“We can look back through history and see that there’s always been censorship..Books are primarily a source for people to learn new ideas and to critically think…So books are powerful, and that’s what scares people.” www.the74million.org/zero2eight/w...

Who Decides Which Stories Children Get to Read?

Jan Lacina, editor of a textbook that helps teachers select children’s books, discusses censorship and why access to diverse literature matters.

the74million.org

As it's the National Year of Reading, I thought now would be a good chance to remind you all that The Reading Realm iPad app and The Poetry Realm iPad app are both FREE! They have hundreds of stories and poems on them with lots of engaging activities! thereadingrealm.co.uk #KidLit #EduSky #BookSky

The Reading Realm Home - The Reading Realm

Journey into a world where stories come to life… Have you downloaded the iPad apps? The Poetry Realm The Reading Realm

thereadingrealm.co.uk

“Our evidence‑based programme helps schools embed empathy education through reading in a way that strengthens relationships, calms classrooms&boosts reading attainment-all within your existing practice” Become an Empathy School! @empathylabuk.bsky.social #KidLitUK empathylab.uk/empathy-scho...

Empathy Schools

Next training coming up in October Find out more Express your interest Register for training Talk to us first Our impact Where reading builds connection Children and young people learn best when th…

empathylab.uk

EmpathyLabUK@empathylabuk.bsky.social · 12h ago

💭 Small changes in the classroom can make a big difference to how children understand themselves and others. We're so grateful to hear how teachers are using EmpathyLab's approach to embed empathy into everyday learning.

⭐️Social Justice Themed Books for Children⭐️ From a graphic novel exploring right wing regimes to a picture book 🐿️ who falls foul of excess capitalism➡️ You can catch our top recommendations for titles published 2025 by eagerly😃 engaging with #LittleRebelsAwardHighlights2026 #KidLitUK #BookSky

Little Rebels Award@littlerebsprize.bsky.social · last wk.

Continuing Our Series #LittleRebelsAwardHighlights2026 A picture book which “bravely explores family breakdown & implied domestic violence through a child’s voice”. We may be on hiatus but we’re still here to share the best of 2025’s social justice books. Next Up: OUR DANCE #KidLitUK #BookSky

Summer holiday bookie exhibition, perfect for young fans of “mysteries, detectives, sleuths and subterfuge”. Designed by young people themselves around a story by @sharnajackson.com with extra input from @redbreastedbird.bsky.social #KidLitUK www.storymuseum.org.uk/explore/myst...

Exhibition: Mystery Academy

Mystery Academy: School for Young Detectives

storymuseum.org.uk

“As neither ‘pure’ text or ‘fine’ art, comics is non-binary&fluid in how these combine,contrast, counterpoint,even contradict” Curator Paul Gravett introduces new queer comics exhibit-Quentin Blake Ctr for Illustration Ends 4th Oct! @booksforkeeps.bsky.social booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/quee...

“Now, more than ever, it is critical that we continue to review and recommend books that foster a spirit of inclusion and empathy, including those with LGBTQ+ themes and by LGBTQ+ authors – not just for LGBTQ+ children and young people, but for everyone.” CEO @childrensbooksireland.ie #KidLitUK ⬇️

Children's Books Ireland@childrensbooksireland.ie · 2mo ago

🌈The Read with Pride reading guide is back for 2026! 🌈 Featuring 100 LGBTQ+ inclusive stories and 100 ‘read also’ suggestions 📚📚📚 That’s 200 books celebrating LGBTQ+ love, joy, and identity. Find out more and download for free at the link below 🔗 childrensbooksireland.ie/our-recommen...

Your regular reminder that if you visit us at bookshop.org you’ll find fab booklists like Young Carers, New Beginnings & books from the latest Beyond the Secret Garden column @ksandsoconnor.bsky.social & @darrenchetty.bsky.social in @booksforkeeps.bsky.social Visit: uk.bookshop.org/lists/beyond...

Continuing Our Series #LittleRebelsAwardHighlights2026 A picture book which “bravely explores family breakdown & implied domestic violence through a child’s voice”. We may be on hiatus but we’re still here to share the best of 2025’s social justice books. Next Up: OUR DANCE #KidLitUK #BookSky

“We write with deep concern regarding the rollback in inclusive representation within the UK children’s publishing industry.” #KidLitUK Open letter to sign: docs.google.com/document/d/1...?

