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letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
Letterbox Library
@letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
1.4K followers 310 following 450 posts
Est. 1983. Not-for-profit children’s booksellers celebrating equality, inclusion & diversity. Schools/EY supplier. Co-runs Little Rebels Award. Workers’ Cooperative. www.letterboxlibrary.com
#kidlituk #ukkidlit
Posts Replies Media Videos
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️An Audacious Queer History:
Our latest Book Review over on our Insta grid.⬇️

Hear us sharing 5 reasons why every secondary school should get themselves a copy.

Also now listed on our website: www.letterboxlibrary.com/product-page...
#KidLitUK
December 4, 2025 at 1:21 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
Find them at The Other Place and also on insta ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Screenshot from the “About” section of the Jhalak Prize website. Text reads: “About The Jhalak Prize From 2024, the Jhalak Poetry Prize has been added to our awards portfolio. Our poetry award is supported by the independent poetry publisher Ink Sweat & Tears with a special focus on their internship programme. First awarded in March 2017, the Jhalak Prize awards seek to celebrate books by writers of colour in the UK and Ireland. In 2020, the single award was bifurcated to create a dedicated Jhalak Children’s YA Prize. From 2024, the Jhalak Poetry Prize has been added to our awards portfolio.”
December 4, 2025 at 1:14 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
2026 marks nearly 20 years of Lulu, everyone’s fave pint-sized picture book hero.

We’re getting in on the celebrations early…head on over to Insta to see our Lulu-happiness!

Thank you for the Lulu legacy Anna McQuinn, Rosalind Beardshaw & Alanna Max Books
#KidLitUK
December 2, 2025 at 1:11 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
🎄We mostly sell book packs to schools but, at this time of year, we love seeing the flurry of seasonal individual book orders which come our way…🎁

It must be the new “Books For the Season” recs we just added to our home page (scroll dooooooooown)
letterboxlibrary.com
#KidLitUK
A screenshot from the Letterbox Library website. Title 'Books for the Season'. Under this is the book cover image for one of the featured titles: The Other Father Christmas. Cover shows a man and boy of colour sat in a sleigh being pulled by two reindeers. Backdrop of a night time purple star-lit sky. Underneath the book cover is the price £8.99 crossed out with the offer price £8.09 next to it. Under this, 'Add to cart'.
December 2, 2025 at 1:04 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
From artists to every day Black histories, @sla.org.uk presents the 2025 Winners of the #InformationBookAward
#KidLitUK
Winning titles asset. Top reads “Information Book Award Winning titles 2025” in white font against dark blue banner. Right top shows the Schools Library Association’s logo: S L A in green red & navy blue blocks. Below are the 4 winning titles: This Book Will Make You An Artist Amazing Asia How the News Works Black History Every Day
December 2, 2025 at 1:02 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
ICYMI⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
Visual asset for the Nero Books Awards shortlist 2025. Reads “2025 Children’s Fiction Shortlist “ Beneath is a stack of four chapter books. Titles from top to bottom are: People Like Stars My Soul, A Shining Tree Shrapnel Boys Dragonborn
November 27, 2025 at 1:13 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
For a longer account of the day, with take out quotes, see our Insta reel on the grid!
A visual asset which is the cover for the instagram reel. Purple background. Along top, text reads: Whose History? in white font with big yellow question mark. Yellow inner panel with wavy edges. In this, text box reads: WHOSE histories are we told? HOW are our histories told? WHO gets to narrate our past? Bottom of asset, text reads: An IBBY Conference
November 25, 2025 at 12:04 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
… @candygourlay.bsky.social & @balirai.bsky.social
@darrenchetty.bsky.social & @ksandsoconnor.bsky.social
Sandra Agard with @catwrote.bsky.social & JT Williams.
@michaelrosenyes.bsky.social who sang us out with join-in choruses 🙂

Look out for the blog up and coming on the IBBY site.
Karen Sands O Connor stands, hands on hips. Right is Darren Chetty holding a mic and speaking. Panel shows Sandra Agard facing audience, speaking in to mic. Catherine Johnson and JT Williams are both laughing. All are seated behind a table with black cloth. Michael Rosen is sat behind a table. He speaks in to mic, reading from an open book. Right hand is raised.
November 25, 2025 at 12:04 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
The most recent @ibbyuk.bsky.social conference centred on what histories children are traditionally told and how these can be resisted, expanded, interrupted.

