Young Writers’ Competition Judges’ Profiles 2026
Meet the ‘out of this world’ group of authors, publishers and children’s book specialists who have donated their time and expertise to judge your entries this year.
Author
Amy Heydenrych, Author
Amy is an author who lives in Johannesburg with her husband and son. She is publishing her debut children’s novel with award-winning local publisher Imagnary House later this year. Her first two adult novels, Shame on You and The Pact, were published internationally, and she was a co-author on the South African bestseller, Chasing Marian. In 2024, she published a literary fiction novel, Bad Luck Penny.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was Nancy Drew, inspiring many childhood investigations and laying the foundation for my crime and mystery writing career later in life.”
Jacana Publisher
Carol Broomhall, Jacana Publisher
Through her 28 years of industry experience, Carol Broomhall has worked in all aspects of publishing at Jacana Media. She currently heads up Jacana’s children’s books as well as shapes much of Jacana’s natural history list. With a passion for literacy and reading promotion, Carol is dedicated to fostering diverse voices and promoting books that spark curiosity and creativity in children. Jacana’s children’s picture books have won many individual awards, including the Bologna Book Fair award for Best African Children’s Publisher.
“The children’s book characters that had the most impact on meas a child were the many characters from Roald Dahl’s stories, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and The BFG, which our wonderful librarian used to read to us, captivating our imaginations.”
Author and Educator
Charles Siboto, Author and Educator
Children’s books have been at the centre of my life for as long as I can remember! First as a reader who disappeared into them, then as an editor who got to work with them every day. I spent over six years in editorial roles at NB Publishers and Jonathan Ball Publishers, where I had the privilege of sitting with manuscripts, working alongside authors and thinking deeply about what stories do for young readers and why it matters so much to get them right.
That love for the craft eventually led me to write my own stories. My favourite of the books I’ve written is The Legend of Mamlambo, a retelling of one of Southern Africa’s oldest and most haunting water myths. There’s something about Mamlambo, the great river serpent who lives in the deep, that I’ve been captivated by since childhood. Probably because of all the amazing stories my grandmother told me about Mamlambo as a child. Getting to bring her to the page felt like finally doing justice to a story that had been living in me for years.
I currently live near Göttingen, Germany, where I work as an English educator in a bilingual primary school immersion programme, which means children’s literature is still, happily, my whole world.
“The children’s book character that had the biggest impact on me as a child was Roald Dahl’s Matilda.A child who taught herself to navigate a world that underestimated her, using books as her superpower. I related to her more than I’d like to admit and she’s a large part of why I became a writer.”
Writer, Writing Teacher and Publisher
Colleen Higgs, Writer, Writing Teacher and Publisher
Colleen Higgs is the author of two collections of poetry and a collection of short stories – Looking for Trouble– Yeoville Stories. In 2020, Deep South published her memoir my mother, my madness about caring for her complicated mother in the last years of her life. She founded Modjaji Books in 2007 and continues to work as the publisher and MD there. She has also compiled and published six editions of the African Small Publishers’ Catalogue and is a co-ordinator of the English network of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers.
“The children’s book character thathad the most impact on me as a child was Anne Shirley from L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, the red-headed orphan adopted by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. Anne’s imaginative and feeling response to life showed me that boldness and kindness can coexist and that romantic idealism can survive even the toughest of childhoods. I loved her longing for puffed-sleeves and admired her temper that flared and then softened into apology. Her ‘bosom friendship’ with Diana was the kind of friendship I wanted too. When I reread the books with my daughter when she was nine, I once again was delighted by the joy of a girl who believes the world is a wonderful place, brimming with adventures and possibilities. My daughter even dreamed of living on Prince Edward Island.”