Open Letter to the UK KidLit Industry

If you’d like to add your name to this open letter, fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/7rNoHUcRvBpBrczH6 Open Letter to the UK KidLit Industry We write with deep concern regarding the rollb...

docs.google.com

Letterbox Library Recommends We Are Family: Beyond Queer Parents Our 3rd Recommend column is out in @booksforkeeps.bsky.social 🌈lgbtq+ extended family members in UK picture books🌈 See a teaser on our Insta (grid image ⬇️) ➡️Read the full article: booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/lett... #KidLitUK

Guess who’s the New featured Illustrator on our home page … Expect 🧑🏿‍🚀astro girls, 🏊🏿aqua boys and messy toddler time! #KidLitUK

1/2 “It may be churlish to look a gift horse in the mouth. It is downright irresponsible to fail to investigate potential Trojan horses.” A highly considered piece from @darrenchetty.bsky.social in @booksforkeeps.bsky.social which brings together- #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

Hurrah! A #LittleRebelsAward Birthday🥳🎉🍾 For more happy-all-round book vibes, follow @littlerebsprize.bsky.social #KidLitUK

SF Layzell@sflayzell.bsky.social · 3w ago

Happy birthday to one of the most exciting days of my life! Thank you forever @littlerebsprize.bsky.social 🥳🥳 #kidlit #booksky #littlerebels

The @theclpe.bsky.social , with over 50 years experience:”we have seen time & again how important a culture of Reading for Pleasure is in engaging children in broader learning opportunities and experiences” See their #PowerOfReading impact report. Essential reading/training for teachers 🙂 #KidLitUK

CLPE@theclpe.bsky.social · 3w ago

How does a curriculum built with the Power of Reading develop children's language and imagination for writing? Discover more insights from the 2025-26 Impact Report: https://clpe.org.uk/news/discover-impact-power-reading-teachers-and-children

U.S. threat to introduce National Book Ban “understood by freedom to read advocates as attacks on civil rights and on the representation and existence of LGBTQ+ individuals” #BookBans www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

National Book Ban Bill Introduced in Senate Committee

The equivalent of House Bill 7661, Senate Bill 4925 seeks to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prohibit funding for school books and other resources said to contain “sexually...

publishersweekly.com

“A lovely, well-meaning endeavour that, for me and many others working in children’s literature and education, completely missed the mark.” 💯 Thoughtful comment piece from @clairelinney.bsky.social #KidLitUK www.thebookseller.com/comment/a-pr...

A problematic gift

Queen Camilla’s book initiative is well-intentioned but completely misses the mark

thebookseller.com

…and look! More @empathylabuk.bsky.social synching! Here’s Kristina Rahim with her book choice…. by @amdassu.bsky.social See why we also love it: www.letterboxlibrary.com/product-page... AND it’s a @littlerebsprize.bsky.social shortlistee 🙂 #KidLitUK

FIGHT BACK | Letterbox Library

by A. M. Dassu Shortlisted Little Rebels Award 2023"It was the same old story- make up hateful things about the people you don't like so you can attack their identities and create division and fear."A...

letterboxlibrary.com

EmpathyLabUK@empathylabuk.bsky.social · last mo.

⭐️ Empathy Bookshelf ⭐️ A favourite chosen by Kristina Rahim, 'Fight Back' by A.M. Dassu. ⚡️ You can catch up with our Spark Empathy with Kristina Rahim and Ian Eagleton, over on our website and explore and celebrate families of all kinds - available until end of July empathylab.uk/empathy-day-...

We love how often the books we adore overlap with @empathylabuk.bsky.social ‘s choices ! Here @ianeagletonauthor.bsky.social chooses ….. See our review here: www.letterboxlibrary.com/product-page... @sufiyaahmed.bsky.social #KidLitUK

ESCAPE FROM THE CHILD SNATCHERS | Letterbox Library

by Sufiya Ahmed “Remember what I told you, the streets of London are not paved with gold. There are hidden corners full of darkness from were monsters emerge. You must always be vigilant.” An energet...

letterboxlibrary.com

EmpathyLabUK@empathylabuk.bsky.social · last mo.

⭐️ Empathy Bookshelf ⭐️ A favourite chosen by Ian Eagleton, 'Escape from the Child Snatchers' by Sufiya Ahmed.

This is a nice gesture but it won’t be a shared experience for Year 6s who are not at the necessary reading level, who don’t like fantasy, or who can’t see themselves reflected in this book. Why not have a choice and celebrate all readers and multiple quality authors?

