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Union Square & Co. Launches Inclusive Reading Series for Struggling Readers
In an innovative move aimed at enhancing literacy, Union Square & Co. has unveiled its Everyone Can Be a Reader series in 2024. This collection of books is specifically tailored for readers who face challenges, incorporating dyslexia-friendly elements such as varied paper textures and a unique font designed to facilitate reading. The initiative is a collaboration with Barrington Stoke, a publishing house based in Edinburgh, Scotland, which has established itself since 1997 and now functions as an editorially independent imprint of HarperCollins UK.
Suzy Capozzi, executive editor at Union Square & Co., reflects on the motivations behind this project, noting a confluence of factors that emerged in 2022 when the company transitioned from Sterling Publishing. Capozzi highlights the impact of lost learning during the pandemic, citing alarming findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress report that revealed many young readers’ disengagement from reading. “Booksellers and educators consistently communicated that children were having an increasingly difficult time connecting with reading,” she states.
This realization sparked a partnership with Barrington Stoke. Capozzi mentions the publisher’s longstanding commitment to supporting struggling readers, not just those with dyslexia, but also including children with various reading difficulties or those who may simply find it hard to engage with traditional reading methods. “Barrington Stoke’s initiative is designed to encourage those students to participate in reading and genuinely enjoy it, aligning perfectly with our mission,” she explains.
With a rich history of collaboration, Barrington Stoke has invested over 25 years into research and development to refine its reading materials, focusing on aspects such as font design and paper selection. Capozzi remarks, “The tactile aspect of reading significantly influences the learning experience, and it’s equally important as the cognitive processes involved in reading. Their extensive catalog has been instrumental, and we’ve been curating both classic and new titles together.”
The Everyone Can Be a Reader series features a range of literature that includes unabridged versions of classic novels, such as The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, as well as accessible adaptations of longer works like Pride and Prejudice. Among the new original contributions are exciting titles by authors such as Gillian Cross and Marcus Sedgwick. Notably, the series will also feature upcoming books revolving around teenage female pilots in WWII, penned by Elizabeth Wein, renowned for her acclaimed work Code Name Verity.
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A version of this article appeared in the 03/24/2025 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: With Inclusive Design, ‘Everyone Can Be a Reader’.
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