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Blogs

Feb

07

2023

Abbi-Jean Reid

Abbi-Jean Reid

We have some very sad news. Just before Christmas Abbi-Jean Reid became ill and after some time in hospital she died. Abbi was our first author outside of the family and she wrote the beautiful and funny story Ready for an Adventure. ...

By Judy Skidmore

Sep

23

2022

We have sad news

We have sad news

My parents both died this summer. We’re a family business and they were part of Parakeet Books in different ways so we wanted to share this news with you all. ...

By Judy Skidmore

Feb

09

2022

There's nothing like banning a book to make me want to, you know, read it.

There's nothing like banning a book to make me want to, you know, read it.

Right now in Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania books are being removed from libraries and schools. Books by Black authors, books about Black history and books on critical race theory. Books on the Holocaust. Books about LGBTQ people. ...

By Judy Skidmore

Feb

04

2022

PRESS RELEASE FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2022

PRESS RELEASE FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2022

This LGBT History month Parakeet Books are relaunching their campaign to get more books normalising parents of the same gender into schools. ...

By Sheju Adiiyatiparambil John

Jan

27

2022

Black books are being banned in America

Black books are being banned in America

Conservative groups across the US are carrying out a campaign to ban books from school libraries, often focused on works that address race, LGBTQ issues or marginalized communities. ...

By Judy Skidmore

Nov

17

2021

Storytime at the Paxton Centre

Storytime at the Paxton Centre

Parakeet Books Co-founder Judy Skidmore will be reading a couple of our favourite books from the Parakeet library and introducing our new author, Abbi-Jean Reid. Abbi will then read her debut picture book, Ready for an Adventure! There will be dinosaur colouring in pages, some biscuits, and you can buy great coffee and tea from the Paxton centre cafe. Books on sale afterwards if you fancy buying one. ...

By Judy Skidmore

Oct

15

2021

New book launch!

New book launch!

Ready for an Adventure, by Abbi-Jean Reid and Bhumika Jangid is an absolute joy. With sumptuous imagery and snappy rhymes this book just sings and. ...

By Judy Skidmore

May

27

2021

Is diversity in children's books really that hard?

Is diversity in children's books really that hard?

Since the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, it seems like more people are working on diversity… In the children’s publishing industry we hear that everyone is trying. But the results are not happening fast enough. Do mainstream publishers understand what the end goal is? ...

By Abbi-Jean Reid

May

27

2021

Our newest illustrator... Bhumika Jangid!

Our newest illustrator... Bhumika Jangid!

Amazingly Bhumika, from Jaipur, is actually a science graduate. Later she studied graphic design and discovered her passion for children's book illustration, character design and cartoons. ...

By Judy Skidmore

May

27

2021

Introducing ...Abbi-Jean Reid

Introducing ...Abbi-Jean Reid

Abbi-Jean Reid is our new author. We are completely elated to have Abbi on board at Parakeet Books. ...

By Judy Skidmore

Instagram

@parakeetbooks

parakeetbooks

#Newauthors #Newwriting #Newillustrators #Newtal

#Newauthors
#Newwriting
#Newillustrators
#Newtalent
#Comingsoon
#Parakeetbooks

Have you met @devjanibodepudi? Devjani is a write

Have you met @devjanibodepudi?

Devjani is a writer and teacher who lives with her dog, her husband and two children, in Rugby in the UK.
Her debut children's book, Paper Boats, will be published in June '23 by Parakeet Books. We're thrilled to be bringing this to you through our Strength in Stories partnership so please give us a follow over at @strengthinstory for updates on this beautiful book.

Devjani has already published poetry and a novel (Mirrors, published by Holland House). So check out her feed for more info on poetry, prose and events!

OBVIOUSLY I love my family but the mental load is

OBVIOUSLY I love my family but the mental load is real. That's why in a cafe alone and Sheju is out with the kids. It's bliss.

Swipe for family pics and to see me and my cool mum, Janet, who died last year.

[Slide reads: "what you doing for mother's day?"
"My partner is taking the kids out and I'm having a bit of quiet time."
"Ah, the greatest gift."

The spring air is delicious today. And the fungus

The spring air is delicious today. And the fungus is looking good!

#datewithmykid

#women #internationalwomensday

#women

#internationalwomensday

Representation is everything. [Slide reads: #Worl

Representation is everything.

[Slide reads: #WorldBookDay2023 will always special because of one little brown girl who came up to me at the end and said, I want to be an author just like you! I never had that growing up. I saw that much later on. Just want to say thank you @ParakeetBooks for letting me inspire.]

