We, undersigned, stand unequivocally in solidarity with Palestinians as they resist colonisation.
27 May 2021
Our industry professes to nurture and enrich the experience of childhood. How then can we stay silent as children are targeted, murdered, orphaned, incarcerated, dispossessed and traumatised by an occupying state?
We have watched the state of Israel massacre entire families in besieged Gaza – while deliberately crippling essential health, social and cultural infrastructure. We have watched Israeli settler organisations threaten the homes of Palestinian families in occupied East Jerusalem. We have watched the brutal assault on peaceful worshippers at Al-Aqsa mosque. We have watched the mass arrests and killings of those who participated in protests against their own ethnic cleansing.
We are watching with grief and horror.
We recognise these events as recurrent episodes in the violent colonisation of Palestine, ongoing for 73 years. We recognise Israel as an apartheid state imposed on stolen Palestinian land. We recognise the sovereignty and humanity of Palestinians in their struggle against occupation and oppression.
We note the enthusiasm with which the children’s publishing industry has previously mobilised during global movements for justice, releasing statements of solidarity and creating new imprints. By contrast, we note that the industry has largely maintained its silence on the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
We understand that witnessing and naming plays an important role in change-making. What we are witnessing is called genocide. With this letter, we hope to normalise this conversation within the publishing industry, the wider arts community and beyond; shifting us closer to a tipping point, and to Palestinian liberation.
Matt Chun / Artist and Writer •• Tess Cullity / Editor •• Alyson O’Brien / Associate Publisher, Hardie Grant Children's Publishing •• Amy McQuire / Children’s Author, Writer, Journalist •• Yassmin Abdel-Magied / Author •• Kirli Saunders / Author, Artist and Consultant •• Randa Abdel-Fattah / Children’s and Young Adult Author •• Radhiah Chowdhury / Commissioning Editor, Penguin Random House, and Children’s Author •• Pooja Desai / Head of Design, Hardie Grant Children's Publishing •• Ella Meave / Editor •• Hoda Afshar / Artist and Educator •• Yumi Stynes / Author •• Blak Douglas / Artist and Performer •• Kate Whitfield / Editor, Allen & Unwin •• Inda Ahmad Zahri / Writer and Illustrator •• Danielle Binks / Literary Agent and Author •• Jamie Goode / Artist •• Nat Latter / Owner and Bookseller, Rabble Books •• Dinalie Dabarera / Children’s Author and Illustrator •• Mel Lane / Editor •• Sheryl Gwyther / Children’s Author and Artist •• AJ Dungo / graphic novelist •• Haylee Collins / Marketing Manager •• Bonnie Porter Greene / Artist and Designer •• Hannah Debus / Writer, Artist and Educator •• Daniela Cristallo / Artist •• David Cragg / Illustrator •• Sarah Sivaraman / Writer and Illustrator •• Josephine Harrison-Cobby •• Jonas Goonface / Young Adult Graphic Novelist •• Chloe Cooper / Bookseller •• Alison Evans / Young Adult and Children’s Bookseller •• Clare Millar / Bookseller, Writer and Reviewer •• Kristen Proud / Owner and Bookseller, Squishy Minnie Bookstore •• Lindy Thai •• Jen Pogue / Writer •• Robert Kananaj / Artist and Gallerist •• Daniel Gray-Barnett / Illustrator and Author •• David Quoy / Artist and Muralist •• Nani Puspasari / Artist and Illustrator •• Shoohada Khanom / Author •• Nuha Abuzaid •• Mat Larkin / Author •• Lakshal Perera / Co-owner, Squishy Minnie Bookstore •• Penny Harrison / Author •• Susannah Aziz / Children’s Author •• Evie Barrow / Illustrator •• Mariam Arcilla / Creative Producer and Writer •• Kelsey Oldham / Editor, Books and Publishing •• Yasmine Jibril / Writer •• Jay Wood / Artist, Educator and Art Therapist •• Ben Sears / Cartoonist •• Steve Thueson / Cartoonist •• Sophie Beer / Author and Illustrator •• Natalia Wi / Writer, Reviewer and Librarian •• Jessica Cruickshank / Illustrator •• Rhia Romaine •• Yi Zhen Kueh / Writer and Designer •• Ramona Davey / Art Teacher, Children’s Author and Illustrator •• Lu Lin / Writer, Researcher and Radio Producer •• Carla Scotto / Designer and Illustrator •• Amanda Wilson-White / Bookseller, Boobook on Owen •• Lana Dajani / Children’s Author •• Nevo Zisin / Young Adult Author •• Maeve Baker / Illustrator •• Kathryn Knight / Editor •• Anne Barnetson / Illustrator •• Jenean Qaddura / Writer •• Aubrey McKeough / Bookseller •• Sally Davis / Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing •• Aya Khalil / Author •• Kay Kerr / Young Adult Author •• Bethany Patch / Editor •• Margrete Lamond / Publisher and Author •• Lamia Ziadé / Illustrator and Author •• Omar Abed / Author •• Alexander Te Pohe / Writer and Editor •• Stephen Axelsen / Children’s Author and Illustrator •• Karen Foxlee / Children’s Author •• Iman Habib •• Jeremy Lachlan / Children’s Author •• Jeremy George / Bookseller •• Aisyah Simamora / Graphic Designer •• Cassy Polimeni / Author, Writer and Editor •• Joshua Butler / Author and Illustrator •• Adele Joseph •• Jessica Gannaway / Educator and Researcher, Literary Education Lab •• Cher Tan / Writer, Critic and Editor •• Kady Du Maurier / Artist and Photographer •• Yasmin Rashidi •• Amra Pajalic / Young Adult Author •• Luna Soo / Senior Editor, Hardie Grant Children's Publishing •• Asma Wahab / Owner, Civillian Publishing •• Brooke Davis / Writer and Bookseller •• Tom Langshaw / Commissioning Editor, Pantera Press •• Amire Hoxha / Reviewer •• Jess Lomax / Agent •• Yasmin Bseiso / Writer and Reviewer •• Shoag Aladsani / Writer and Educator •• Pip Ryan / Artist •• Rounwah Bseiso / Writer •• Jean Claude / Children’s Illustrator •• Kareen Adam / Artist •• Bianca Loiacono / Illustrator •• Razeena Omar Gutta / Author •• Sam Baker / Owner and Bookseller, Rabble Books •• Oliver Phommavanh / Author and Teacher •• Winnie Dunn / Writer •• Nick Buttfield / Illustrator •• Yvette Poshoglian / Author •• Jasmeet Sahi / Writer •• Penelope White / Publishing Manager, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing •• Ashleigh Djokic / Artist and Writer Kate •• Bullen-Casanova / Writer •• Amanda Diaz / Graduate Student and Community Manager •• Naj Naseer / Writer and Editor •• Simona Quaglia / Artist •• Michelle Lavender / Reviewer •• Rana Tayara / Trauma therapist and Lecturer •• Callum Macdonald / Bookseller •• Emily Clements / Writer and Editor •• Sinead Murphy / Designer and Illustrator •• Nisreen Salem •• Ashanti Permatasari / Early Childhood Educator •• Hannah Wallis •• Nusaiba Binte Talha / Artist •• Liz Francis / Bookseller, Squishy Minnie Bookseller •• Stephanie Duval / Reviewer •• Hannab Moushabeck / Marketing Manager, Quarto; Editor, Interlink Books •• Sarah JH Fletcher / Editor •• Amanda Shaw / Operations Director, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing •• Rachel Aitken / Production, Text Publishing •• Melati Lum / Author •• Shirin Shamsi / Writer •• Nour Nasif / Designer •• Kate O'Donnell / Author •• Asmaa Hussein / Author and Publisher •• Fatima Sharafeddine / Writer •• Hannah Gardiner / Children’s and Young Adult Book Buyer •• Jacob Kramer / Author •• Connie Parker / Bookseller, Squishy Minnie Bookstore •• Julie Rowan-Zoch / Illustrator, Author and Bookseller •• Nikki Lusk / Editor •• Manal Wazeer / Children’s Author •• Chloe Feldman Emison / Illustrator •• Fareeha Sattar / Reviewer •• Jodi Toering / Author and Educator •• Yusr Rashidi / Elementary Teacher •• Karen Wyld / Children's Author and Novelist •• Marissa Kyriakopoulos / Bookseller and Reviewer •• Tim Loveday / Editor, Poet and Writer •• Sibba Hartunian / Illustrator •• Faith Pray / Author and Illustrator •• Puti Ceniza Akbar / Librarian •• Phoebe Wahl / Author and Illustrator •• Aliaa Betawi / Illustrator •• Nadine Kaadan / Writer and Illustrator •• Ashley Benham-Yazdani / Author and Illustrator •• Zaynah Qutubuddin / Young Adult Writer •• Ishta Mercurio / Children’s Author •• Maggie Tokuda-Hall / Children’s and Young Adult Author •• Sana Rafi / Author •• Golbarg Bashi / Author and Publisher •• Mariam Quraishi / Designer and Illustrator •• Jess Hong / Illustrator and Author •• Maya Jain / Illustrator •• Rana Tahir / Writer and Author •• Muna Rabieh / Writer and Educator •• MJ Robinson / Author, Illustrator and Cartoonist •• Samrae Duke / Illustrator •• Val Wise / Comic Artist •• Courtney Knudsen / Bookseller •• Heba Subeh-Hyder / Children’s Author •• Clare Atkins / Young Adult Author •• Michelle Gordon / Production •• Mei Fong / Artist •• Jade Hawes / Writer •• Fedaa Izreig / Bookseller •• Diane Capriola / Bookseller •• Leigh Montague / Designer •• Sana Kirmani / Illustrator •• Azrah Jussab / Reviewer •• Batool Othman •• Bec Kavanagh / Programmer and Reviewer •• Mariam Khan / Author and Journalist •• Alaa Batroukh / Author and Publisher •• Naema Islam •• Camha Pham / Editor •• Nayrah Islamovic / Illustrator •• Shalini Kunahlan / Publishing and Marketing •• Teddy Machnyk / Early Childhood Educator •• Feather Flores / Editor, Chronicle Books •• Yasuko Toda / Artist and Illustrator •• Araxi Mardirian / Bookseller, Readings Hawthorn •• Brendan Ternus / Educator •• Max D'Orsogna / Photographer •• Kristina Gonzalez / Educator •• B.P. Marshall / Author •• Deen Farooq / Author •• Fadia Ghazal / Teacher •• Zaid Shamsi / Live Theatre •• Dania Liswi •• Nadee Rachey / Artist •• Shareehan Ibrahim / Publisher •• Aishah Vakily / Artist •• Favel Parrett / Writer •• Rufia Valiff / Children’s Author •• Louise Chappell / Artist •• Simone Corletto / Publishing Coordinator •• Morgan Kays / Writer •• Katy Flint / Acquisitions Editor •• Raahat Kaduji / Illustrator •• Douglas Holgate / Illustrator and Comic Artist •• Amani Haydar / Artist and Writer •• Shirin Shamsi / Children’s Writer •• Marzieh Abbas / Author •• Francesca Sanna / Illustrator and Author •• London Shah / Author •• Shannon Chakraborty / Author •• M.O. Yuksel / Author •• Lina Outri •• Priyanka Taslim / Author •• Maggie Rosenthal / Editor •• Jemima Shafei-Ongu / Children’s Author, Teacher and Psychologist •• Kayla Hoskinson / Children’s Librarian •• Flan Park / Library Worker and Organiser •• Freda Chiu / Children’s Author and Illustrator •• Michelle Pereira / Illustrator •• Dima Alkasem / Musician and Educator •• Eel Hoopes / Library Worker •• Zoey Wagner / Children’s Book Maker •• Kyoko