National Literacy Trust@literacytrust.org.uk · 3w ago

📚Some good news! 📚 Every Year 6/P6 child across the UK will receive a copy of ‘Impossible Creatures’ by Katherine Rundell this Christmas.

“The first collections attacked are those in the Children’s and Youth areas of the library; the figleaf excuse most often used is… The censorship of public librarians within Reform UK run councils. A helpful summary from Teen Librarian- #KidLitUK #BookBans teenlibrarian.co.uk/2026/07/19/r...

Reform UK and Public Libraries

Reform UK, also known as the Reform Party, is a right-wing populist and far-right political party in the United Kingdom. Reform has an outright majority in 24 councils across Great Britain and is t…

teenlibrarian.co.uk

Letterbox Library Recommends We Are Family: Beyond Queer Parents Our 3rd Recommend column is out in @booksforkeeps.bsky.social 🌈lgbtq+ extended family members in UK picture books🌈 See a teaser on our Insta (grid image ⬇️) ➡️Read the full article: booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/lett... #KidLitUK

1/2”We are increasingly concerned about the censorship of authors and their books in this way” @societyofauthors.bsky.social UK lgbtq+ creatives face cancelled school visits or withdrawal of pupils prompted by parental pressure &through the “misuse” of schools’ lesson exceptions powers. #KidLitUK

The Bookseller@thebookseller.com · 3w ago

Authors of books featuring same-sex families, gay characters and other LGBTQ+ themes have told The Bookseller they have had school speaking events cancelled, or pupils withdrawn, amid complaints from “homophobic” parents 👇

In the same ‘disability takeover’ issue of @thebookseller.com author Rebecca Atkinson on the need for “tactile literacy” in children’s books. #KidLitUK #BookSky

The Bookseller@thebookseller.com · 2mo ago

“When so much content today is consumed through the flat swipe of glass, children are experiencing a tactile deficit. The publishing sector has the chance to counter that.” Read our interview with Rebecca Atkinson. 👇

1/2 “To achieve true equality and progress and represent the 25% of UK people who have a disability, chronic illness or neurodivergence, the publishing industry needs to go all in as disability allies. Together we are stronger and the industry will reap the benefits.” #KidLitUK #BookSky

The Bookseller@thebookseller.com · 2mo ago

Cuts in accessible formats directly affect disabled people – we’d like to see them protected, write Penny Batchelor and Cat Mitchell. 👇

IT’s THE DAY!!!!!! The new @booksforkeeps.bsky.social is out in the world. That’s all your coffee/lunch breaks covered - with bookish joy!

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · 3w ago

Our NEW issue is here #BfK279 with interviews, features and children's book reviews. Includes Tom Palmer, Patrice Lawrence, John Agard, Britta Teckentrup, Melinda Salisbury, Letterbox Library recommends, new Beyond the Secret Garden & more! All free to read. #KidLit #summerreading😎 bit.ly/3TjoNU0

1/2 Hello Letterboxers! If you love what we do & want to support our work & *don’t need* to buy children’s books..there is another way! You can support our #notforprofit #workerscoop by buying ANY (yes any) book from @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social Here’s how it works: 1) Head on over to bookshop.org

🥳LAST BUT NOT LEAST, we were so privileged to see the appointment of @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social as new @booktrust.org.uk #childrenslaureate Patrice has been such a fantastic supporter of Letterbox Library over the years (see our Insta reel!) & we know her laureateship will be dynamite🔥♥️

Letterbox Library@letterboxlibrary.bsky.social · 4w ago

📣Our new #ChildrensLaureate 2026-2028 is Author & Social Justice Activist 🔥PATRICE LAWRENCE🔥 Quite apart from her literary talent, when so much of society feels fractured, this appointment is such a beacon of hope. We were lucky 2 attend.. @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social @booktrust.org.uk #KidLitUK

Special mention also to editor Charlotte Hacking and @darrenchetty.bsky.social who wrote the foreword. @theclpe.bsky.social @otterbarrybooks.bsky.social

🥳Then we were at the @nationaltheatre.org.uk to see the winner of the @theclpe.bsky.social #CLiPPA Award: ⚡️John Agard for The Poetry World of John Agard (Ill. @shirleyhottier.bsky.social) @otterbarrybooks.bsky.social #KidLitUK #BookSky (📸 @darrenchetty.bsky.social @ksandsoconnor.bsky.social)