Little Island teams up with award-winner Leon Diop for two books

Irish independent Little Island Books has signed a two-book deal with Leon Diop, co-author of Black & Irish: Legends, Trailblazers and Everyday Heroes, which won the teen and YA award at the 2023 An Post Irish Book Awards and is currently on the Children’s Non-Fiction shortlist at The British Book Awards. 

World rights in all languages were acquired by chief executive officer and publisher Matthew Parkinson-Bennett directly from the author. The first book in the new deal, Black & Irish: Awesome Icons, will be a picture book aimed at readers aged four to six, illustrated by Irish artist Grace Enemaku.  

The book "with vibrant full-colour illustrations" will tell the stories of 12 inspirational Black Irish people, including actress Ruth Negga, record-breaking sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke and world champion Irish dancer Elliot Kwelele. It will publish in spring 2025. 

Mixed Up, Diop’s memoir aimed at a young adult audience, will follow in autumn 2025. which will tell the story of Diop’s struggles with his identity as a mixed-race man growing up in Dublin, and how he overcame personal challenges to become an award-winning author, podcaster and founder of the Black & Irish organisation. 

Diop said: “I’m delighted to be continuing the journey of powerful storytelling with Little Island. Little island has been a dream to work with and they share the enthusiasm for communities to own their narrative and tell their story in an authentic way. I can’t wait to work with the very talented Grace Enamaku. Grace has produced some awesome pieces of work and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work on this project with such a community-focused person. It is also an honour to have the opportunity to share my own story and look forward to getting to work on this deeply personal project.”” 

Parkinson-Bennett added: “Leon’s first book was a historic moment in Irish publishing and the most important book I’ve had the privilege of working on. Leon is a gifted storyteller who is devoted to bringing about positive change in Ireland and I’m so pleased to have the chance to continue working with him and to help tell his own amazing story. And I’m really happy to haven the fabulously gifted Grace Enemaku on board for the picture book.”