Northern Highlight Clare Mackie Where are you based, and how would you sum up the place in three words?  I’m based halfway up a hill in a pretty cottage near Kinross and my studio looks out onto trees and my garden, and not a wall with a hint of sky which was my previous view. In 3 words: squirrels, verdant, peace. What is special to you about working with children's books, and what is your favourite thing about it? I love it when the pencils are done and the book is visually making sense. Prepping the paper for the paintings in anticipation of bringing all the hard work and discussions to life feels alchemical. Once the book is published it’s so endearing hearing children’s feedback – good and bad! And it is fun getting their versions of my artwork, which I prefer to my own illustrations. Tell us about the most recent book you've worked on or come across in your job.  I have to confess I’ve been mainly painting private commissions, ceramic designs, hairbrush...

  Bookshop of the Month (January) The Children's Bookshop (Lindley, Huddersfield) Interviewee: Nicola Lee (Owner) Can you tell us more about The Children's Bookshop? The Children’s Bookshop recently moved property (just down the road) so we have a lovely bright colourful space full of books for children of all ages. We also sell some games and toys. Our aim is to provide the best quality books for children and young people in a safe and fun environment, and encourage children to read for pleasure. We consider ourselves a welcoming space for all people and wish to be a friendly presence in Lindley.  We organise author events in schools, and in-house events and activities; we host pre-schools for story sessions and school children who have earned a reward or are choosing books for their school; we do half-termly book bonanzas for schools; we supply books to schools for libraries and reading corners; we do bookstalls at reading/teaching conferences. If we can encourage children t...

   Northern Highlight Caroline Deacon Where are you based, and how would you sum up the place in three words?  I live in Edinburgh, and for me it’s stunning, stimulating and small enough so you can walk  everywhere. But you need to keep looking up  –  the statues and incredible stonework  everywhere are easy to miss! What is special to you about working with children's books, and what is your favourite thing about it? My childhood and teenage years are the ones which are freshest and most vibrant in my mind, and drawing on those memories and feelings to create something scary, gripping and entertaining is just the best thing ever. I love plotting and I love editing –  it’s the bit in the middle which is hardest. Tell us about the most recent book you've worked on or come across in your job.  I always have several projects on the go, but the one that is dominating me right now is a  battle between science and nature, land management ...

 Northern Highlight Cally Johnson-Isaacs Where are you based, and how would you sum up the place in three words?  North Northumberland: inspiring, invigorating, coastal. What is special to you about illustrating children's books, and what is your favourite thing about it? Being a children’s book illustrator is a dream come true. It’s a privilege to turn words into visuals and to plant seeds of imagination that will grow for a lifetime. It’s so special to be part of a child’s journey of discovery through the magic of illustration and to know that my artwork might contribute to cherished childhood memories in the same way picture books and story time with my dad meant so much to me. It always amazes me to think of children enjoying my pictures with their families around the world. Little Tiger Press, August 2020 Tell us about the most recent book you've worked on.  My next book, The Best You , will be published in January 2024 by Little Tiger. It’s an inspirational and thou...

  Guest Northern Highlight The Edinburgh Bookshop Interviewee: Marie Moser (owner) Can you tell us more about The Edinburgh Bookshop?   The Edinburgh Bookshop opened in 2010 in the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh – the birthplace of the great Muriel Spark. It is a small, friendly bookshop with a particular passion for children's books.  We run story times for the under 5's, and 4 book groups (2 for children and 2 for adults). We are simply a kick-ass community bookshop.   Congratulations on being appointed as Scottish Independent Bookshop of the Year at the 2023 British Book Awards. How do you feel about it, and how has this impacted your work?    This is the 5th time in 10 years we've won this award, and this time it was in consecutive years. We are very touched to have been honoured like this – there are so many amazing independent bookshops in Scotland, 8 in Edinburgh alone!     What does a typical work day look like for you, and what i...

  The Bookseller Conference - CBN panel event On Monday 2nd October 2023, Children’s Books North were at The Bookseller Children’s Conference and took part in a panel event - Northern networking: Creating Connections through Children's Books North. The Bookseller Children’s Conference is an annual event, aimed at bringing together those working across all areas of children’s publishing. CBN co-founder Tilda Johnson was joined by CBN members Ashley Thorpe, Hiba Noor Khan and Penny Neville-Lee, and discussed the growth of the CBN network; from conception and the need to fill a gap in Northern networking opportunities, to real-world outcomes and individual career benefits of engaging with a regional network.  We had such a great day talking about creating connections outside of London! Hiba Noor-Khan, Tilda Johnson, Ashley Thorpe and Penny Neville-Lee. Hiba Noor-Khan, Ashley Thorpe, Penny Neville-Lee and Tilda Johnson.  Panel moderated by Philip Jones.

   Northern Highlight Bethan Clarke Where are you based, and how would you sum up the place in three words?  I’m based in a small village just outside Macclesfield in Cheshire. I would describe it as quiet, green and friendly. What is special to you about working with children's books, and what is your favourite thing about it? All of the magic! To me, especially as I’ve grown older and now see it through a ‘grown up’ lens, childhood is a time where the possibilities are endless, where things are viewed and experienced for the first time, and as a child a lot of that can be magical. The world can also feel huge and scary, and books and stories can help to make sense of all of it. Or can take you out of the world entirely and transport you to a place that only you can experience in a particular way. Picture books are essentially magic in print. The words and the illustrations all come together and create stories to make readers laugh or help them understand something, to l...