Publisher Ebony Lyon Ebony co-founded Formy Books in early 2020, and comes from a commercial sales background. She is passionate about delivering cutting edge books featuring under-represented Black communities. Her passion goes beyond what is inside the pages; she is also focused on emerging Black representation in the arts and fighting for inclusivity throughout children’s publishing.

Publisher Sonya McGilchrist Sonya has worked for BBC One, BBC Two and Radio 4 and she pursues the same values in publishing that motivated her as a journalist - integrity, a belief in quality and above all, respect for the audience. Her aim is to offer young readers great stories that feature a range of characters and locations that go beyond those that are usually represented in children’s books. This could be through our character's class or race,as well as through the locations and cultural context of the stories.

Publishers Judy Skidmore and Sheju John Judy was a graphic designer in magazine publishing, making information look beautiful. And Sheju runs a tech firm. When their children came along, like many people, they got fed up with searching in vain for diverse kids books and they started making their own. They love the creative process of making a book: the wordplay, the artwork, the design. Together they want to create a place where hitherto marginalised voices can shout their stories from the rooftops.

You can contact us here: strengthinstories.contact@gmail.com