A superb lineup of speakers including:
Farrah @theclpe.bsky.social
@chrishaughton.bsky.social
@gitaralleigh.bsky.social
with …
#KidLitUK
Farrah stands side on, left arm raised. Right hand holds mic. Chris Haughton stands, mic in left hand. Right hand raised, pointing to a slide. This shows an inside double page spread of his book The History of Information.: top title reads Social Change. We see a line of people in silhouette marching, holding placards. Panel. Left is Gita Ralleigh, laughing. Middle is Candy Gourlay who is speaking; expressive hands. Right is Bali Rai drinking a glass of water.
November 25, 2025 at 12:04 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
Special mention to People Like Stars by @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social

The launch in February this year was truly starry 🤩🤩🤩
Pics below.

(People Like Stars 🦊 also inspired our 1st ever Insta reel)

@scholasticuk.bsky.social
Photo of Patrice Lawrence giving a speech at the launch. Expressive hands, head raised and smiling. Wearing a deep orange jacket, pink T-shirt and a large fox brooch. Stands behind a table display of People Like Stars. A group photo at the launch. 5 people are sat or stood around a sofa. All hold up a copy of People Like Stars and are smiling, off to their left. Patrice is sat far left side. Includes Darren Chetty, Sophie Anderson, Adam Ferner and ?- all are authors.
November 20, 2025 at 1:02 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
1/2 ⭐️SCHOOLS!

⭐️BOOK PACK #giveaway

Author @sophieanderson.bsky.social is kindly gifting 1 UK-based Primary School a Reflecting Realities Book Pack.

TO ENTER:
1] follow
2] reply “ ⛄️ ”
3] sign up to our quarterly newsletter letterboxlibrary.com/subscribers

CLOSES 5PM 26th November
#KidLitUK
…
A pink background with multicoloured arcs in left top & bottom right corners. Against this is a visual asset of the book pack: Reflecting Realities Book Pack Key Stage 1&2. Letterbox Library logo in bottom left corner. 4 book covers are shown: Dance Just Like So! Faruq and the Wiri Wiri (Both picture books) Nikhil & Jay Off to India Alyssa & the Spell Garden (Both chapter books) Beneath asset is white lettering ‘to enter’ followed by 3 icons; Person with text “follow” Speech bubble with “Drop a 😍” Heart with “sign up!”
November 20, 2025 at 12:48 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
The @booksforkeeps.bsky.social Books of the Year 2025 has our regular round up of selected primary aged texts with lgbtq+ stars🤩

Books by @tommydoyle.bsky.social Sarah Tagholm& @manumontoya.bsky.social @peterbently.bsky.social & Claire Powell @catwrote.bsky.social @maisiechanwrites.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 12:44 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
3/4 There has been a positive return (after last year’s plummet) to an upward trajectory of books featuring a *main* PoC character.

More disappointing is the decline in presence of PoC characters in *picture books* specifically.
n info graphic. Two children of colour smile & jump up and down. A coloured bar graph shows an increase since 2017, year on year, of % of children’s books published featuring a main character from a racially minoritised background. In 2022 there is a 14% peak then a fall in 2023 to 7% then a rise in 2024 to 24% n info graphic. Two children of colour smile & jump. A coloured bar graph shows an increase since 2017, year on year, of % of children’s picture books published featuring racially minoritised characters. In 2021 there is a 61% peak then a fall in 2022 to 52, a rise in 2923 ti 55% then a fall back down in 2024 to 38%.
November 14, 2025 at 11:17 AM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
2/4 The infographics are striking. We’ve seen an increase from last year in racially minoritised characs. featured, but this year’s 24% is still far, far down on 2 years previously-
n info graphic. Two children of colour smile & dance. A coloured bar graph shows an increase since 2017, year on year, of % of children’s books published featuring racially minoritised characters. In 2022 there is a 30% peak then a fall in 2023 to 17 then a rise in 2024 to 25%
November 14, 2025 at 11:17 AM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
“Surely, the argument isn’t that inclusive books are a publishing trend?”

We blogged!

Ahead of tomorrow’s publication of the 8th @theclpe.bsky.social #ReflectingRealities Report, check out our most recent blog (6min read) :

www.letterboxlibrary.com/post/before-...
#KidLitUK
A visual asset which reads “surely trends are for genres not for representation”. Followed by the blog’s title: “Before & After Reflecting Realities- some thoughts”
November 13, 2025 at 5:02 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
And pop over to our Insta grid for some more Dreaming Dragon appreciation!

