BookTrust Represents: Picture Books
BookTrust Represents is our programme created to promote children’s authors and illustrators of colour.
Books play an important role as mirrors for children: these stories and characters will affect how they see themselves and the world around them, their motivation to read, and their aspirations to become authors and illustrators of the future.
However, finding books that truly reflect the diversity of families in the UK is challenging. Over the past 11 years, fewer than 2% of all authors and/or illustrators of children's books published in the UK were British people of colour.
As part of the project we have put together a booklist highlighting some of our favourite picture books by authors and illustrators of colour.
-
15 Things Not to Do With a Baby
Author: Margaret McAllister Illustrator: Holly Sterling
Interest level: 2-5
Flip -
15 Things Not to Do With a Baby
Author: Margaret McAllister Illustrator: Holly Sterling
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age:
A simple and sweet little idea that will make tots who have new baby siblings really giggle.
; Flip
-
Astro Girl
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Astro Girl
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Astrid loves the stars and space, and wants to be an astronaut. A delightful and educational book for young readers intereste…
; Flip
-
Bear Moves
Author: Ben Bailey Smith Illustrator: Sav Akyüz
Interest level: 3-5
Flip -
Bear Moves
Author: Ben Bailey Smith Illustrator: Sav Akyüz
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
Ben Bailey Smith (aka “Doc Brown”) and Sav Akyüz team up again to deliver this hilariously funny sequel to I Am Bear. Its ene…
; Flip
-
Burger Boy
Author: Alan Durant Illustrator: Mei Matsuoka
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Burger Boy
Author: Alan Durant Illustrator: Mei Matsuoka
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 5+
Benny is a young boy who loves burgers. In fact he eats nothing else. Then one day his mother's warning comes true - he turns into…
; Flip
-
Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets
Author: Hena Khan Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets
Author: Hena Khan Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
This beautifully designed picture book with exquisite illustrations explores a variety of shapes relating to Islamic objects and p…
; Flip
-
Daddy Do My Hair: Kechi’s Hair Goes Every Which Way
Author: Tola Okogwu Illustrator: Naomi Wright
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Daddy Do My Hair: Kechi’s Hair Goes Every Which Way
Author: Tola Okogwu Illustrator: Naomi Wright
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Kechi’s Mum knows lots of different ways to style her big beautiful curly hair. But when it’s Kechi’s Daddy who has to take h…
; Flip
-
Don’t Make Me Cross
Author: Smriti Prasadam-Halls Illustrator: Angie Rozelaar
Interest level: 2-5
Flip -
Don’t Make Me Cross
Author: Smriti Prasadam-Halls Illustrator: Angie Rozelaar
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age:
Little Monster claims to be sweet, but is proving to be anything but! Children will love the naughty monster snatching p…
; Flip
-
Hip and Hop: You Can Do Anything
Author: Akala Illustrator: Sav Akyuz
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Hip and Hop: You Can Do Anything
Author: Akala Illustrator: Sav Akyuz
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Inspired by Hip’s helpful rap about working hard for your dreams, Hop tries and tries, and finally wheels his way into first place…
; Flip
-
If All the World Were
Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Allison Colpoys
Interest level: 0-5
Flip -
If All the World Were
Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Allison Colpoys
Interest level: 0-5
Reading age:
This beautiful story tells the love that one little girl has for her ageing grandad. One day he isn’t there anymore, but the …
; Flip
-
Is it a Mermaid?
Author: Candy Gourlay Illustrator: Francesca Chessa
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Is it a Mermaid?
Author: Candy Gourlay Illustrator: Francesca Chessa
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
Bel and Benji meet a friendly dugong, also known as a sea cow, on a tropical beach. This delightful book about friendship, im…
; Flip
-
It MUST Have Been You!
Author: Zanib Mian Illustrator: Fatima Mian
Interest level: 5-6
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
It MUST Have Been You!
Author: Zanib Mian Illustrator: Fatima Mian
Interest level: 5-6
Reading age: 5+
A little girl gets into trouble again and again but gets love when she apologises. This is a lovely book celebrating the powe…
; Flip
-
Look Up!
Author: Nathan Bryon Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 6+
Flip -
Look Up!
Author: Nathan Bryon Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 6+
Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola’s charming picture book gifts us with a gorgeous character in Rocket, a girl whose passion for all th…
; Flip
-
My Hair
Author: Hannah Lee Illustrator: Allen Fatimaharan
Interest level: 3-7
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
My Hair
Author: Hannah Lee Illustrator: Allen Fatimaharan
Interest level: 3-7
Reading age: 5+
This joyful celebration of black hair demonstrates a range of styles and will inspire children to experiment with their own look.
; Flip
-
My Village: Rhymes from Around the World
Author: Various Illustrator: Mique Moriuchi Editor: Danielle Wright
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 7+
Flip -
My Village: Rhymes from Around the World
Author: Various Illustrator: Mique Moriuchi Editor: Danielle Wright
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 7+
Printed beside each rhyme is its native language version. The illustrations are designed to attract even the youngest au…
; Flip
-
Nimesh the Adventurer
Author: Ranjit Singh Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Nimesh the Adventurer
Author: Ranjit Singh Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
This captivating picture book will delight young children, encouraging them to invent their own imaginative adventures. The striki…
; Flip
-
No Baby No
Author: Grace Nichols Illustrator: Eleanor Taylor
Interest level: 0+
Reading age: 4+
Flip -
No Baby No
Author: Grace Nichols Illustrator: Eleanor Taylor
Interest level: 0+
Reading age: 4+
Amusing illustrations of a mischievous baby's exploits accompany the rhyming text, making this a book small children will want to …
; Flip
-
Rastamouse and the Crucial Plan
Author: Michael De Souza Illustrator: Genevieve Webster
Interest level: 5-8
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Rastamouse and the Crucial Plan
Author: Michael De Souza Illustrator: Genevieve Webster
Interest level: 5-8
Reading age: 5+
Rastamouse and his crime-fighting team save the day. Children will want their parents to read this book to them again and aga…
; Flip
-
Specs for Rex
Author: Yasmeen Ismail
Interest level: 3-6
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
Specs for Rex
Author: Yasmeen Ismail
Interest level: 3-6
Reading age: 5+
A perfectly judged niche story that has general appeal due to a clean text and cute character; Specs for Rex is a visual treat tha…
; Flip
-
The Cow Who Fell to Earth
Author: Nadia Shireen
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Flip -
The Cow Who Fell to Earth
Author: Nadia Shireen
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
One night, a little cow falls to earth from the moon, but none of the earth animals speak her language. This lovely book abou…
; Flip
-
The Weaver
Author: Qian Shi
Interest level: 2-5
Flip -
The Weaver
Author: Qian Shi
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age:
Stanley the spider is an imaginative creature who loves collecting things to incorporate into his beautifully woven web. This stun…
; Flip
-
You're Safe With Me
Author: Chitra Soundar Illustrator: Poonam Mistry
Flip -
You're Safe With Me
Author: Chitra Soundar Illustrator: Poonam Mistry
Interest level:
Reading age:
This simple story will comfort little ones and its soothing text will lull them to sleep. Accompanied with incredibly stunning and…
; Flip