Children in the UK are seeing fewer storybooks that reflect their diverse backgrounds. A new report by the literacy charity Inclusive Books for Children shows that the number of children's books published with Black main characters fell by nearly 8% in 2025. Out of 2,189 books surveyed for children under ten, only 47 titles—just 2.1 percent—featured a Black lead character. In comparison, Black children represent about 8.5 percent of that age group in England and Wales.
The study found similar drops for other underrepresented groups. Main characters of South Asian heritage fell to 1.4 percent of titles, even though South Asian children make up 12.4 percent of the under-ten population. Books featuring Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) lead characters dropped by half to just three books, all of which focused on refugee narratives. Overall, only 6.9 percent of surveyed books featured main characters from minority ethnic, disabled, or neurodivergent backgrounds, and disabled representation in picture books dropped by 60 percent.
Authors and educational experts say these numbers show an urgent need for change in the publishing industry. Author Sheena Patel explained that children need inspiring and funny books that reflect both their own daily lives and the experiences of others. Early years consultant Dr. Stella Louis pointed out that diverse characters should not only appear in stories about their identity. Instead, she argued that children from all backgrounds should be the heroes of ordinary adventures about friendship, play, and discovery.
Author Nadine Kaadan also cautioned that when books about specific regions focus only on hardship or war, they create a narrow view of those cultures. Although the report noted a few positive signs, such as an increase in neurodivergent characters in picture books, experts emphasize that children's book publishing must continue to improve so that all young readers can see themselves in the books they enjoy.