Children’s authors, illustrators,
and educators' statement
on Palestine

As authors, illustrators, and educators, our life’s work is dedicated to protecting, inspiring, and empowering children everywhere. 

We are outraged at the killing of over 19,000 children in Gaza, the thousands more who are injured and orphaned, and the starvation and humanitarian crisis that Israel is inflicting on them.

We feel compelled to speak out in their defence.

We are horrified by the persistent failure of the international community to stop the genocide and hold its perpetrators accountable.

We are also deeply concerned at efforts to curb protest and restrict free expression. The decision by the UK government to brand a non-violent direct action group, Palestine Action, as ‘terrorists’ is absurd. 

As individuals committed to defending the freedom to write, speak, and protest without fear, we view this development with particular alarm.

If we cannot speak freely about the genocide of Palestinians, if we cannot condemn those who enable it and support those who resist it, the right to freedom of expression has no meaning. 

We urge the government to lift the ban on Palestine Action. 

Every leading human rights organisation has recognised that this is a genocide. We urge the UK government to do the same and to meet its resulting legal obligations, including ending all military trade and other military cooperation with Israel.

We cannot remain silent while children are killed, starved, and denied the right to grow up in safety and peace: their lives, their stories, and their futures matter. Our commitment to them compels us to speak out, and we will continue to do so until every child across the world can live safely in dignity.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce | UK Children's Laureate 2024 - 2026

