ETHICOOL FAQs

WHAT’S INVOLVED IN SHORTLISTING SUBMISSIONS TO ETHICOOL?

The process, we believe, is very similar to most other publishers, but with some added rigour around the thematic angle of the story, rather than the calibre of the narrative in isolation. We’re really after books that manage to strike a finite balance between educating, entrancing and engaging little readers.

Stories that are too overt with their thematic intent are always well intentioned (they really want to teach children the right behaviours) but they generally struggle to engage small children. Conversely, books that are more whimsical and don’t really focus on the themes we care about (sustainability, equality, environmentalism, etc.) are too mainstream and don’t sufficiently align with our mission.

The real art, we’ve found, is when our themes of interest are seamlessly interwoven with narratives that are beautiful, adventurous and special in their own right. Achieving this balance is exceptionally hard, but when it happens, the response from our readers has been overwhelmingly positive.

Still, when shortlisting, we first review the quality of the narrative and the execution, before reviewing the thematic alignment. Only when these two gates are passed does the manuscript progress further.

WITH SUSTAINABILITY IN MIND WHY NOT PRODUCE E-­BOOKS RATHER THAN USING PAPER AND PRINT?

This is a very good question and we receive it a lot. There is a huge volume of research supporting the cause for getting kids away from screens and not encouraging them to use them even more. Today, books are one of the few tangible experiences that still have a major place in children's development (so many others have been replaced by technology), so we're keen for this trend to last for generations to come.

In saying this, we will soon release our titles digitally as well ‐ then we're ultimately leaving the choice of medium up to readers. Perhaps a mix of both might be the best option? One thing's for sure, our "physical" picture books aren't going anywhere for a while, and we'll continue to do our best to produce them sustainably ‐ Ethicool’s books are printed using recycled or sustainably sourced papers, as well as soy-based inks. Our books have been extensively tested for durability by the most unforgiving testers (toddlers!), so you won't be looking to throw them away after a few weeks' reading.