Author and Young Writers’ Competition Organiser
Corinne Rosmarin, Author and Young Writers’ Competition Organiser
As a journalist and children’s book author, Corinne Rosmarin is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of readers and writers.Her career started in feature writing where she worked for many years in women’s magazines such as ELLE and Cosmopolitan. From corporate writing to short stories, crafting words is where she is happiest. Corinne runs a children’s book podcast called The Book Tree, which was recently named by Feedspot as one of the top fifteen book podcasts in South Africa. She curated the Kingsmead Book Fair Children’s programme for five years, and conceptualised and runs the Young Writers’ Competition. Author of three Book Dash books, she has a children’s picture book coming out with award winning Imagnary House Publishers and is working on a historical fiction book for middle grade readers.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was Jo March in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Josephine – Jo – was such a strong yet searching character. She was always happiest up in her attic, writing and dreaming, and putting on plays. She was rebellious and imperfect, but always striving to be a better person and to understand herself and her craft. I admired her passion and independence and she inspired me to become a writer. It seemed the most romantic and wonderful thing to do with your life.”
Author and Actor
Emily Child, Author and Actor
Emily is an actor and writer living in Cape Town. When she is not on stage or on film she is creating stories for young people. Her first book – Jeff and George and the Totem Pole, was published in 2014 by Penguin Books and illustrated by Julia Anastasopoulos.She has since had 3 children’s books published with Imagnary House. Lucy& Mum’s Shoes, illustrated by Warwick Kay, is based on a very real obsession with the sound of things and a wish that humans didn’t rush the process of growing up. Listen to Your Diddalum, illustrated by Maria Lebedeva, explores feelings for children in an unusual and unpredictable way and Libo and the Leopard – Keeper of the stars, illustrated by Mary-An, has just been released in collaboration with Panthera and the Furs for Life project. It focuses on the Lozi culture and encourages young people to use Heritage Furs instead of real Leopard skins for traditional ceremonies. Emily has a chapter book and another picture book in the final stages of development with Imagnary House and they will be launched soon! s
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was in a book my parents used to read me called Tiny but Tough. I have sadly never seen a copy of it again and I don’t know who wrote it but it was about a fly outsmarting an elephant. I was completely taken by the feistiness and determination of the fly and I always wanted to try and be a little like that!”
Author and Illustrator
Emily House, Author and Illustrator
Emily House is an English picture book author and illustrator with several published titles to her name including Ode to the River, Treemergency! and Bonbon and Blanket. She works from home in sunny Cape Town surrounded by many half-finished cups of tea. Emily is a proud mum to two awesome humans and a reluctant dog mum to two trying hounds. You’ll often find her outside immersed in nature and trying not to get lost on a Table Mountain trail. Learn more about her work at www.emilyhousedesign.com.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was Sophie from The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr. As a child I very much wished to be her, partially because she got to meet a magical tiger but mainly because her parents took her out for dinner and she was allowed to go in her pyjamas!”
Publicist Children’s Books Pan Macmillan
Helené Coetzee, Publicist Children’s Books Pan Macmillan
Helené Coetzee is a seasoned publishing professional with over 13 years of experience in the South African literary landscape. Currently the Children’s Publicist at Pan Macmillan, she is a dedicated story facilitator who lives and breathes books in every aspect of her life. She reads for both business and absolute pleasure, acting as a shepherd who guides stories to readers’ hands. As a natural connector and strategic advocate, she has spent over a decade championing South African voices to find their home and truly resonate with readers. Whether architecting a major campaign or debating a plot twist, Helené is committed to the transformative power of a well-told story.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me was Liewe Heksie by Verna Vels. She was my first literary hero; an icon who taught me to be unapologetically myself. Verna Vels created a world that ignited my imagination and kept me hooked. However, the biggest impact on my reading life came from Pocahontas. I remember following the story line-by-line while listening to the audiobook on my cassette player. While that relationship started with the Disney film, having the book in my own library was the true catalyst that turned me from a listener into a lifelong reader.”
Author
Jayne Bauling, Author
Jayne Bauling is best known for her ten youth novels which have won several awards, two being DBE-approved school set-works, while a movie version of her Soccer Season trilogy is now on Netflix. She has also written twenty-eight stories for Fundza Literacy Trust. Her most recent novel for youth is Things I Learnt in the Forest. She also writes short stories for adults and youth, as well as poetry, and her short story A Song Sung in Secret was shortlisted for the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the third time she has featured on the shortlist. A collection of her short stories will be published by Modjaji Books in 2026. Bauling lives in White River in Mpumalanga.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was Jane in Fifteen by Beverly Cleary, because at the same age I shared her awkward uncertainty about so much.”
