Children's books: Representation of minority characters slides in UK

The numbers aren't vibing

Real talk: the literary world for kids in the UK is lagging. New data from the literacy charity Inclusive Books for Children shows that out of 2,189 books published for the under-10 crowd in 2025, a tiny fraction actually featured main characters from minority ethnic, disabled, or neurodivergent backgrounds—only 150 books total, or 6.9%.

The breakdown

It’s giving major Ls for representation. The number of books with Black main characters dropped by nearly 8% compared to the year before. Even though Black kids make up about 8.5% of the under-10 population in England and Wales, they were only represented in 2.1% of these books.

For south Asian main characters, the numbers fell to 1.4%, which is wild considering they represent over 12% of the population in that age group. Meanwhile, books featuring Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) characters were cut in half, dropping to just three titles.

The 'single story' trap

It’s not just about the count; it’s about the content. Author Nadine Kaadan pointed out that the few books featuring MENA characters were exclusively focused on refugee narratives. This creates a "single story" problem, framing entire cultures around war instead of, you know, just letting them exist in ordinary stories.

Expert Dr. Stella Louis says we need more "incidental representation," where a character’s identity isn't the whole plot. "Why can’t a child simply be south Asian, disabled, neurodivergent or bilingual and also be the hero of an ordinary story about friendship, adventure, loss or joy?" she asked.

There was a slight W for neurodivergent representation in picture books, which saw a jump, but overall, the industry has a long way to go to make sure every kid sees themselves in the stories they read.

Why it matters

At an age where kids are figuring out their place in the world, books are how they learn about everything from friendship to empathy. When the stories on the shelves don't match the diversity of real life, it’s a missed opportunity to build a more inclusive next generation.