further exclusion due to financial factors. Where Storymix works with writers on longer middle grade projects, such as in the case of The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries with author J. T. Williams, a different approach becomes necessary. There is less scaffolding or pre-planning of the stories in detail. As Jasmine explains, “At Storymix, we create opportunities for talent to shine. Stories by authors for older children are even more voice-driven and it’s about platforming talent and saying ‘look at this amazing writer’. We plant the seed of an idea and let the writer use their unique voice to take the seed and develop it in their own special way.” Irrespective of an author’s prior experience and talent, one thing Storymix prioritises is placing children of colour at the centre of the story’s action. Jasmine and the authors she works with have a shared passion: to create stories that not only delight readers but reflect the world in which we live. As a parent of young children, Jasmine recognised that diverse fiction for this age group was particularly limited and wanted to use her skills to make a lasting change.


Although inclusivity in publishing is improving with increased representation, the type of story that black characters feature in are still largely exclusionary. It is this recognition that led to the development of the Aziza books. “Fairy stories are full of fun and fantasy and we don’t see black characters having these sorts of adventures. All too often, their stories are serious and for older readers. I wanted to change that – to create an opportunity for little black girls to see themselves in the fairy world, experiencing magic and freedom,” says Jasmine. Whilst some characters are entirely fictional, others find their roots in historical figures. Recently published,


The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries series is one such example. The story of two twelve-year-old girls, Lizzie and Belle, helps children uncover forgotten black figures from history, giving them a chance to learn about the past in a positive way. Similarly, Future Hero reflects Jasmine’s passion for mythology from Africa and its diaspora. In a further challenge to the preconceptions of black characters being best suited to serious and mature themes, characters such as Jarell are created to show softness as well as strength. Jarell is a kid that does not fit in, but through the course of Future Hero he comes to appreciate his uniqueness. There’s no doubt that Storymix is helping to change the publishing landscape, but inclusivity needs to be firmly embedded and to come from all stages of a writer’s development. Society needs to nurture young writers of colour so that they can recognise that becoming an author is an achievable pathway.


24 PEN&INC.


Jasmine believes that teachers and librarians can support the work that Storymix is doing by making a few small changes. “When I go to schools to do visits as an author, one of the things I like to get all of the kids to do is write a story,” says Jasmine. “I let them choose the characters and what happens but I’ve discovered that it doesn’t matter where I am, which part of the country I’m in, the characters that kids write into their stories will invariably have names like Tom or Jane, even if the names common in class are more like Jarell or Eshan. When I tell children, particularly children of colour, that they can call the characters in their stories by any name they like, including their own name, a sibling’s name, it’s like a lightbulb moment – not only for them, but for the teachers too. We have to help children of colour know that it’s OK to put themselves into the story. That they can be the inspiration for


Autumn-Winter 2022


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