When it comes to creating fiction that supports and responds to the mental health and wellbeing of young readers, authenticity can’t be an afterthought. In 2023, one in five young people aged 8-25 reported living with a probable mental health problem, yet research suggests that two in three children ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ speak to their parents about it. At The Reading Agency, we’ve learned that the most powerful stories emerge when young people are at the heart of the process, helping to create these books themselves.

Through our Arts Council England-funded Reading Well activation programme, we are pioneering a new co-production model that places young people’s voices at the centre of storytelling and publishing. Two recent partnerships – one with independent publisher ZunTold, the other with Gemini Books – are bringing this approach to life.

With ZunTold, eight young people aged 12-15 from Kirkby High School in Knowsley, Merseyside are working with author Vicky Martin to co-create Gate@8, a YA novel about low mood and depression, shaping everything from concept to character. Meanwhile, our collaboration with Gemini Children’s is developing Worries, a non-fiction book for five- to seven-year-olds co-designed with children and families to reflect the real concerns that shape their daily lives. Together, these projects are reimagining how we create books for young readers – by creating them with them.

But what does strong co-creation look like in practice?

At heart, it’s about giving young readers a genuine voice. It’s about moving beyond consultation to collaboration, where their ideas, language, illustrations and even titles are tested and refined with the audiences they are designed to reach.

For our partnership with Gemini Books, this has meant bringing together children aged five to seven and their families to explore what really worries them, whether it’s starting a new school or falling out with friends. Across five focus groups, we heard that today’s youngest readers crave books that feel visually rich, emotionally real and age-appropriate with bright, diverse characters and reassuring, hopeful endings. Parents told us these stories help spark conversations about emotions and build confidence at home. Together, we’re creating Worries, a non-fiction title that blends children’s insights, parental experience and clinical input to create something both engaging and supportive.

The co-creation process has been much more than a creative experiment. It reflects a shift in whose stories get told, and how

With the ZunTold project working with young people from Kirkby High School, all participants had lived experience of low mood and depression, allowing them to bring their own insight and empathy to the creative process. Working together also created a strong sense of connection – between the group members, with themselves, and with the story they were building. The young people loved seeing their own experiences reflected in the narrative and knowing they had played a pivotal role in shaping the plot. By amplifying their voices, we are creating a book that we hope genuinely resonates with young readers.

In both projects, the co-creation process has been much more than a creative experiment. It reflects a shift in whose stories get told, and how. For young people, especially those navigating mental health challenges, being invited into the process is empowering. It gives them a voice in shaping narratives that reflect their realities rather than having assumptions made about them.

In our work with both Gemini and ZunTold, we’ve seen first-hand how lived experience transforms creative outcomes. The children contributing to Worries taught us that their anxieties aren’t abstract concepts but are woven through everyday experiences: competition at school, friendships, or worries about losing family members. Their parents told us that when stories model reassurance, empathy and problem-solving, children recognise themselves in the pages and begin to talk about what they’re experiencing.

For older participants in the ZunTold project, co-creating fiction about low mood and depression allows them to see their voices reflected in a space that’s often adult-curated. When clinical expertise and youth insight come together, the result is a story that feels both emotionally true and responsible.

For the publishing world, this could offer an innovative way of working, not only helping to ensure that authenticity is at the core of content creation, but a blueprint for ethical, inclusive storytelling. We’re showing that mental health publishing can evolve from well-intentioned representation to genuine collaboration with the audiences who need these books most.

Co-creation takes time, openness and a willingness to share creative control, but the rewards are powerful. For The Reading Agency, these partnerships mark the beginning of a broader movement in publishing: one in which lived experience, creativity and clinical understanding work hand in hand. As we look ahead, we hope this model inspires others to see co-creation not as a challenge, but an opportunity to build books that truly support young people’s wellbeing.

Find out more about The Reading Agency’s Reading Well programmes.