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Children's Book Publishing in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
The children’s book publishing market in the UK is expected to contract at a compound annual rate of 2.2% over the five years through to 2025-26 to reach £427.1 million. Reading among children and young people for fun is in decline. The National Literacy Trust reported that in 2025, the percentage of children and young people aged 18 to 18 who stated that they enjoyed reading in their free time was its lowest level in 20 years, at just 32.7%. This has been the major driver of revenue decline. However, this impact has been mitigated by the popularity of select releases, mainly those in the young adult (YA) genre, particularly among adults.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released January 2026.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code SP0.208. This industry designs, edits and markets books for children aged 17 and under, including colouring and picture books. The industry includes e-books. Related terms covered in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom include e-book, bricks-and-mortar and imprint.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom include Hardback books, Paperback books and Digital books.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom include Bloomsbury Publishing plc, Penguin Random House Ltd and Hachette UK (Holdings) Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom is £427.1m in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
There are 301 businesses in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom?
The Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom?
The Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 2.2 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom are Bloomsbury Publishing plc, Penguin Random House Ltd and Hachette UK (Holdings) Ltd
What does the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom include?
Hardback books and Paperback books are part of the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom is Bloomsbury Publishing plc.
How competitive is the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Children's Book Publishing industry in the United Kingdom.
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