Celebrating 100 Issues: Children’s First and Favourites

By Emma Rogers, Holly Allwright, Camryn Vodden and Ekta Rajagopalan

We’re celebrating 100 issues of The Publishing Post! To celebrate, the children’s team shares the first articles they worked on and some of their favourites.

Emma

I joined The Publishing Post in July 2022 and have contributed to over forty-five articles since then, my first being “Latest in Celebrity Children’s Books”. After graduating with an English Literature and Creative Writing degree, I wanted to join the publishing industry, particularly in the children’s sector. The Publishing Post has been a massive help in improving my knowledge of the industry, and when I saw an opening for the children’s team, it seemed like the perfect fit!

The “Latest in Celebrity Children’s Books” article discussed the increase in celebrity books in recent years, with the publishers harnessing their existing popularity to promote their work. From actors like Idris Alba and Natalie Portman to musicians Tom Fletcher and Aleesha Dixon, the number of celebrities in children’s literature has only grown. Just last year, Matthew McConaughey published his picture book Just Because.

I’ve enjoyed working on many articles over the past two years, but my favourite has to be “Beauty Standards, Female Rage and Friendship in You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne”. Holly Bourne is one of the biggest names in the UK Young Adult book market, and it was so exciting to speak to her about her latest publication.

Camryn

I joined The Publishing Post in April 2024 and have contributed to two articles, with the 100th issue being my third. As a recent English Literature graduate, I have been looking for ways to demonstrate to employers my passion for children’s publishing outside of my academic studies. When I discovered an available role for the children’s team, I was delighted. Writing fortnightly on the children’s side of publishing has broadened my knowledge and kept me regularly updated with the industry.

The first article I contributed to was “Banned Children’s Books Every Child Should Read,” which covered the most famous banned books worldwide, including James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl and And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Exploring in depth the taboo topics included in these books and the censorship libraries and schools undertake only emphasises to readers how vital it is for books like this to continue circulating as they educate children on the diverse world we live in today.

Looking through the archive of articles, my favourite one, which I would have loved to have contributed towards, is Issue 54: “Back to School: Titles for the School Curriculum”. As someone who studied English Literature from GCSE to Undergraduate Level, the 2015 Government guidelines for educational material is a topic I am passionate about as it hugely limits students in expanding their knowledge of world literature. I would have loved to raise awareness regarding positive schemes which aim to modernise and decolonise the curriculum, such as Penguin Random House’s “Penguin’s Lit in Colour Scheme”.

Holly

I joined The Publishing Post in February 2023 with my first article covering the Waterstones Children’s Book Shortlist. Nostalgia really hit when we discussed 2024’s shortlist this year! Waterstones Children’s Book Prize is a crucial annual event in children’s publishing since it began in 2005 with notable winners such as Katherine Rundell and Angie Thomas.

I was inspired to join The Publishing Post while completing my undergraduate studies at the University of Southampton, where I worked as the Culture Editor of my university’s magazine. I thoroughly enjoyed this role and wanted to make sure I found a way to continue this same type of work outside of the academic sphere. I will graduate this summer and am looking forward to continuing my work here as both a writer and on the social media pages.

My favourite article I have worked on is “Jacqueline Wilson and Her Impact on the Children's Book Market”, as Wilson played such an integral role in my childhood reading. I was always especially enamoured with the Hetty Feather series, clamouring to get my hands on the next book as soon as it was published. It felt like a real full circle moment to be able to cover Wilson as an adult, hoping to one day work within Children and Young Adult publishing.

Ekta

I joined The Publishing Post in May 2022 as part of the Anticipated Reads team. As a Publishing Graduate student, I felt it was the right place for me to be as I could be up to date with the publishing industry regarding the upcoming releases. However, my true passion lies in the children’s publishing industry, having written a children’s book for my MA final project. I joined the children’s team in April 2023 and have thoroughly enjoyed contributing to the fortnightly issues.

Through The Publishing Post, I also interviewed two authors, Sarah Grant and Susan Lewis. I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to do that and write a review on their incredible books. I love the community spirit of The Publishing Post, where everyone comes together purely because of their love for books and reading. I look forward to continuing my work here as a contributing writer and member of The Publishing Post’s social media team.

It’s difficult for me to pick one favourite article. However, my top two articles will always be “Claiming Our Space – Fat Girl Best Friend by Sarah Grant” and “LGBTQIA+ Pride in YA Literature”. The article about Grant’s book will always be special as it was the first article I had worked on alone. Her take on how the “fat girl best friend” is portrayed in TV and movies is so poignant, yet she does it in a humorous and witty way. It was such a joy to pick her brain and read her book! I always enjoy working on any Pride issue (whether the 2023 one or the 2024 one), and as the article says, “Literature is the perfect way to educate young adults about the diverse world we live in.”