Beverley Naidoo author page

Beverley Naidoo biography

Beverley Naidoo is a South African-born British author known for her children’s and young adult fiction addressing themes of apartheid and social justice. She grew up in South Africa under apartheid and was detained without trial before moving to the United Kingdom. Naidoo studied at the University of York and later earned a PhD from the University of Southampton.

Her debut novel, Journey to Jo’burg, was published by HarperCollins in 1985. The book was banned in South Africa until 1991. Naidoo’s other works include No Turning Back (1995), The Other Side of Truth (2000), and Burn My Heart (2007). She has also written picture books such as Baba’s Gift and Letang and Julie Save the Day.

Naidoo’s novel The Other Side of Truth won the Carnegie Medal in 2000. She has received the Josette Frank Award and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. Her books have been translated into multiple languages and are published by Puffin, HarperCollins, and other major publishers.

In 2012, Naidoo received an honorary doctorate from the Open University. Her work is recognised for its historical context and exploration of social issues. Burn My Heart was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award in 2007.

Naidoo’s Journey to Jo’burg was included in the BBC’s list of 100 Novels That Shaped Our World in 2019.

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