Imazu / Artist and Illustrator •• Agus Wijaya / Artist •• Hayley Millar Baker / Artist •• Sarah Pannell / Photographer, Artist •• Amy Thome •• Ellen Cregan / Manager, Bruswick Bound Bookstore •• Alana Hunt / Artist and Writer •• Sassy Park / Artist •• Tam Bower / Artist and Illustrator •• Anita Vachharajani / Children’s Writer •• Kim Lam / Illustrator •• Reem Madooh / Illustrator •• Aseel Abdallah / Educator •• Helen O'Dare / Publishing •• Nicola Barker / Social Worker, Children and Families •• Mikaela Foxworthy / Aboriginal Early Years Policy and Advocacy •• Bronwen Applegate / Operations Executive, Publishing •• Julie Robine / Designer and Illustrator •• Jessie DiBlasi / Artist and Educator •• Gok-Lim Finch / Writer •• Koloud 'Kay' Tarapolsi / Children’s Literature Reviewer •• Krista Ahlberg / Production Editor, Penguin Young Readers •• Ausma Zehanat Khan / Author •• Rukhsana Khan / Author •• Silvia Szakalova / Teacher •• Sarah Nayeem / Child Psychiatrist •• Fiona Murray •• Tania Safi / Journalist and Producer •• Rachel Ang / Artist and Writer •• Michael Brady / Music Educator •• Lamis Sabra / Creative Educator and Co-creator, QafKaf •• Dina Alkhairi •• Ibrahim Abdo / Children’s Social Worker •• Leila Boukarim / Children’s Author •• Hana Al-Saadi / Artist •• Margaret Hurrell / Educator and Writer •• Najma Patel / Children’s Librarian •• Nahida Safar •• Hanady Nasser •• Brittany Rien / Educator •• Sandra Dajani / Illustrator and Animator •• Zahra Shah Gilani / Editor •• Sarah Firth / Artist and Writer •• Calla Camero / Writer •• Julia Donkersley / Designer •• Dawn Shannon •• Fiona Stager / Owner and Bookseller, Avid Reader Bookstore •• Maryam Khas / Historian •• Solomon Kammer / Artist •• Nabeel Khan / Author •• Ash Mortimer / Writer and Artist •• Joshua Barnes / Bookseller •• Katy Plummer / Bookshop Owner •• Merve Kilic •• Hatem Aly / Illustrator •• Joana Partyka / Illustrator •• Jack Whitmore / Artist and Teacher •• Romy Ash / Writer •• Amie Bajalieh / Artist and Educator •• Aysha Talhouni / Child Therapist •• Torsten Strokirch / Writer •• Can Yalcinkaya / Cartoonist and Writer •• Natasha Kazi / Author •• Emma Magnusson-Reid / Artist •• Meridth Gimbel / Writer & Illustrator •• Farah Kaysi / Writer •• Leah Soule / Art Installer •• Armelle Davies / Editor •• Lucy Bailey / Senior Bookseller, The Children's Bookshop, Wellington, New Zealand •• Liz Ledden / Children's Author, Podcaster and Reviewer •• Kelly Gardiner / Writer •• Josh Stark •• Julianne Negri / Author •• Natalia Garcia / Founder and Editor, Kindling & Sage Magazine •• Haneen Oriqat / Writer and Publisher •• Stevie Lane / Writer •• Fatimah Jannah / Designer •• Diana Pinguicha / Author •• Gabrielle Wang / Children’s Author and Illustrator •• Cherri Ryan / Author •• Renee Hills / Children’s Author •• Kara Blakeley •• Nicola Welsh-Burke / Academic and Researcher •• Diana Chamma / Creative Director and Publisher •• AH Meliorism / Magazine Project Manager •• Natasha Khan / Writer •• Raidah Shah Idil / Author •• Rebecca Petruck / Author •• Stephen Pollard / Writer •• Narjis Sheikh / Writer •• Alex Gino / Children’s Author •• Kathy Halsey / Children’s Writer •• Rukhsana Khan / Author and Storyteller •• Michael Odeh •• Ngaire Brown / Educator •• Carrie Jones / Writer •• Tracy Abell / Writer •• Victoria Lee / Author •• Jordi Kerr / YA Author and Reviewer •• Adele Aria / Writer, Artist and Reviewer •• Maxine Dibbert •• Gary Schmitt •• Autumn Allen / Writer and Editor ••