About Us
Outside In World is dedicated to promoting, exploring and celebrating world literature, particularly children's books in translation.
Our Mission
We learn about each other by sharing our stories. At Outside In World (OIW) we envision a world in which all children have equal access to books from each other’s literatures, languages and cultures, and to the rich opportunities for interconnection, understanding and appreciation that books can foster. Our mission is to promote children’s books translated from world languages into English – books that reflect the diversity of cultures and which are inclusive and accessible – so that children in English-speaking lands can read more stories from around the world. 
What We Do
Outside in World (OIW) is a UK organisation dedicated to promoting and exploring children’s books in translation.
The OIW website is a major, well-respected resource on international children's literature which features: an extensive database of translated titles in English with reviews added regularly. We have over 2,000 translated books featured on our website Book Browse.
There are dedicated sections for key users, including educators, librarians and academics and
publishers, translators and booksellers and our Windows on the World, a gallery of international children’s book illustrations
We run projects, workshops and seminars and work in partnerships with other organisations.
The Outside In World Children’s Books in Translation Collection is now housed at the University of Portsmouth Library as part of the Near and Far World Books Collection. Books continue to be added to it each year and we are working in partnership with the University of Portsmouth on projects and events around the collection.
We are also working in partnership with the University of Reading on a series of Webinars around children’s books in translation.
Our Past Projects and Research
Reading the Way: Inclusive Books from Around the World (2014/15). In this innovative project, we researched and reviewed children’s books from around the world which were exceptional in being inclusive of people with additional needs and/or accessible for readers with additional needs. Our report on the research provided valuable data, identified examples of good practice, and offered ideas for creating inclusive and accessible books.
The next stage was Reading the Way 2 (2016/18), a workshop programme that explored in deeper detail several books discovered in the first project, with the participation of leading UK and international authors and artists, including former Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson.
In the Reading Round the World (2009) we delivered a programme of 43 interactive around England, featuring 15 international children’s authors and illustrators, who introduced UK children to a wide range of diverse books and their creators.
How does Outside In World work?
Outside In World comprises a small team of freelance experts in children's literature. This flexible and modern approach ensures minimal overheads, office and staff costs, and ensures that all funding is focused directly on the delivery of the organisation's objectives.
Deborah Hallford, Co-Founder, has worked in the children’s literature field for over 20 years, co-edited Outside In: Children’s Books in Translation (Milet 2005) and writes and edits for the Outside In World website.
Alexandra Strick Co-Founder, has worked in and around the children’s book industry for over 25 years. She is a published author, consults and campaigns for inclusive books, and is a co-founder of Inclusive Minds.
Edgardo Zaghini, Co-Founder, is a chartered librarian with over 40 years of experience. He co-edited Outside In: Children’s Books in Translation (Milet 2005) and currently works as a Children’s Librarian at Beckenham Library, Bromley in Kent.
Patricia Billings is an author, publisher, wisdom worker, mindfulness guide and advocate. Co-founder of Milet Publishing, she specialises in bilingual and translated books, especially for children.
Outside In World Funding and Support
We are also working in partnership with the University of Portsmouth, where our Outside In World Children's Books in Translation is housed, and the University of Reading on a series of online Webinars.
We are extremely grateful to all our funders and sponsors for their generous support over the years. In particular, to the National Lottery through Arts Council England and the Unwin Charitable Trust for the funding of three of our major projects – Reading Round the World, Reading the Way: Inclusive Books From Around the World and Reading the Way2 and to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation for the funding to create our website and online resources.
OIW was also awarded funding through the Grants for the Arts programme to strengthen and ensure the sustainability of our organisation, which ran from June 2021 - March 2023. This was only made possible thanks to public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
Our partnership funders for the Reading Round the World project included: British Airways Community Investment Programme, Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, Icelandic Literature Fund, Japan Society, the Swedish Arts Council and The Royal Thai Embassy. We also received support and sponsorship from Allan & Unwin, British Airways Community and Conservation, Editions Gallimard (France), FAB Cornwall (Foster a Book), the Goethe-Institute London, Havant Literary Festival, East Sussex Library and Information Services, the Embassy of Iceland, Milet Publishing, Meadowside Children's Books. Scholastic, Walker Books and WingedChariot Books.
