Children’s Book Editor

& Publishing Consultant

Helping publishers create fun and inclusive children’s books, because books should be for everyone.

I help publishers and organisations create authentically inclusive children's books. I'm experienced in editing books for ages 0-12, and specialise in illustrated books. I work with:

  • Publishing houses and agents who need an experienced editor with a focus on inclusivity

  • International publishing houses and rights agents who need support on English language translations

  • Arts charities and other organisations that promote children’s books or require children’s book expertise for a project.

Services

  • For children’s publishers and literary agents who want to make their books as inclusive as possible.

    An inclusivity read checks a manuscript for anything that could have slipped in due to unconscious bias.

    Everyone has biases and it takes a lot of work to challenge them. I have several years' experience examining books for inclusivity, so can help you make your book more authentically inclusive.

    It's important to have books checked for inclusivity at an early stage. An inclusivity read will highlight misrepresentation of marginalised characters, comments or phrases that perpetuate stereotypes, and language that can be harmful to certain groups. It looks at specific words and phrases in granular detail and recommends replacements where applicable, but it will also look at the bigger picture and how numerous facets of diversity are represented across a work, including in illustrations and design.

    The process not only helps make books more inclusive, but provides a learning opportunity for authors, editors and publishers.

  • For publishers and literary agents who have a great book that needs a bit of extra support.

    I’m an experienced developmental editor for children’s fiction when a manuscript needs structural work. I have a particular strength with illustrated titles, especially picture books, and also work on young fiction and middle grade novels.

  • For publishing houses who want a detail-oriented editor who focuses on inclusive language.

    I offer proofreading for fiction and illustrated non-fiction for ages 0-12, including picture books, young fiction and middle grade novels.

    Editing can be completed directly on a PDF or tracked in Word.

  • For charities and organisations that promote children's books.

    The right book recommended at the right time for a child can make a world of difference. As an experienced book reviewer and buyer who used to select books for children with a range of needs, I can help curate reading lists for specific topics or publications.

    If your organisation already works with children’s books or you are interested in promoting children's books to further your charitable cause or organisation's mission, please get in touch to schedule a free 30-minute consultation call to discuss how we might work together.

  • For UK publishers who need their text adapted for an American audience.

    I edit in both UK and US English, but as an American living in the UK I also help British and Irish publishers adapt their work for an American audience, from getting rid of the U in "colour" to adding serial commas, adapting expressions and converting measurements.

Contact me

All my editing focuses on inclusivity, whether it's helping you create a brief for a new series, developmental editing a picture book or proofreading final layouts of a title.

​Having worked across editorial, rights, production and as a buyer at a national level, I have a unique set of skills that can help you develop and publish children’s books. While I focus on making books as inclusive and accessible as possible, I also aim to make them commercially viable. Because what good is an inclusive book that doesn't sell? 

With over ten years of experience in the industry, including at some of the Big Five and small independent publishers, I'm flexible in my approach and able to tailor my services to your needs. I edit in British and American English and often work on translated texts.

My rate varies based on the work involved (some examples are listed below). Please contact me with details of your project so I can provide you with a quote.

Testimonials

  • "I just wanted to reach out again and let you know how thoughtful and brilliant I thought your comments were. I definitely had moments where I thought 'that makes total sense, why didn't I spot that in the first place?' I think your comments will only serve to make the manuscript that much better."

    Rea Pikula, Editor, DK Books

  • “The inclusivity work Lisa undertook with We Are Family was transformational. We have learned so much through working with Lisa and cannot recommend highly enough her clear advice, far-reaching experience and profound belief in creating inclusive and sensitive children’s books for all.”

    Lucy Reynolds, Doodles & Scribbles

  • "I was referred to Lisa by Latvian Literature. I needed an English translation in order to promote my book to foreign publishers. Lisa agreed to take on the task of making my very broken Latvian - English translation work. We agreed on making two editions: one in prose and one in rhyme, and Lisa did an outstanding job on both! Her adaptations retained the original feeling of the text, which was important for me. Thanks to Lisa's work, the book is now published in German."

    Veronika Frolova, author of Tiranozauram plāni klājas (Tough Times for T-Rex)

I also offer inclusivity edits partnered with Beth Cox, Inclusion and Equality Consultant.

Having two editors is always better than one!

By working on an inclusivity audit together, we bring different experience and expertise to a book while providing publishers with clear feedback on how to make your book (and future books) more inclusive.

“Beth and Lisa were fantastic to work with and delivered a very clear, thorough and thought-provoking inclusion read. There were some real eye-openers for me and certain things that I was completely unaware of, especially with regard to terminology. It’s been a fascinating process and I have learnt so much that I can take forwards as an editor on other titles.”

– Isabel Otter, Senior Editor, Little Tiger

Rates

My rates vary by project (considering type of work, budget and level of editing needed), but here are some recent rates I’ve agreed to give you a rough idea of what to expect:

  • Inclusivity read of a 32-page picture book: £150 (September 2024)

  • Proofread of a 12,000-word illustrated non-fiction book: £275 (May 2024)

  • Proofread of a 26,000-word middle grade book: £375 (July 2024)

  • Americanization of a 22,000-word illustrated non-fiction book: £500 (August 2024)

  • Copy edit of a 35,000-word non-fiction book: £800 (August 2024)

  • Developmental edit of a 32-page picture book: £300 (April 2024)