Born and raised in the North West, Jake Hope has worked with numerous publishers helping to run campaigns and promotions, creating resources and providing editorial feedback.  Jake has been a keynote speaker nationally and internationally at festivals, conferences and symposiums on children’s books and reading.  He has a keen interest in diversity and has led numerous training initiatives and chaired the National ‘Diverse Voices,’ promotion to identify the fifty best diverse children’s books.   Jake has written on visual literacy and the role it can play in children’s reading and learning development.  He is a regular contributor and adviser for Pen and Inc magazine and is the Awards Executive for the Carnegie Medals, the UK’s oldest and most prestigious children’s book awards.  During the 80th anniversary of the award Jake read and wrote blog posts on each of the past winning books for the award’s website a mammoth undertaking but one which he found fascinating.
An author in his own right, Jake has an avid interest in picture book texts and illustrated texts for children and young people.  Jake continues to have an active interest in diversity and inclusion in children’s books and heads up publisher liaison for Inclusive Books for Children.  Jake sits on the Children’s Laureate Steering Group and the Strategic Steering Committee for World Book Day where he worked with the organisation to shape their selection criteria.
Jake has an interest in all writing for children and young people, but is particularly excited by middle grade fiction with innovative narratives and plotting, and by picture books.  Jake is keen to hear from under-represented authors with diverse stories to tell.