The number of children’s books featuring Black main characters fell by almost 8% last year, according to research into diversity in UK publishing.
Just 47 – or 2.1% – of the 2,189 books published for under-10s in 2025 featured a Black main character, a 7.8% fall from the previous year, according to Inclusive Books for Children. Black children make up about 8.5% of that age bracket in England and Wales.
