Northern Highlight - Naomi Berwin

NORTHERN HIGHLIGHT

NAOMI BERWIN

Why did you want to work in the children's book industry?

I was an absolute classic bookworm as a child – I spent most of my time reading stories, writing stories, and telling myself stories in my head. Even as I moved on to reading adult books, and ultimately began my career in adult publishing (I got my start through a Graduate Recruitment Scheme with Macmillan), it was always children’s books that held that magic for me – I still have shelves full of my favourites, which I go back to time and time again for comfort – and I leapt at the chance to join Hachette Children’s Group in 2017.

Tell us about where you live.

After eleven years in London, I moved back to my home town of Leeds towards the end of 2019. I currently live just opposite Roundhay Park, one of the largest city parks in Europe, which was a particular godsend during a year of mostly-locked-down maternity leave.

Roundhay Park, Leeds

Where are you happiest working?

Until recently I would have said the office – I’ve always loved the social element of it, and the buzz of activity around me – but now that I’m getting into the swing of home working, I must say there’s something to be said for being tucked up in my living room in my slippers.

What for you is the "spirit of the North"?

It’s a bit of a stereotype, but it has to be the friendliness. Obviously that’s a generalisation, but it’s definitely true that I’ve had more conversations with my neighbours in the last 15 months in Leeds than I did in over a decade in London!

How does this spirit influence your work?

I have certainly always worked on the basis that being nice to the people you work with is a good thing! For me, being part of a team that respect and support each other is one of the things that brings me the most satisfaction in my professional life. 

Who, for you, are the great northern children’s writers?

I just did a cheeky Google and in doing so discovered that Elinor M. Brent-Dyer, prolific author of the 'Chalet School' books, was born in South Shields and trained as a teacher at the City of Leeds College. Given the number of hours I spent obsessively reading these in my childhood, and the fact that I still haven’t been able to bring myself to throw out a single one, I had better put her top of my list.

If you could be transported to anywhere in the North right now,

where would it be? 

Honestly, nowhere. In spite of the pandemic - or maybe because of it - at the moment being here in North Leeds with my one-year-old son, with my parents ten minutes down the road, is exactly where I want to be.

What would you like to see from children's publishing in the North?

This feels like a really exciting time to be working in the industry, as publishers place more and more focus on diversifying and being less London-centric. I would love to see the North become a real hub for children’s publishing, as it is increasingly in other areas of media – and it’s a privilege to be part of that development in some small way.

What's your favourite children's book set in the North?

It has to be The Secret Garden. A magical book for kids everywhere, but I definitely remember getting a special kick out of the fact that it was set in Yorkshire!

You can connect with Naomi on Instagram and Twitter.