John Cook

John Cook of Waterstones says he became a bookseller "to both tell customers about — and sell — children's books, whilst simultaneously immersing myself in the world of Children's literature from a budding children's writer-point-of-view." Three years later he is now on a younger fiction panel (both 5-8 & 9-12) who feeds back to Head Office recommend new titles. He has also won agent representation from the Elizabeth Roy Literary Agency.

John studied Theatre at Southampton which led to touring and the Edinburgh Festival and lecturing in performing arts. He has run the children's section at Winchester Waterstones for nearly four years — reviewing 5-8 and 9-12 books and championing authors who enter the Waterstones Children's Book Prize.