Calls for book covers with more 'white kids' sparks backlash

A large independent bookshop has responded to criticism after the store's owner said "nuclear white family stories" would be stocked in their kids' section rather than books with a "woke agenda".

"What's missing from our bookshelves in store?" Robinsons Bookshop owner Susanne Horman said in December in X posts that have just resurfaced.

"Positive male lead characters of any age, any traditional nuclear white family stories, kids picture books with just white kids on the cover, and no wheelchair, rainbow or indigenous art, non [Indigenous Australian] history," she said.

"Books we don't need: hate against white Australians, socialist agenda, equity over equality, diversity and inclusion (READ AS anti-white exclusion), left wing [government] propaganda. Basically the woke agenda that divides people," she posted.

"Not stocking any of these in 2024," according to tweets by the Victorian bookshop owner.

Ms Horman published these tweets but has since deleted them. An Instagram user, @coffeebooksandmagic, screenshot the posts and published the images to that account on January 28.

Robinsons Bookshop, which was bought by Ms Horman in 2007, responded to the social media criticism on January 29 saying "Susanne Horman and Robinsons Bookshop apologises if any comments made on social media have upset or offended anyone and would like to reassure customers that it will continue to stock a diverse range of books".

"During the last few years, the buying team at Robinsons has noticed most books being released have little variation of themes," the post said.

"Susanne Horman, Chief Executive at Robinsons, who posted the comments on social media, believes this has caused an opportunity in the market for authors to fill.

"While some genres are overflowing on the shelves, others are noticeably bare. Positive stories with men and boys as the hero are almost missing from the mix.

"Neither Susanne Horman, nor Robinsons Bookshop are making a value judgement on this observation."

This apology was the second from Robinsons Bookshop in two days.

The first was posted a day earlier on January 28 and read "we sincerely apologise to anyone who has been offended by online comments that are being edited by individuals and posted on social media about Robinsons".

"They are being taken out of context and being misrepresented as the views of Robinsons Bookshop when they are not," the post said.

Ms Horman's claim that the quotes were edited was denied by the republisher who said "the tweets I shared were whole and complete unedited screenshots".

"The only 'editing' I did was to 'put them on a pretty background to make the post cohesive."

Ms Horman called for "a substantial shift in the focus of Australian publishers to be in line with public opinion", in a now deleted tweet from December 20.

Hardie Grant Children's Publishing, a major Australian publisher of kids books not connected to Robinsons, said books showcasing and exploring diversity were actually rising in popularity.

Hardie Grant Children's Publishing managing director Kate Brown said "families want books that reflect the diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences of their lives".

"Every child deserves to see themselves - their family, their culture, and their values - cast in a positive light in the books that they're reading," she said.

"There is room for all kinds of stories and creators to thrive, a diversity of voice is what makes children's books so rich and rewarding."

ACM contacted Ms Horman for comment.