Author and Editor
Kristien Potgieter, Author and Editor
Kristien Potgieter is an author and editor from Johannesburg currently residing in a small coastal town in the Eastern Cape. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, where she was the 2015–2016 Booker Prize Scholar. In 2025 she was the winner of the Island Prize for her forthcoming debut adult novel, In the Valley of Bones. She is also the author of the Bongi Ballerina series of children’s books and The Great Storybook Heist, published by LAPA Publishers.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was Matilda Wormwood in Roald Dahl’s Matilda. Like Matilda, I also loved reading from a very young age and found refuge in books and the library — but fortunately I have much nicer parents than she does!”
Author and Illustrator
Lauren Holliday, Author and Illustrator
Lauren Holliday is a children’s book illustrator and author originally from a small town in KZN, South Africa, now living in the Netherlands with her husband and son. She wrote and illustrated Little Chick Goes on an Adventure (published by Imagnary House) and had the honour of performing readings at the Kingsmead Book Fair in 2023. Lauren is obsessed with the colour lilac, drawing smiley faces on everything, and going for walks in the mountains.
“The children’s book character that had the biggest impact on me as a child was Silky from The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. Between her wild blonde hair and her magical adventures, she was the perfect hero for a girl who was—admittedly—obsessed with fairies.”
Penguin Random House
Lorienne Brown, Penguin Random House
Lorienne has spent the past 13 years at Penguin Random House, including the last decade as a dedicated children’s marketer, championing stories that spark imagination and a lifelong love of reading. Books have been central to her life since she was ten years old, when she discovered her first copy of the thrilling Goosebumps in her Grade 4 English class — a moment that helped shape her passion for children’s literature.
Through her work, Lorienne collaborates with authors, booksellers, schools and media to connect young readers with stories that entertain, inspire and nurture curiosity. She believes deeply in the power of books to shape childhoods and create lasting memories.
“The children’s book characters that had the most impact on me as a child were Peter Rabbit from The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter and Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. My childhood bedroom was decorated with pictures of Peter Rabbit and his family and both will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Author
Roslynne Toerien, Author
Roslynne Toerien is a proudly South African mother, author, writer, speaker and philanthropist. She is author of eight children’s books including the ever popular Rumbling Rhino and Under the Baobab Tree. She holds a Bachelor Of Education, specialising in the Foundation Phase and trained as a dancer, achieving her AIDT Solo Performers certificate and performing professionally. With her passion rooted in the arts and education, she now lives her purpose daily as the CEO and founder of her NGO, The LEARN Project, a South African Non-Profit Trust standing for ‘Let’s Educate A Rainbow Nation’. She lives by the motto ‘Small actions lead to big change’ and this can be seen in the 31 LEARN libraries and 359 classroom book corners that have been established in disadvantaged schools across South Africa. Her dream is to educate, equip and empower the youth of today, our leaders of tomorrow through the power of books and literacy.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was Alice from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Her curious nature and inquiring mind, as well as her vivid imagination take her on great adventures. She is brave, determined and honest and she loves to explore and try new things. I love her zest for life and sense of adventure. A book character from one of my own children’s books that I identify with is the ‘owl’ in Under the Baobab Tree. Their nocturnal nature has them most efficient at night. I’m a night owl and often most of my writing happens in the stillness and quiet of the night as I work towards my vision. I also love how they have great perspective from their birds eye view.
