About Us
What our readers say about our books:
“Honestly, the best book I have received all year. I feel seen. I feel represented. And I am in awe.”
– 5-star Amazon review of In Their Shoes
“My sadness is that I did not have this book as my constant companion when growing up. My happiness is that I can now share it with all the dyslexics I work with, young and old. I want to shout about this book to the stars and back again!”
– A review of The Bigger Picture Book of Amazing Dyslexics and the Jobs They Do
“Siena's book is like having the big sister you always wished you had! The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide is EXACTLY what the title described, I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
– A review of The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide
JKP consistently brings out books which I just want to throw (gently) at people in the street and say "read this! You'll understand so much more!' and this is one of them. I'm glad the contributors here had the space to say what they wanted to say, and I hope that more people hear them.”
– A review of Gender Identity, Sexuality and Autism
Our Publishing Mission
Every week we get messages from people that say how their lives have been changed by the books that we publish, how we’ve helped them feel included in a society where difference is all too often frowned upon.
We believe in the importance of promoting diversity, which is why we publish authors who have lived experiences of the topics we cover. So, our books about autism are written by autistic people, just as our books about gender diversity are written by trans and non-binary people. Our authors are the experts, and it’s our job to make sure their voices are heard.
We work very closely with the communities for whom we publish, to ensure we’re commissioning books that genuinely help and empower them. Our editors, marketing and sales teams speak regularly with our readers - on social media, at conferences and book events, and through long-standing partnerships with associations and charities – so that we can gather first-hand the feedback that informs our future publishing.
We want our books to inspire readers to change society for the better.
The JKP Story
You might already know us for our books on autism, social work and arts therapies, as we’ve been publishing in these areas since we started, in 1987. More recently, we have broken new ground in the fields of mental health, gender diversity, adoption and fostering, and special education. In 2006, our Singing Dragon imprint was born, the home to our professional books on Chinese medicine and complementary therapies, yoga therapy and nutrition.
Our children’s books tackle complex or sensitive issues, like bereavement, anger, and depression, making them accessible for young readers. They’re wonderfully illustrated with a range of clearly diverse characters, so that all children can see themselves reflected in the stories that they read. We believe that establishing positive narratives about difference from an early age can help shape confident and fulfilling lives.
In 2004 we opened our office in Philadelphia, USA, and in 2017 we became part of the John Murray Press division of Hachette UK. In 2020 and 2022, we won the British Book Award for Academic, Educational and Professional Publisher of the Year.
What our authors say about us:
"I feel extremely proud to publish with JKP. A friend of mine sent me a screenshot of my book on JKP’s list of upcoming releases, and the kinds of titles it was surrounded by are really inspiring. I'm proud to work with a publisher whose books are helping unseen people know they are seen and valued and worthy - which... of course you know this... is exactly what happens when a book is published that speaks directly to them."
- Robyn Gobbel, author of Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors
"I've been proud to be a JKP author now for 23 years. It was a much smaller company when I had my first book published with them in 2000, and right from the start I experienced a family feel with the staff and other authors. Over the years, even though JKP have grown in size and prestige, they have managed to maintain that personal touch. That first book is still in print 23 years later, along with almost all my other books. That certainly can't be said for most publishing experiences! I now have 15 books with them with translations into 19 languages and thanks to their hard work and promotions, my works sell all over the world.Thanks JKP!"
- Kathy Hoopmann, author of All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum and many more
"All publishing houses have to make ends meet, but I’ve always felt that the staff at JKP genuinely want to support books that make a difference to people’s lives, however unglamorous or niche the subject area."
- Nick Luxmoore, author of The Art of Working with Anxious, Antagonistic Adolescents and many more
"JKP feels like a big family – we’re all working together to make the world just a little bit better through words and pictures. I love the fact that JKP never shy away from difficult topics; they encourage innovation and they’re always ready with a cuppa if I need some support."
- Pooky Knightsmith, author of Things I Got Wrong So You Don't Have To
and many more
Join us!
We are always open to receiving new book proposals and we’d love to hear from you! You can find a list of our commissioning editors and the areas in which they publish here.
You can find our current job vacancies here.