Lauren Child CBE | UK Children’s Laureate 2017 - 2019

Chris Riddell OBE | UK Children’s Laureate 2015 - 2017

Michael Rosen | UK Children’s Laureate 2007 - 2009

Sir Michael Morpurgo | UK Children’s Laureate 2007 - 2009

Patricia Forde | Laureate na nÓg (Ireland) 2023 - 2026

Áine Ní Ghlinn | Laureate na nÓg (Ireland) 2020 - 2023

Sarah Crossan | Laureate na nÓg (Ireland) 2018 - 2020

PJ Lynch | Laureate na nÓg (Ireland) 2016 - 2018

Eoin Colfer | Laureate na nÓg (Ireland) 2014 - 2016

Niamh Sharkey | Laureate na nÓg (Ireland) 2012 - 2014

Siobhán Parkinson | Laureate na nÓg (Ireland) 2012 - 2014

Agnes Török | Läsamabassadör (Sweden) 2024 - 2026

A M Dassu | Author

A.F. Harrold | Poet

Abby Hobbs | Illustrator

Ada Grey | Illustrator

Agnes Monod-Gayraus | Author

Áine Mc Guinness | Illustrator and Animation Designer

Aisling Corrigan | Teacher

AJ O’Neill | Author and illustrator

Alastair Chisholm | Author

Alessandro Parodi | Illustrator

Alex Bagnall | Illustrator

Alex T Smith | Author and illustrator

Alexandra Cashman Macken | Writer, student, educator

Alexandra Dawe | Author and artist

Alexandra Wood | Educator

Alexis Deacon | Author and Illustrator

Ali Cutler | Deputy Head of EYFS

Alice Nuttall |  Author

Aline Abreu | Author and illustrator

Alison | Educator

Alison Eldred | Agent

Alison Mathews | Educational composer

Allen Fatimaharan | Illustrator and animator

Amanda Addison | Author

Amberin Huq | Illustrator

Ambreen Butt-Hussain | Author

Amina Yekhlef | Education and training consultant

Andie Borbely | Illustrator

Andrea Armstrong | Illustrator

Andy Brock | Educator

Angela Sangma Francis | Author

Ann Jungman | Author

Anna Carey | Author

Anna Dale | Author

Anna Doherty | Author and illustrator

Anna Lena Feunekes - van Iersel | Author and illustrator

Anna Terreros-Martin | Author and illustrator

Annabel Wright | Illustrator

Anne Booth | Author and illustrator

Anne Fine OBE | Author

Anne Ngabia | School librarian

Anne Rooney | Author

Anthony McGowan | Author

Artelle Lenthall | Teacher and author

Ashling Lindsay | Author and illustrator

Asma Zubairi | Assistant Professor

Audrey Dowling | Illustrator

Aviva Tuffield | Co-founder, Readers & Writers Against Genocide

Ayse Esra Okutan | Children's Book Publisher

Aysha Awwad | Illustrator

Aysha Tengiz | Illustrator

Bali Rai | Author

Barry Falls | Author and illustrator 

Becka Moor | Illustrator 

Becky Cameron | Illustrator and author 

Ben Hoare | Writer

Ben Javens | Illustrator

Ben Mantle | Author and Illustrator

Ben Newman | Illustrator

Benjamin Phillips | Author and Illustrator 

Benji Davies | Author and Illustrator 

Betty Levene | Illustrator

Beverley Kendall | Educator 

Beverley Naidoo | Author

Bia Melo | Author & Illustrator

Briana Fitzsimons | Author and educator

Bridget Marzo | Author and illustrator

Briony Stewart | Author and Illustrator

Bryher Mackenzie | Author

Camille Whitcher | Author and illustrator

Cara Louise | Author and educator

Carly Gledhill | Author and Illustrator

Carmel O'Hagan | Educator

Carol Jonas | Illustrator

Caroline Carpenter | Children's Editor and Deputy Features Editor

Caroline Pitcher | Author

Catarina Sobral | Author and illustrator 

Catherine Barr | Author 

Catherine Johnson | Author

Celina Buckley | Illustrator, Author, Teacher, Artist

Chantal Hochstrasser | Teacher Librarian 

Charlie Moyler | Author and art director

Charlotte Purchas | Author and illustrator 

Chatura Rao | Author 

Chitra Soundar | Author

Chris Haughton | Author and Illustrator

Chloe Dominique | Illustrator 

Chris Naylor-Ballesteros | Author and illustrator

Christina Koch

Ciça Fittipaldi | Author and illustrator

Cindy Bennett | Author

Claire Linney | Author

Claire Sahara Lemp | Illustrator 

Claire Underwood | Primary school teacher

Clara Kumagai | Author 

Clara Laherty | Author

Clara Vulliamy | Author and illustrator

Clare Atkins | Writer

Clare Forrest  | Author and illustrator