Our World Book Day is today because our teachers w

Our World Book Day is today because our teachers were on strike yesterday (which we fully support).

So here are our two looking thrilled about being 80HD from the Dogman books by @dav_pilkey and Hilda from the books by @thatlukeperson

World book day on Friday... How are you feeling ab

World book day on Friday... How are you feeling about it?
Not gonna lie, even as a publisher and kids book enthusiast I feel no small amount of trepidation as the big day approaches!

In the past my kids were:

🔹Too shy to dress up
🔹Wanted to be Optimus Prime
🔹Wore a tshirt with phrases from The Book with no Pictures (this was a good year)
🔹Optimus Prime again

So all in all I've learned to chill out about it. Our school sent us a gorgeous letter about not feeling pressured into buying extra clothes and props and gave some fab examples of costumes for inspiration.

So this year Rita will be Hilda (I did buy blue hairspray) and Eddie is still deciding 🙈
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#wbd #ks2 #worldbookday #reading #worldbookday2023 #worldbookday23 #booksforkids #ks1
#representation #representationmatters #eyfs #diversebooksmatter #inclusivebooks #picturebooks #kidsevents #kidsreading #eyfsinspiration #childrensliterature #eyfsteachers #readingrocks #booksforchildren #childrensbooks #diversity #diversityandinclusion #inclusivity #readtogether #equality #booksforeveryone #inclusive #parakeetbooks

We have some very sad news. Just before Christmas

We have some very sad news.

Just before Christmas Abbi-Jean Reid became ill and after some time in hospital she died.

Abbi was our first author outside of the family and she wrote the beautiful and funny story, Ready for an Adventure.

We met in south London and hit it off straight away. Abbi offered her services to Parakeet Books because she was passionate about equal representation in children’s books and she wanted some experience in publishing while she studied for her Masters. We suggested she try writing a book, for fun and as a publishing exercise. That book was so good we published it.

At the launch of Ready for an Adventure Abbi took public speaking to a large noisy crowd in her stride. She gave a lovely speech off the cuff, signed books and posed for photos like a pro.

Then Abbi came back to our house for a celebration lunch where she ended up playing with our kids, who thought she was amazing, all afternoon.

Abbi was funny and lovely. Abbi worked hard and seemed to have such a good sense of perspective on the world. It was wonderful working with her and it was wonderful knowing her.

We're glad we knew Abbi and so sad this has happened and so sad for her family.

For every copy of Ready for an Adventure sold until mid February we will donate one to a school in Abbi's memory.

And we'll be setting up a fund to donate more of Abbi's books in the near future xxx

Happy Pongal! Pongal is a harvest festival, tradi

Happy Pongal!

Pongal is a harvest festival, traditionally marking the end of winter solstice.

In our family we eat a gooey rice dish (called Pongal) with coconut chutney. And we draw a chalk kolam outside. I found out after I drew this that the design should incorporate a pot of rice and some sugar cane. I'll include that next year!

#pongal2023 #pongal

Drawings at bedtime with the littlest. She's a goo

Drawings at bedtime with the littlest. She's a good artist and her ideas are cool. Also she's the boss so she decides what we draw 😆❤️

Please order your Christmas books by 16 Dec! That'

Please order your Christmas books by 16 Dec! That's this Friday 😅

After that you can try
@thisisbooklove_
@booksellercrow
@thepaxtoncentre
@kirkdalebookshop

Xxx

Today's #beautifulthing I'm obsessed with the fr

Today's #beautifulthing

I'm obsessed with the frost! I took a million pictures. But here are just a few xx
🥶🧊

We love this vitiligo pride jumper! It's from @vit

We love this vitiligo pride jumper! It's from @vitiligosociety and it raises money and awareness for those with vitiligo - this non-contagious, non-dangerous skin condition.

And don't forget our gorgeous Gabby in Ready for an Adventure. Gabby is a normal fun-loving kid... Who happens to have vitiligo. Available from Parakeetbooks.com

0% of the leadership team at Penguin Random House

0% of the leadership team at Penguin Random House are Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic people...

Posted @withrepost • @formy_books Again, surface level diversity, and attempts at quick fixes will not work. True DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion) requires a commitment to cultural and structural changes 📣

🔗https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/about-us/notices/gender-pay-gap-reports

#publishingsowhite #diversitymatters #diversifypublishing #diversityandinclusion #inclusionmatters

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