Authors
The British Library, London
Saturday 16 July 2022, 9:30am - 5:00pm
Take a look at our iconic children's authors joining us for the first time at The British Library. Choose to see just one, or all of these fantastic writers at this year's event.
SHARNA JACKSON
Sharna Jackson is an award-winning author and curator who specialises in developing socially-engaged initiatives for children across culture, publishing and entertainment. She was recently the Artistic Director at Site Gallery in Sheffield, and was formerly the editor of the Tate Kids website. Sharna's debut novel High-Rise Mystery received numerous awards and accolades including the Waterstones Book Prize for the Best Book for Younger Readers. Sharna lives on a ship in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
PHIL EARLE
Born and raised in the north of England, Phil is the author of over twenty acclaimed, award-winning books for children and teenagers. He has worked as a carer, a dramatherapist, a bookseller and a publisher, and loves talking at schools and festivals around the world. He lives on the side of a very steep hill with his partner, their five children and two dogs.
ROB BIDDULPH
Before life as a published author and illustrator, Rob worked on magazines including Just Seventeen, NME and The Observer Magazine. His first picture book, Blown Away, published in 2014, was only the second picture book to win the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.
Since then, Rob has illustrated eleven of his own picture books and created a range of bestselling activity books.
ELLE MCNICOLL
Elle McNicoll is an award-winning Scottish children’s author. Her debut novel, A Kind of Spark, won the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. She is an advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in publishing, and currently lives in East London.
PETER BUNZL
Peter Bunzl grew up in South London in a rambling Victorian house with three cats, two dogs, one sister, an antique-dealer dad and an artist mum. He is a BAFTA-winning animator, as well as a writer and film-maker. Peter's debut novel, Cogheart, has been shortlisted for lots of awards, including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Like Lily and Robert, he loves adventures and reading penny dreadfuls, but wishes dearly that he had a mechanical fox called Malkin.
JOSEPH COELHO
Joseph Coelho is an award-winning poet, playwright and writer from London. His first poetry collection, Werewolf Club Rules!, won the CLPE Children's Poetry Award, and he has been writing and performing ever since. His picture books include If All the World Were... illustrated by Allison Colpoys and Luna Loves Library Day and Luna Loves Art both illustrated by Fiona Lumbers. His poetry books for children include Overheard in a Tower Block illustrated by Kate Milner and A Year of Nature Poems illustrated by Kelly Louise Judd. The first in the Fairy Tales Gone Bad series is Zombierella
HOST, KATHERINE WOODFINE
Katherine Woodfine is the author of books including the bestselling Sinclair’s Mysteries and Taylor & Rose Secret Agents series. Her first book, The Clockwork Sparrow, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, longlisted for the Branford Boase Award and nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. A true champion of children’s literature, she is also the book reviewer for The Week Junior. Find out more at katherinewoodfine.co.uk and @followtheyellow
M.G LEONARD & SAM SEDGMAN
M.G. Leonard is the internationally bestselling author of the Battle of the Beetles trilogy and the non-fiction companion, The Beetle Collector's Handbook. Beetle Boy won the Branford Boase award and has been translated into thirty-seven languages worldwide. She is a beetle expert and lives in Brighton with her husband and two sons. Sam Sedgman is a novelist, playwright and award-winning digital producer. His work has been performed internationally and shorltisted for the Courtyard Theatre award. He lives in London and is a lifelong train and mystery enthusiast.
CERRIE BURNELL
Cerrie Burnell is an author, actor and ambassador. During her time on CBeebies she broke down barriers, challenged stereotypes and overcame discrimination to become one of the most visible presenters on children's TV. She has been listed by the Observer as one of the top ten children's presenters of all time.
EMMA CARROLL
Emma Carroll is a bestselling author and has been named the 'Queen of Historical Fiction' by BookTrust. She's best known for her book Letters from the Lighthouse and you might have read The Week at World's End. She has been nominated for and the winner of numerous national, regional and schools awards – including the Books Are My Bag Readers' Award, Branford Boase and CILIP Carnegie Medal.