Only 17% of UK children’s books published in 2023 featured a “racially minoritized” character—a rather steep decline from 30% in 2022.

This finding comes from the latest report by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), a non-profit that has conducted its Reflecting Realities survey annually since 2018. Over the past year, the group looked at 5,884 picture books and fiction/non-fiction releases aimed at readers ages three to 11.

While the term is not mainstream, the CLPE defines “racially minoritized” as those who have been “actively minoritized through social processes of power and domination, rather than just existing in distinct statistical minorities.” (Essentially, it means groups that have suffered from financial, social, political or structural inequities because of their ethnicity.) Looking at protagonists specifically, the survey found that representation had dropped in half, from 14% in 2022 to 7% last year.

CPLE research and development director Farrah Serroukh noted that while the results are “disappointing,” the survey has only seen year-over-year increases until now, which might have paved the way for some complacency. “Historical patterns would indicate that gains regarding inclusion are susceptible to being constrained by the cyclical nature of publishing trends,” Serroukh stated, calling for continued efforts in publishing to help make this year’s data a “blip, rather than an irreconcilable downturn” in kidlit representation.

On the upside, this year’s 17% is still higher than 2018 (7%), 2019 (10%) and 2020 (15%). And the report also highlighted “incremental gains” in the percentage of main characters from broad ethnic categories including Arab, Asian, Black, Chinese or mixed heritage.

The full Reflecting Realities survey report is available for download on the CLPE website. This research is funded by the Arts Council England.

Image credit: CLPE / illustration by Habiba Nabisubi