@scholasticuk.bsky.social
The cover page of an Instagram reel. Shows the book cover of the Case of the Dreaming Dragon against an orange/yellow background. In the bottom right corner is a photograph of author Patrice Lawrence
November 13, 2025 at 7:38 AM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
🐉Need more dragons in your life? Patrice-Lawrence-fashioned dragons? ..

⭐️Sign up to our newsletter⭐️

We’re celebrating the conclusion to The Elemental Detectives trilogy with a tidy bundle offer…

Newsletter out tomorrow!
@lawrencepatrice.bsky.social
www.letterboxlibrary.com/subscribers
#KidLitUK
November 11, 2025 at 1:40 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
Last week’s launch of @storymix.bsky.social The Other Father Christmas at Moon Lane Books truly had it all- from mince pies right through to a reading from the real Father Christmas aka Curtis Merriman.

Congrats to Jasmine Richards Priscilla Mante & @sha-hab.bsky.social
#KidLitUK

What a…
Photo of authors Priscilla Mante and Jasmine Richards. Both stand, smiling. Jasmine holds a hand bell & wears a Santa hat and is in a long red dress. Priscilla holds a copy of The Other Father Christmas and wears a knee length black/white dress & knee length boots. Surrounding is a bookshop. A back screen shows images from the book. Photo. A man dressed in deep dark red Father Christmas outfit reads from an iPad.
November 11, 2025 at 1:36 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
Wednesday’s magical launch for @amdassu.bsky.social & @joelillington.bsky.social’s Wild Journey. MG chapter book connecting the lives of 5 children embarking on their own personal journeys.
Pics on Insta
2 gorgeous smiles⬇️
Our review: letterboxlibrary.com/product-page/w…
@zephyrbooks.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 2:01 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
…which is my cue to remind you that our current Featured Illustrator is the most excellent @creativedy.bsky.social
#UKKidLit
#KidLitUK
Section of website called “Featured Illustrator”. Goes on to show 5 titles illustrated by Diane Ewen: Keep Smiling I ❤️Me! Hey You! Coming to England Is That Your Mama? All link through to reviews/To Buy buttons on website.
October 30, 2025 at 2:01 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
And if you scroll down our home page like so….⬇️ then you’ll see an invitation to sign up to our newsletter.

Hopefully getting the first one out into the world next month. Get clickety-clicking!
#KidLitUK
#UKKidLit
October 30, 2025 at 1:58 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
This is the book post I’ve been waiting for!

Each new title from @amdassu.bsky.social is a gift, another seed of compassion 🌱

To find out more about Az’s work, read our interview with her in @booksforkeeps.bsky.social
booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/an-i...

Meantime, I’m diving in...
#KidLitUK
October 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
Here’s ⬇️⬇️⬇️your reminder of why you want to be taking your book buying to @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social 😃

(Nb: if you support our work, this is an additional way to boost us: choose us as your bkshop at bookshop.org & a % of ANY book you buy goes to us + other indie booksellers♥️)
This is a screenshot of a tweet bookshop.org uk did in June 2023. Text reads, “Remember, every single sale of *every* book on bookshop.org supports indies. So if you have ever wondered whether to support indies *or* buy online, why not do both? #IndieBookshopWeek #ChooseBookshops”
October 16, 2025 at 10:32 AM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
“A week to celebrate the books that have been challenged, removed or silenced, and to stand with the people who write, sell and share them”.

#BannedBooksWeek is THIS WEEK!

Visit the Banned Books Week folk in the UK on X & @indexoncensorship.org

And in N America @bannedbooksweek.bsky.social
A screenshot of a tweet from Banned Books Week UK with suggestions for actions people can take including reading a banned book.
October 8, 2025 at 2:08 PM
letterboxlibrary.bsky.social
This week…there is surely only ONE big story in the children’s lit. world..

The Little Rebels Award Winner Announcement THIS WEDNESDAY!!!

IN TWO DAYS!!
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
#LittleRebelsAward
Pastel balloon shapes frame a poster announcement. Top left has a logo “little rebels award 2026” Top middle reads: “celebrating radical fiction for children!” Centre, written in to large maybe balloon: “Winner Reveal Wednesday 1st October (evening)” Bottom left logo for “Barry Amiel & Norman Melburne Trust” Bottom right “stay tuned” followed by deets of Insta & Bluesky accounts.
September 29, 2025 at 12:10 PM