10 of the best...

From virtual shelves stocked with diverse children’s books to fully inclusive community spaces where the whole family can relax or enjoy bookish activities, these incredible bookshops offer readers much-needed spaces to explore and purchase books that reflect a range of identities, backgrounds and cultures.

We've scoured the country to bring you the UK’s best bookshops who, like us, are working hard to champion inclusive children’s books, so do take a look!

1. Afrori Books

Location: Brighton

Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am to 6pm

What they offer: Stocks a huge range of books of all genres and formats by Black authors and illustrators. Their stock often includes books that explore Black cultures and heritage and they have a good selection of Black children’s books for babies through to young adults.

Why we love them: Established as a social enterprise in 2021 by booklover Carolynn Bain, Afrori Books offers customers the largest collection of books by Black creators in the UK. Their warm and welcoming shop is a community hub for various literary events, including Black hair workshops, author events, yoga sessions, writers workshops and music events. There’s something for all the family.

Website: Afrori Books

2. BookLove

Location: UK-wide

What they offer: Stocks an expansive, diverse range of inclusive books for babies to young adults, including bilingual books in over 40 languages and much more!

Why we love them: With a strong anti-racist mission and emphasis on championing marginalised Black and Brown book creators, BookLove is something a little different. Founded by the phenomenal Samantha Williams, they are an established, grassroots travelling book carnival and online store selling inclusive and bilingual books representing a range of cultures. Offering a variety of book and arts events, you can contact BookLove to arrange a carnival near you. Alternatively, visit their South London warehouse by appointment.

Website: BookLove

3. Gay’s The Word

Location: central London

Opening times: Monday to Saturday 11am to 6pm, Sunday 1 to 6pm

What they offer: Sells a wide range of LGBTQIA+ books mainly for adults but they also have a great selection of children’s picture books and YA novels.

Why we love them: As the UK’s oldest and much-cherished queer community bookshop, founded in 1979, Gay’s the Word offers a small but well-curated children’s list that explores themes around LGBTQIA+ identity.

It’s a narrow, jam-packed store that’s often extremely busy, but even with its modest size, wheelchair access is still catered for. Long established within the local community, the shop is bursting with inclusive literature that celebrates LGBTQIA+ experiences to the fullest. Some readers may remember it as the bookshop depicted in the 2014 film Pride about the activist group, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners.

Website: Gay’s the Word

4. Letterbox Library

Location: Online

What they offer: Sells children’s titles across all areas of inclusion with a strong focus on diversity, social justice and representation. Available books range from board books to middle grade. They also provide carefully curated book packs, rigorously reviewed by an independent team of reviewers to support schools, librarians, parents and carers alike.

Why we love them: Formed in 1983 by two determined single mums in North London, Letterbox Library is a long-established bookseller of inclusive children’s literature advocating for social justice and is a not-for-profit workers’ cooperative. They also run the vital and aptly named Little Rebels Children’s Book Award for radical children's fiction.

Website: Letterbox Library

5. Melanin Dreams

Location: Southeast London

Opening times: Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 11am to 4pm, Sunday Closed

What they offer: Stocks a thoughtful range of books, toys, dolls, educational activities and school supplies. Books formats in store include board books, picture books, early readers and chapter books.

Why we love them: A spin-off from the Woke Babies subscription-based service and based in cosmopolitan West Norwood, Melanin Dreams is a small but mighty bookshop that is unapologetically dedicated to promoting Black children’s books and other resources centring on the experiences of Black children.

Website: Melanin Dreams

6. Mirror Me Write

Location: Manchester (pop-ups and online); UK and international (schools service)

What they offer: Stocks an expansive range of inclusive books from the early years to adult reads to normalise representation. Mirror Me Write works closely with schools, providing a focused service for educators. They also regularly organise pop-up events in the North, offering books not often found in mainstream shops.

Why we love them: Started in 2019 and run by educator Ayesha Ansari, this brilliant bookshop provides school communities with specially curated book boxes and author visits according to their demographics and needs. With a strong focus on the promotion of authors of colour and marginalised voices, they are passionate about affecting change in the core curriculum. Their pop-ups and website are bright and beautiful!

Website: Mirror Me Write

7. Mr B’s Emporium

Location: Bath

What they offer: Sells books for children and adults. The maze of rooms includes dedicated magical spaces for children of all ages, with a diverse collection of titles in every genre, format, size and shape.

Why we love them: Named as one of the top 10 independent bookshops in the world, the team at Mr B’s team passionately champion inclusivity in books. They feel a strong sense of responsibility to ensure all children, no matter their background, can find a book to enjoy in their store. You can also find a dedicated IBC Bookshelf in store!

One extra special delight: their bookish team of experts offers a bespoke book recommendations service.

Website: Mr B’s Emporium

8. Round Table Books

Location: Brixton, London

Opening times: Sunday to Friday 11am to 5.30pm, Saturday 9.30am to 5.30pm

What they offer: Specialises in inclusive books of all types, catering to children aged 0 to teens through to adults. They also sell books produced by their publishing arm, Knights Of.

Why we love them: Starting as a pop-up that quickly grew into a permanent colourful fixture in historic Coldharbour Lane, this inviting, independent bookshop is on a mission to make diverse books widely available to all.

Open 7 days a week, their carefully selected titles and community events create a space for families to discover and celebrate diversity in children’s literature, with the support of a small but mighty, ambitious team genuinely passionate about inclusivity.

Website: Round Table Books

9. The Book Nook

Location: Hove, East Sussex

What they offer: Stocks a varied range of inspirational, inclusive children’s books for all ages and tastes, with a focus on quality. The staff offer specialist book expertise and are passionate about promoting children’s reading for pleasure.  

Why we love them: Established in 2009, and run by an all-female team, including their youngest family member, this multi-award-winning, children’s bookshop offers a friendly magical space to browse books for children and their parents. Beyond books, they also offer author events and storytimes, and as an extra treat, they boast a child-friendly café with a pirate ship to boot!

Website: The Book Nook

10. The Children’s Bookshop

Location: North London

Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9.15am to 5.45pm, Sunday 11 to 4pm

What they offer: Holds every fiction and non-fiction book you could possibly want to buy for children, including a significant collection of diverse texts. They also offer book subscriptions, book gift-wrapping and dedicated schools service.

Why we love them: Known for their specialist team and personalised recommendations, this award-winning, independent bookshop has been around for 50 years. With regular storytelling events and clubs, this gem is a treasure trove of delights and the go-to bookshop if you happen to be in and around Muswell Hill.

Website: The Children’s Bookshops

These 10 wonderful, inclusive bookshops are committed to changing the children’s literature landscape by showcasing stories of all backgrounds and perspectives — there’s something for all young readers on offer through their virtual or physical shop doors.

By visiting these bookshops, you're not only supporting indie booksellers you’re also helping to ensure all children see themselves and their peers in the stories they read.

Huge thanks to all the booksellers for providing imagery for this blog post.

Hero image from left to right: 1. Carolynn Bain (Afrori Books), 2. Samantha Williams (Booklove), 3. Jim MacSweeney (Gays The Word), 4. Fen Coles (Letterbox Library), 5. Kelly Jade-Nicholls (Melanin Dreams), 6. Ayesha Choudhury (Mirror Me Write), 7. Becky and Hannah (Mr B's Emporium), 8. Aimée Felone (Round Table Books), 9. Vanessa and Jules (The Book Nook), and 10. Sanchita and team (The Children's Bookshop)