Small press
Lantana Publishing
Children's, Comics, Diverse and BIPOC voices
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Lantana Publishing
Lantana Publishing is open to children's book submissions from authors and illustrators from under-represented groups, through its online form. Send one file with the manuscript, a synopsis and a short bio. It replies within 12 weeks for picture books and 24 for chapter books; no reply in that time means no.
Lantana Publishing is a UK children’s publisher founded in 2014 that publishes stories celebrating diversity, empathy and connection. It reads manuscripts and book dummies from authors and illustrators from under-represented groups, and its list covers board books and picture books through middle grade and young adult.
Lantana is open to fiction, nonfiction, poetry and graphic novels, almost always with child protagonists. Picture book authors do not need to find an illustrator. Submissions go through one online form, and the press asks writers to read its blog post on common submission mistakes first.
What Lantana Publishing is looking for
- Picture books and board books
- Chapter books, middle grade and young adult
- Fiction, nonfiction, poetry and graphic novels
- Stories with child protagonists that celebrate diversity and connection
Publishes
- Children's
- Comics
- Diverse and BIPOC voices
- Fiction
- Middle grade
- Nonfiction
- Picture book
- Poetry
- Young adult
Readers
- Board book
- Early reader and chapter book
- Middle grade
- Picture book
- Young adult
How to submit to Lantana Publishing
From its own guidelines- Read Lantana's blog post on what its submissions inbox teaches.
- Writers: prepare one Word or PDF file with the manuscript, a synopsis and a short bio; middle grade and young adult need a chapter-by-chapter synopsis.
- Illustrators: include a link to your online portfolio.
- Submit through the form; allow 12 weeks for picture books and 24 for chapter books.
Is Lantana Publishing right for your book?
A good fit if
Children's writers and illustrators from under-represented groups with stories centered on children.
Look elsewhere if
Stories featuring only animal characters, and illustrators who want to send large image files rather than a portfolio link.
Questions about Lantana Publishing
Who can submit to Lantana Publishing?
Lantana reads manuscripts and book dummies from authors and illustrators from under-represented groups. It publishes stories that celebrate diversity, empathy and connection, almost always with child protagonists. Picture book authors do not need to supply an illustrator. All submissions go through its online form.
How long does Lantana take to reply?
Lantana replies within 12 weeks for picture books and within 24 weeks for chapter books. If you have not heard back in that time, it means the press cannot take your book forward. Use the wait to keep writing and to research other inclusive children's publishers.
What does Lantana not want?
Lantana does not want stories that feature only animal characters. Writers should send one Word or PDF file with the manuscript, a synopsis and a short bio, and avoid image-heavy PDFs. Illustrators should share a link to an online portfolio rather than uploading illustration files through the form.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