Clare Pollard | Author

Clare Povey | Author

Clive McFarland  | Author & illustrator

Colin Fancy  | Author and playwright

Colleen Larmour  | Author & Illustrator

Conor Finnegan  | Film director

Daishu Ma  | Author and illustrator

Daisy Hirst  | Author Illustrator

Danielle Binks  | Literary agent and author 

Danielle Mudd  Illustrator

Daniel Kebede | General Secretary, National Education Union

Danny Noble  | Illustrator

Dapo Adeola  | Author and illustrator

Darren Chetty  | Author

David Ziggy Greene  | Illustrator

Debi Gliori | Author & Illustrator

Deborah Fielding  | Author and educator

Dee Barragry  | Author and artist

Deirdre Sullivan | Author

Dom Conlon  | Poet

Dylan Calder  | Publisher, ShapeShifter Books

Dylan White  | Artist + Animator

Ed Vere  | Author & Illustrator

Edel Green  | Author

Eduarda Lima  | Illustrator

Eimear Ní Néill  | Teacher 

Eimhin McNamara  | Educator, Illustrator, Animator

Elaina Ryan | CEO, Children's Books Ireland

Elena Arévalo Melville  | Author and Illustrator

Eline Veening  | Illustrator

Elizabeth Laird | Author

Ella Okstad  | Illustrator

Emily Gale  | Author

Emily Hamilton  | Author and illustrator

Emily Rand  | Illustrator

Emma Chichester Clark | Author and illustrator

Emma Lewis | Author and illustrator

Emma Read  | Author

Emma Rizi  | Educator

Emma Wagner  | Education policy adviser

Eoin Colfer  | Author

Erika Meza  | Author and illustrator

Esther Brown  | Educator

Estrela Lourenço  | Author and illustrator

Eva Eland  | Author and illustrator 

Fayez Bakhsh  | Illustrator 

Fehmida Norat-Gilchrist  | Educator

Fiona Lumbers  | Author and illustrator

Fiona Wood | Author

Fleur Hitchcock | Author 

Frances Ives  | Illustrator and Author

Frank Cottrell-Boyce | UK Children's Laureate

Gaby Bazin | Illustrator

Gary Northfield | Gaby Bazin

Gemma Aloisi | Artist, writer and educator

Gill Horitz | Co-Founder Wimborne Community Theatre

Gill Lewis | Author 

Gillian Hibbs | Author and illustrator

Gita Ralleigh | Author

Grant Orchard | Animator and Director

Guy Parker-Rees | Author

Hana Shig | Educator

Hannah Frisch | Education advocate

Hannah Sanguinetti | Author and illustrator

Harry Woodgate | Author and illustrator

Hayley Wells | Hannah Sanguinetti

Helen Comerford | Author

Helen Docherty | Author

Helen Hancocks | Illustrator, author and bookseller

Helen Jones | Lecturer and Co-Director of Yo Comics! 

Helen Nieuwendijk | Illustrator & Artist

Helen Northcott | Artist and Educator

Helen Taylor | Hannah Sanguinetti

Helena Fox | Author 

Helena Pérez García | Illustrator

Henry Martin | Author 

Holly Rivers | Author

Holly Ryan | Author

Iancu Barbarasa | Designer and illustrator

Imogen Russell Williams | Author and critic

Inda Ahmad Zahri | Author and Illustrator

Iram Siraj | Professor of Child Development, Oxford

Irina Filcer | Author and illustrator

Jacinta Dimase | Literary Agent

Jack Mackay | Author

Jade Garratt  | Educator and researcher 

Jake Hope  | Author and Children's Book Consultant

James Munro | Illustrator

Jamie Littler | Author and Illustrator 

Jamila Gavin | Author

Jane Cabrera  | Author & Illustrator

Jane Etheridge | Chair, Federation of Children's Book Groups

Jane Porter | Author and illustrator

Jane Ray | Illustrator

Jarvis  | Author and Illustrator 

Jason Chapman  | Author and Illustrator 

Jason Cockcroft  | Author and Illustrator

Jem Roberts  | Storyteller

Jenni Desmond  | Author and Illustrator

Jenny Guest  | Educator

Jim Field | Illustrator and author

Jim Kay | Illustrator

Jo Weaver | Author and illustrator

Joanna Arnold | Author and reviewer 

John Dougherty  | Author and poet

Jolyon Blazey | Software engineer 

Jonathan Emmerson  | Author and Illustrator

Jonathan Emmett  | Author

Jono Ganz | Author and Illustrator

Jordan Gaucher | Author

Joseph Moffat-Peña | Illustrator

Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly | Education policy advocate

