 👇 #BookSky

The 8th Annual Reflecting Realities Report is out now, showing progress in ethnic representation in children’s books and urging publishers to keep inclusion as a standard practice. https://clpe.org.uk/research/clpe-reflecting-realities-survey-ethnic-representation-within-uk-childrens-literature-3

We welcome the publication of the government's Curriculum and Assessment Review. We particularly support its recommendation that children be exposed to a wider range of literary voices, and the inclusion of reading in enrichment activities. However... www.gov.uk/government/p...

Happy publication day to Wild Journey: A Flight of Stories Across Deserts & Forests, Cities & Seas by A.M. Dassu and illustrated by Joe Lillington. Five captivating stories of emotional growth from across the globe connected by migrating starlings with stunning illustrations👇🏽 For ages 7+

🚨4 days left to submit to #LondonWritersAwards 2026! Have a look at what our agent judges are looking for. ⏰ Applications for the #LondonWritersAwards close at 5pm on Thursday 30 October – happy writing!

Ooohh!! 👀 Going to have to use all my willpower to not listen to this right away or risk not finishing my manuscript redraft ✍️ 😧 📖 I'll treat myself to it later 😊

'I don’t think it’s ever a good idea to deny history. I think it’s always really important to face your own history honestly ...' Toppling statues is an act of protest. It's about contesting a collective memory. NEVER about denying history. observer.co.uk/culture/inte...

You should be concerned about the rate of authors leaving publishing. Especially from marginalized communities. This year I have seen so many authors just pack it up and go. And it's only getting worse.

Publishing is a broken system, and most individuals can't fix a whole-ass system, but a thread of ways you can support marginalized authors.

One of the things about this study is that a lot of baby and toddler books are written in house, by editors. So the study reveals the whiteness of editorial in kidlit even if not explicitly. But, big picture, this trend is unacceptable. I remember so many promises www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

"There's a word for a writer who never gives up: published." ~ Joe Konrath

✨ The Excluded Voices 2025 report is here! We’ve updated last year’s findings on children’s books (ages 1–9) by British creators from marginalised communities — showing where progress is happening & where it’s still not. https://ow.ly/G5Hq50X8fph #IBCExcludedVoicesReport

In an open letter, Walker Books 'is concerned to see the latest developments in Weymouth, particularly given the extreme reality of book banning in the US. We must ask ourselves is this the beginning of something, and what comes next?' www.bookbrunch.co.uk/page/article...

Exciting to see the posts on #kidlit reading from #kidsconf as I take a break from redrafting my upper MG novel 😊 ☕️ ✍️ 📖

"Mass appeal and literary quality are not mutually exclusive", says Belinda Rasmussen at #KidsConf.

Downloading it right now! 🎧 📱 😃

The London Writers Awards is open for applications until Thursday 30 October at 5pm. Find out more in audio and BSL video formats on our website: www.spreadtheword.org.uk/applications...

Your 2026 UKLA Book Awards Longlists are here - the only national children’s book awards judged by teachers! This year they feature books in translation, past winners, exciting debuts and a huge range of genres and themes. Click here to see the full Longlists: ukla.org/ukla-book-aw...

“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” George Orwell

More than 500 children's authors, illustrators & educators have signed a statement on Palestine including @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social, @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social, Sir Michael Morpurgo, Chris Riddell OBE, Lauren Child CBE & @chrishaughton.bsky.social Find out more 👉 statement-on-palestine.org

Calling all #kidlit authors! Over 600 authors, illustrators and educators have signed the statement. MPs have tabled a motion that welcomes the statement. We hope that it may help strengthen the political will to end the conflict that. statement-on-palestine.org?fbclid=PARlR...

We now have young Muslims who feel alienated, disconnected and angry. And they have no reason to feel that, because their European heritage is a wonderfully rich one, says Tharik Hussain ( @tharikhussain.bsky.social ) on his new book 👇

Apply apply apply!! Can't say enough about how transformational the #LondonWritersAwards has been for me. If you're at the stage where you need structured support and an inclusive writing community then this could be the place for you 😊

SAIL Fest (the South Asian Illustration and Literature Festival) is set to return for a second year 👇 #BookSky

@willdalrymple.bsky.social ‘s THE GOLDEN ROAD, a lively examination of the ways in which ancient Indian art, religion, science and literature shaped the world. www.londonreviewbookshop.co.uk/stock/the-go...

