Know your own case and how to make it


The book industry may be trying to better reflect the diversity of society but an author’s best tactic is still to keep publishers focused on their work, not their backgrounds, says author and publisher Ken Wilson-Max.


READING for pleasure wasn’t high on Ken Wilson-Max’s to do list when he was growing up, but stories were.


The author/illustrator, who is also co-founder and publisher at Alanna Max books said: “Life was quite idyllic and very protected” about his childhood in Zimbabwe. “As a young child I lived near Victoria Falls and the Hwange Game reserve, so our family had lots of opportunity to visit these places, to be close to nature and animals. I also had wonderful people who looked after me besides my parents, many of whom told us stories. We never really read as much as we could have as a result, but I have loved stories since then.”


Primary school reinforced the reading for learning approach and failed to make books and reading any more relevant to him. “In primary school we were exposed to very English children’s books with absolutely no reference to anyone different to them. Instead, this was provided by the stories we were told. As a teen I read some South African authors, but overall, we were encouraged to read European literature over African with no real relevance to our lives. Looking back and considering what I do for a living I am ever so grateful to the teachers who


Spring-Summer 2020


persevered with us students who had more interesting things going on outside the classroom in the sun.”


This ties in with the reasons why the publishing company he co-founded with Anna McQuinn has the motto “everyone loves a good story”. This also underpins his respect for libraries.


Ken says “I have more experience of public libraries in the UK and this is where I have come to appreciate the important part they play in helping children to find themselves and explore the world. To contribute to that, Alanna Max started JuneFest – a children’s books festival in 2019 in collaboration with Stroud Green and Haringey libraries. We brought authors and illustrators together with children from three primary schools in the area for an hour-long free session. It was a month-long festival and we made sure everyone involved got as much out of it as possible. Libraries and librarians are so important for diversity in children’s publishing. The libraries are the school of sharing, tolerance and understanding towards all people and their cultures and librarians are the wise and loving teachers of this school.” This contrasts with Ken’s answer to the question “why are there so few black male children’s writers and illustrators?”


“I do agree that there aren’t many,” Ken says, “I am not sure why that might be, but when I first entered publishing in my twenties there weren’t many publicised opportunities for people of colour. Nowadays, I feel that any recruitment campaigns should be as gender-neutral and inclusive as possible if this is to change. Two black male illustrators in the whole of UK publishing in 2020 is not progressive, although it is a reflection of the reality of the situation. I also feel that if all children don’t see themselves in books it makes it less likely that they will see themselves as book creators when they grow up. Thinking about the film and music industries one can see that a more diverse pool of existing talent has had a knock-on effect on new talent, audiences and the businesses behind the scenes.”


Visual


So how did Ken end up becoming a book creator?


Ken’s career was originally weighed more towards a visual creativity than a literary one. He studied art in Harare and then design and print at the London School of Printing. After studying he worked as a children’s book designer at the BBC, Orchard Books, Assistant Art


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