Julia Jarman | Author

Julie Rowan-Zoch | Author, illustrator and bookseller

Julie Sykes | Author

Karen Crosbie | Illustrator

Karen Ginnane | Author

Karin Celestine | Author and illustrator

Karl Newson | Author

Kate Breitholtz | Educator

Kate Daubney | Illustrator

Kate Hindley | Illustrator 

Kate Rafig | Author and Illustrator

Kate Winter | Author, illustrator and course director 

Katelyn Aronson | Author

Katherine Child | Author and Illustrator

Katherine Woodfine | Author

Katie Cottle | Author and Illustrator

Katie Harnett | Illustrator 

Katie Kear | Illustrator

Kel Menton | Author

Kelly Gardiner | Author

Kelly McCaughrain | Author

Ken Wilson-Max | Author and Illustrator

Kenard Pak | Author and Illustrator

Kerry Iles | Teacher

Kevin Jenner Winter | Author and Illustrator

Kevin Moran | Author

Kim Duffy | BookBairn - Kids Book Reviewer

Kim Faria  | Illustrator

Kim Hillyard  | Author and illustrator

Kirstin McNeil | Author and publisher

Kirsty Holmes  | Author and editor

Kirsty Woods  |  Children's bookseller

Kohenoor Kama  | Illustrator and designer

Kyo Maclear  | Author

Lanisha Butterfield  | Author 

Lara Salam  | Producer and Illustrator 

Laura Hughes | Illustrator

Laura Richards  | Children's librarian 

Lauren Ace  | Author

Lauren Child  | Author and Illustrator

Leila Boukarim | Author and Freelance Editor

Leire Salaberria  | Author and illustrator

Lillias Kinsman-Chauvet  | Author and illustrator

|Linda Newbery  | Author

Linda Sargent  | Author

Lindsay J Sedgwick | Author & Screenwriter

Lisa Byleveld  | General Manager

Lisa Loffredo  | Illustrator

Lisa Murphy  | Co-author 

Lisa Stickley  | Author and Illustrator

Liz Flanagan  | Author 

Liz Hyder  | Author

Liz Price  | Illustrator

Lorna Burt | Author and Illustrator

Lorna Scobie  | Author and illustrator 

Lorraine Ansell | Illustrator

Louie Stowell  | Author and Illustrator

Louisa Adjoa Parker | Writer & children's workshop facilitator

Lubaaba Al-Azami  | Author & Academic 

Luca Fraschini | Education Coordinator

Lucy Kelly-Desmond | Author and Illustrator

Lucy Wynne | Illustrator & teacher

Luke Newell | Author and Illustrator

Lydia Monks | Author and Illustrator

Magda Brol  | Illustrator

Magda Moschou | Author & children's workshop facilitator

Maisie Chan  | Author 

Marcela Ferreira | Author

Maria Speyer | Author and illustrator

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick  | Author and illustrator

Marina Vinto | Teacher

Marion Deuchars | Author and illustrator

Mariska Gewald | Illustrator

Marta Altes | Illustrator

Martha Lamont | Primary School Teacher

Martha Lightfoot | Illustrator 

Martin Salisbury | Professor of Illustration

Mary Murphy | Author and illustrator

Matt Carr | Author and illustrator

Matt Robertson | Author and illustrator

Matt Wrack | General Secretary, NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union

Mattie Whitehead | Children's book editor

Maudie Powell-Tuck | Author

Méabh Collins | Author

Meg Grehan | Author 

Meg McLaren | Author and illustrator

Meredith Vigh  | Author

Merve Fatma Azdural  | Author and illustrator

Mikaela Lucido | Author

Mike Brownlow | Author and illustrator

Mique Moriuchi  | Illustrator & school librarian 

Mona Meslier Menuau  | Illustrator

Nadia Shireen | Author

Nadine Aisha Jassat  | Author 

Nancy Walbank | Author and editor

Naomi Jones | Author

Natasha Knight | Membership Executive

Nathan Bryon | Author

Nazneen Ahmed Pathak | Author

Neal Layton | Illustrator

Neil Packer | Illustrator

Niamh Restrepo | Educator 

Nick Sharratt  | Author and illustrator

Nicola Davies | Author and illustrator

Nicola Kent | Author and illustrator

Nicola Killen | Author and Illustrator 

Nicola Penfold | Author

Nila Aye | Illustrator

Nina Davies | Director of Benji Davies Ltd. 