A gentle reminder that you can ask (as in pay) Black people to talk about Black British history any month of the year. Not just October…

ICYMI: The Women’s Prize Trust is set to partner with Hachette UK "to support writer development". The support on offer will include a mentoring scheme for aspiring non-fiction writers and the first ever Discoveries Day 👇 #BookSky

Excellent conversation with @willdalrymple.bsky.social and Ash Sarkar... #DecolonisetheCurriculum youtu.be/iI8KmWVGOYw?...

How am I writing a MG story set in ancient Sri Lanka, you ask? 🤔 ✍️ 📖 Not easily, but this #bookstack definitely helped 👇🏽 If you want to learn more about where the numbers and spices you use every day originally came from and how they got here, read these! 📚 🌏 ⛵️ 🌶️ #kidlit #history #indianocean

Be sure not to discuss your hero’s state of mind. Make it clear from his actions. ~ Anton Chekhov

I want this t shirt (because I am anti AI, naturally, and not for any other reason) plasticineaction.com

A wonderful offer from @booksforkeeps.bsky.social Win a FREE place on the next @ibbyuk.bsky.social 2025 Conference Whose History? Challenging historical narratives through writing for children and young people. More here: booksforkeeps.co.uk/books-for-ke... #kidlituk #ukkidlit

Today

Attendance for the Children’s Black Book Fair UK in Hackney Central Library surged by 50% this year, but the organiser has criticised the trade over “tumbleweed” instead of progress on representation 👇

"If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking." -Haruki Murakami

Congratulations to Swithun Cooper, runner-up of the 2025 Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize for his story "Expansion Street"! @desperatelit.bsky.social @swithuncooper.bsky.social To learn more, go to degrootfoundation.org/desperate-li...

Awful 😭

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“Prejudices are what fools use for reason.” —Francois Voltaire

Why read books? Because books are still the most powerful, reliable, transportive & magical storytelling technology we've invented - and all they need to work is YOUR OWN IMAGINATION! #booksky (Cartoon by @mariascrivan.bsky.social)

As well as individual crowdfunders, if you want to support people in Gaza, this mutual aid group are feeding people on the ground. #FreePalestine opencollective.com/the-sameer-p...

“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.” ~ James Baldwin Born OTD in 1924

I've been longlisted for The Mo Siewcharran Prize 2025!! Can't believe it 😳 🤩 This year's theme is Reclaiming History 😊 Wishing best of luck to all authors. Thanks for all the workshop support #Trapezebooks #Orionbooks @hachetteuk.bsky.social @agentbal.bsky.social @paulaakpan.bsky.social

📣 Free Reads 2025 is now live! If you are a London-based writer on low income, you could receive professional, editorial feedback on your writing and support on your writing journey. Find out more: tinyurl.com/2c2hd599 @artscouncilengland.bsky.social @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social

Our 2025 conference will focus on challenging historical narratives through writing for children and young people. 🗓 Saturday 8th Nov 📍Open Ealing Arts Centre W5 2TD More info soon! #ibbyuk #ibby #childrenspublishing #publishing #childrensbooks #historicalnarratives #challengingnarratives

Everything you need to know about "STORY" in one cartoon, thanks to Grant Snider. He created this back in 2013 for the New York Times Book Review ❤️😁📚 #books #love #grantsnider

I wrote a blog for SAILfest! It's about why I set my novel in ancient Sri Lanka and how we've been interconnected for thousands of years through the Indian Ocean trade routes and why reframing world history matters 🌏✍️⛵️🫚💃🏽🧮📿📜 www.sailfest.org.uk/sailfest-blo...

Today is the start of #SouthAsianHeritageMonth which runs until 17th August in the U.K. & celebrates the rich cultures of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan & The Maldives. Here are some #kidlit reading suggestions! (Titles & authors in alt) #kidlituk #ukkidlit