Author and Illustrator
Subi Bosa, Author and Illustrator
As a child, Subi drew pictures all the time, in every room of the house and sometimes on the walls. His mother still tells everyone “… he knew how to draw before he could properly hold a pencil,” and throughout his life in South Africa, Subi has been known for drawing fun pictures and comics, which he did throughout high school and university. After studying Architecture he realised his passion was in illustration and became a freelancer, working with self-publishing authors worldwide. He was awarded a Mo Siewcharran Publisher’s Prize for Illustration in 2020. ‘The Girl With 21 Questions’ was another picture book he illustrated which won the gold Pendoring award for best designed picture book. His Wordless comic ‘Miyayu’ had its first issue released in 2021, published by Imagnary House. He has run several highly successful comic-making workshops with children. Subi is based in Cape Town, South Africa, producing picture books, comics, graphic novels and a podcast for creatives titled ‘Subi and Kate Circling Back’. He is currently working on his debut graphic novel which will publish in August 2025. His art and illustration work are represented internationally by The Bright Agency.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was Peter Pan by JM Barrie! When I was young I really loved the idea of flying and wearing pyjamas all day and never worrying about growing up.”
Ethnikids Online Children’s Bookstore
Tina Boateng Akuoko, Ethnikids Online Children’s Bookstore
Tina is passionate about literature, having been an avid book reader from a very young age. An accountant by profession, Tina’s passion for books, the art of publishing, and running an online bookstore, helps strike a balance between her creative and problem-solving side. Her favourite book genre is African literature. She firmly believes most socio-economic issues can be solved by promoting and encouraging a love for literacy and reading for leisure in young children. While she deems this to be no small feat, she looks forward to changing the world, one book at a time. When not crunching numbers and running her passion project, she spends quality time with her little ones, reading, or taking a nap.
“The children’s book character that had the most impact on me as a child was Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White.Charlotte had one of the biggest impacts on me because she’s everything I aspired to be: Thoughtful, deliberate, intelligent, doesn’t shy away from who she is and what she’s about, considerate of others, a true friend, genuine and gentle in her ways. She’s miles away from a pigs world in her nature and ways, yet immerses herself into that world to save her friend. In that way she also displayed the mending of what it means to be a true friend.”
Author
Upile Chisala , Author
Upile Chisala is a Malawian storyteller and poet whose work illuminates the margins with tenderness and power. Now based in Baltimore, she began sharing her poetry online at seventeen, though writing has been her lifelong companion. Her work celebrates the joy and gentleness of Black womanhood, creating space for voices that have long deserved to be heard. Among her treasures are one daring darling daughter, two degrees from Oxford, three published poetry collections, and many deep and abiding connections with women who have changed her life. As an intuitive artist, Upile crafts poems born from the heart and the sheer miracle of taking the slow moment to bear witness to life’s beauty and its wounds. Her verses are spare and direct, speaking straight to the soul. She is currently working on her fourth poetry collection and her first novel. Her greatest dream is to continue to create places, virtual or otherwise, where people feel safe and celebrated.
“The children’s book character that had the biggest impact on me as a child was Barbar from Babar the Elephant,the children’s book series by Jean de Brunhoff.”
Children’s Book Sales Representative Jonathan Ball and Author
Verushka Louw, Children’s Book Sales Representative Jonathan Ball and Author
I began as a listener to stories being told, then a reader, who became a bookseller, who became a book rep and have even dabbled in writing and publishing. I studied English at NMU, worked at a small newspaper, edited newsletters and one day I saw an advert for a part-time bookseller and that was that. Now 24 years later (working in both Cape Town and London, both independent and chain bookshops) I cannot imagine myself not working in children’s and youth books. I see it as a future investment, to ensure that the next generation become readers. Through books, we learn to navigate the world.
“The children’s book character that had the biggest impact on me as a child was Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. My mom took me with her to a few art classes when I was very young. She said that along the way she taught me about colours and that blue is such a vital colour, it compliments any other. ‘With blue in your pocket, you could never go wrong.’ So around the age of about three to five, I had a pair of blue shorts that I would wear with everything, skirts, dresses, shirts, over tights. When questioned about my outfit for the day, apparently I would always confidently point to the blue shorts and say,’ I have these on, so it all works out in the end.’ This sense of true self and abandonment to any sense of rules, definitely comes from Pippi Longstocking. She could do what she wanted, she could wear what she wanted and she had her own horse, come on, what could be more character building than that? Pippi questions all rules, if they do not make sense to her, she abandons them; this might have also been something I have carried with me into adulthood. And then I met a man one day who said that blue is his favourite colour, that he feels it is superior in some ways to other colours, and of course, dear reader, I married him.”
