A plea for reform of UK copyright law to protect the overlooked creators who conceive, design and build books — before corporate consolidation and AI erase them from the record.

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair isn’t just an event — it’s where global children’s publishing decides what survives. From instinct-driven acquisitions to geopolitical tensions, here’s what really happens behind the scenes — and why, even in 2026, nothing has kept the industry away.

Colouring-in can be calming and good for control — but it’s not the same as drawing. Drawing builds thinking, memory, language and confidence. Here’s a plea for “beyond the line” creativity (plus easy ways to encourage it)

Adventure isn’t about recklessness — it’s about agency. A practical, publishing-savvy guide to writing children’s adventure stories that move, matter, and endure.

When a phrase like "after careful consideration" is deployed, you're meant to hear moral gravity. What you're usually hearing is the soft click of a filing cabinet closing. David Salariya examines the pattern behind British publishing's quiet erasures — and the revealing moments when it suddenly moves at speed.

The Booker Prize Foundation has launched a £50,000 Children’s Booker Prize for ages 8–12 — with child judges at the table and 30,000 free books for those who need them most. Here’s why it matters, how it fits the National Year of Reading, and what schools, parents and publishers should do next.

Illustrator/Author Jo Surman blends graphic flair, gothic imagination, and heartfelt storytelling. From picture books to middle-grade novels, she creates worlds steeped in colour, character, and curiosity.

Every parent remembers their child’s first word. Some say “Mum”, some say “Dad” – our son said “digger”. In this post I show how those early obsessions with diggers, fire engines and other machines can become the raw material for a bedtime story picture book. From emotional arcs and page plans to onomatopoeia and illustration, here’s how to turn one small word into a full 32-page goodnight story.

New reports reveal a troubling decline in children’s reading for pleasure. Fewer children are being read to, and reading is increasingly seen as schoolwork—not joy. From misused reading programmes to celebrity book distractions, we urgently need a smarter, more joyful approach.

Learn how to write a children’s publishing press release that sounds human, not hysterical. Practical tips, common pitfalls, and why "thrilled" is the biggest giveaway of all.