Three micro publishers launch crowdfunder for books making ‘positive’ change in industry

Three micro publishers have joined forces to launch Strength in Stories, a new partnership created to “make a positive change in the UK publishing industry”.

Dinosaur Books, Formy Books and Parakeet Books are launching the partnership with three books “that reflect the world our children live in”, backed by a dedicated Crowdfunder campaign. The campaign will run for four weeks and end on 17th November, with expected publication of each of the books in May and June 2023. 

Dinosaur Books will publish an upper middle grade adventure called Last Girl In by début British Caribbean author Cheryl Diane Parkinson.

The synopsis explains: “Last Girl In features a cricket-loving London girl, Kerry Ann. She’s bold, brilliant (at cricket) – and determined to both play the game she loves and live her life, on her own terms. This is a magical, time-slip tale in which Kerry Ann discovers how to face down the local bullies by learning from her grandad’s experiences in London back in the 1950s. It’s a celebration of cricket, British Caribbean culture and girls in sport.”

Dinosaur Books founder Sonya McGilchrist said: “We’re a small company and we do not have a large output. We therefore have the time and the inclination to work very closely with our writers – often these authors have not had a chance to be published elsewhere. And this close co-operation is something we really enjoy.” 

Formy Books will publish in June 2023 a “heart-warming and empowering” LGBTQIA+ inclusive picture book written by début author Ashley Baptiste and illustrated by Jardley Jean-Louis. The currently unnamed title is aimed at young children and focuses on family togetherness and acceptance. 

Ebony Lyon, Formy Books founder, commented: “Not only are we working in collaboration to publish three new and wonderful stories, but we also believe in the importance of agency. Inclusion can’t be superficial and that’s why we own our companies. On-the-page representation is slowly increasing in children’s fiction, but we need under-represented children to know that they too can be in charge when they’re older.” 

Parakeet Books will publish a picture book with the working title Paper Boats following a young boy and his grandmother, written by Devjani Bodepudi and illustrated by Anushka Bansal. The synopsis explains: “Aadi visits his lovely Nanamma in India but it’s monsoon season and Aadi is bored, bored, bored! Nanamma has some tricks up her sleeves to relieve his boredom but who’s that watching from behind the rain clouds?” 

Creative director of Parakeet Books Judy Skidmore said: “We’re so excited to be launching Strength in Stories and publishing three stories that celebrate our beautifully diverse world. Diverse publishers are a crucial part of the solution to embedding change in UK publishing and working together is a positive way to create this change.”