The Colourful Bookshelf
Showcasing kids books by homegrown British creators of colour.
FAQ
Who can be listed in this showcase?
Any British Kidlit author or illustrator of colour can request their books to be added to the bookshop and also be featured as part of this website.
Does The Colourful Bookshelf make money from it?
According to Bookshop.org if books are sold via our affiliate page, we get 10% per book. When that happens, the first few pounds will go into making this website from free to a proper one and then pay for the domain name etc. After that is paid for, if anything is left, we will want to use it to promote British kidlit authors and illustrators of colour.
I have a book outside the UK, can I list it?
At this time, this list is for authors whose books are published in the UK and are based here. Bookshop.org has two domains - UK and the US. We will look at whether we can setup a US page on bookshop.org (in the US) for British authors, in due course. Watch this space.
I can't find my book in the list. How do I add it?
Go to uk.bookshop.org and type in the ISBN of your book. If it comes up, The Colourful Bookshelf can showcase it. Read here to find out how to send the information. If your book is not listed on Bookshop.org, then we cannot add this book to the list as this means your book might not be stocked by UK wholesalers.
I'm not British by nationality but I'm resident here. Will my books be listed here?
Sorry, this list is specifically to promote British kidlit authors and illustrators of colour. We want to promote homegrown talent in the UK. Find out more about our reaction to this year's Reflecting Realities report here.
If you're British and a kidlit creator of colour, but live elsewhere you can definitely add your books to our list.
I'm an illustrator of colour who illustrates books written by all authors. Can I list my work?
Yes! We have curated a special list for illustrators of colour. We will also list your book in the picture book category or fiction categories if you're an author-illustrator.
I'm neither British nor resident in the UK. But my books are published here. Will they be listed?
Sorry, this list is specifically to promote British kidlit authors and illustrators of colour. We want to promote homegrown talent in the UK. Find out more about our reaction to this year's Reflecting Realities report here.
If you're British and a kidlit creator of colour, but live elsewhere you can definitely add your books to our list.
I'm self-published. Will my book be featured?
Yes, if the book is available on uk.bookshop.org. If the book is not being sold by any indie, then it won't be listed here. Please get in touch with uk.bookshop.org for how to get your book added.
How often will you update? When can I send updates?
At this time, this is a one-woman team updating. The aim is to update twice a month from January 2021 onwards. You can send your entries anytime by following these steps. We will aim to update it by the 15th and 30th of every month.
If you would like to volunteer to update on a rota system, then do get in touch with us by going to the Contacts page.
I'm not a British kidlit author or illustrator of colour. How can I help?
Tweet our bookshop links to your followers. Share it on all social media you're part of.
When a teacher or librarian or bookseller is asking for a recommendation, do share our link.
If you work for a publisher, encourage your writers and illustrators of colour to get in touch and update their books on this site.
If you work for a publisher, contact us for a marketing or publicity campaign to promote either eligible authors and illustrators on your list or all of our authors and illustrators.
If you're a teacher, check our list and buy from your local indie either directly or via bookshop.org.
We hope you found this section helpful. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with additional questions or suggestions.