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UCL Information Studies research has uncovered the complex barriers and enablers to becoming a children鈥檚 book creator for people of colour in the UK.

Around 10,000 new children鈥檚 books are published in the UK each year. Yet a recent report, conducted by UCL, found that fewer than 2% of the authors or illustrators of these books are British people of colour.

The research was commissioned by the BookTrust, the UK鈥檚 largest children鈥檚 reading charity, in a drive to do more to support aspiring authors and illustrators of colour.

To properly understand the issues, they approached UCL Consultants, part of UCL Innovation & Enterprise, for relevant academic expertise.听听

They chose Dr Melanie听Ramdarshan听Bold from UCL鈥檚 Department of Information Studies,听to investigate. Melanie analysed all children鈥檚 books published in the UK between 2007 and 2017 and interviewed 15 writers of colour.听

听Among the findings of the report was that the percentage of creators of colour was 3.99% in听2007 and听increased to 7.8% in 2015. However, there was subsequently a two-year downturn to 1.9% in 2017.听

听Off the back of the report, the Book听Trust announced its own initiative: Book听Trust Represents. This three-year project supports and subsidises authors and illustrators of colour to promote their work and reach more readers through events in bookshops, festivals and schools.听

听Jill Coleman, Director of Children's Books at the Book听Trust, concluded: 鈥淥ur aim is that by 2022, we will have increased the number of authors and illustrators of colour in the UK from less than 6% to 10%.鈥澨�[TW1]听

UCL project lead Melanie added, 鈥淲orking with the BookTrust and UCL Consultants has helped me gain new perspectives on possible directions and approaches for my research. The only way we can help improve the situation is by taking collective responsibility and working together, cross-sector and industry, to redress the balance.鈥�

Read the full story on the UCL Consultants website

Links听

• Melanie Ramdarshan Bold
• UCL Department of Information Studies
• UCL Consultants

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