Nizrana Farook | Author

Noha Eilouti | Illustrator

Nova Weetman | Author

O R Sorrel | Author

October Jones | Children’s Librarian

Ola Szpunar | Illustrator

Oliver Brooks | Author and illustrator

Olivia Hope | Author

Olivia Lomenech Gill | Illustrator

Onjali Q Rauf | Author

Owen Davey | Illustrator

Özge Tığlı Taşlı | Illustrator

Pádraig Kenny | Author

Pam Dix | Chair, IBBY UK

Pam Smy | Author and Illustrator

Patrice Lawrence | Author

Paul Nugent  | Author and Illustrator

Pauline Rose OBE  | Professor of Education 

Penelope O'Neill  | Author and Illustrator 

Penny Neville-Lee | Author and Illustrator

Penny Tangey | Author

Peter Barton | Former Senior Inspector, Dorset Education Authority

Petr Horáček | Author

Philip Hunt | Animation Director & Educator

Professor Melanie Ramdarshan | Professor of Youth Literature and Culture 

Rachael Ball | Tutor and illustrator

Rachael Margeson | Retired teacher

Rachel Bradbury | Author

Rachel Tilda Wolf | Author and Illustrator 

Rashmi Sirdeshpande | Author

Rebecca Burgess | Author and Illustrator 

Rebecca Cobb | Author and Illustrator 

Rebecca Tate | Retired educator

Reem Madooh | Illustrator

Rikin Parekh | Illustrator

Rob Biddulph | Author and illustrator

Robin Stewart | Librarian

Robyn Makings | Children’s book designer 

Romy Ash | Author

Ruby Thompson | Children's Theatre Maker 

Ruby Wright  | Author and Illustrator 

Rukiya Shanthi  | Author

Sadhbh Rosenstock  | Author

Saira Shah  | Author

Sally Kindberg  | Author and Illustrator 

Salma Ali | Author and Illustrator 

Sandra Baxter | Research Associate

Sandra de la Prada | Illustrator

Sandra Dieckmann | Author and Illustrator 

Sapphire Allard | Teacher 

Sarah Bellisario | Illustrator and educator 

Sarah Bowie | Author & Illustrator

Sarah Dyer | Author and Illustrator 

Sarah Massini | Author and Illustrator 

Sarah Webb | Author 

Sasha Stowe | Illustrator

Sasha Tamblyn | Teacher

Savita Kalhan | Author

Sean Taylor | Author

Sharifah  Lee  | Educator

Sheryl Gwyther | Author

Shona Shirley Macdonald | Author and Illustrator 

Shuhra Koofi | Campaign officer

Sian Bowman | Illustrator

Siân Chapman | Illustrator

Simon Philip | Author

Simona Ciraolo | Author and illustrator

Simone Fraser | Illustrator

Sinéad O'Callaghan | Editor 

Sinéad O'Hart | Author

Sinéad O'Mahony | Educator

Siski Kalla | Author and illustrator

Sita Brahmachari | Writer

Sojung Kim-McCarthy | Author and illustrator

Sònia Albert | Illustrator

Sophie Anderson | Author

Sophie Fernley | Children's publishing

Sophie Kirtley | Author

Stacey Williamson-Michie | Illustrator 

Stephen Daly | Author 

Steve Small | Illustrator

Steven Lenton | Illustrator

Susan Cahill | Author

Susannah Lloyd | Author 

Takayo Akiyama | Illustrator 

Tara Tayyebi Fard | Illustrator

Tess Duffin | Illustrator

Tom Percival | Author and illustrator

Tony Horitz | Artistic Director, State of Play Arts

Tor Freeman | Illustrator

Uju Asika | Author

Valeria Fogato | Illustrator

Valerie Bloom | Author and poet

Verónica Fabregat | Illustrator

Veronica Petrie | Illustrator

Vic Goddard | CEO

Vivian French | Author

Wafà Tarnowska | Author

Wendy Denissen | Illustrator

William Grill  | Illustrator

Yarrow Townsend | Author

Ylva Karlsson | Author

Zana Fraillon | Author

Zewlan Moor  | Author

Zoë Armstrong | Author