Barton retires from Macmillan Children’s Books after nearly 40 years in children’s publishing

Stephanie Barton, publisher of preschool, brands and classics at Macmillan Children’s Books (MCB), is to retire from her role at the publishing house on 28th April 2023.

She will be leaving children’s publishing after nearly 40 years to “focus on personal interests and enthusiasms," but will continue to consult on some key projects with managing director Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, and work with author/creators Rod Campbell and Camilla Reid.

Barton joined MCB 10 years ago, where she has played a key role in the leadership team and most recently headed MCB’s preschool, brands and classics division, including the imprints Campbell Books and Two Hoots. Working closely with author-illustrator Rod Campbell, she has overseen his early learning publishing, including Dear Zoo.

She has led the team working with Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler on their classic books, their Tales from Acorn Wood, and The Gruffalo Advent Calendar Book Collection. She has also been “instrumental” in developing the Macmillan heritage list, launching The Macmillan Alice™ brand in 2015 for the 150th anniversary, and she instigated the creative relationship with Moomin Characters, whom MCB have published with since 2017. 

Barton also negotiated the rights to publish new Winnie-the-Pooh poetry picture gift books, encouraged the late Jill Murphy to create a new Bear Family story picture book, Just One of Those Days, after a publishing gap of 37 years, and has most recently agreed a new creative partnership with Camilla Reid for a range of preschool titles. 

She began her career at Ladybird Books as an editor where she honed her knowledge and enthusiasm for early learning and child development, and where she and her team commissioned Baby Touch, took on the publishing for Topsy and Tim working with Jean Adamson, acquired the Puddle Lane Reading Programme and an unknown animated property at the time, Peppa Pig. She moved with the imprint to Penguin Random House in 1999.

Barton went on to become preschool publishing director for DK and Ladybird before moving to Frederick Warne, where she became m.d. heading the Peter Rabbit business, The Flower Fairies and Spot. Added to her remit was BBC Children’s Books, and in 2009 she was made m.d. of Penguin Children’s Books.

She said: “I have been so incredibly privileged to work with the most wonderful people over my career, and how lucky am I to have had a job that has never felt like a job. I have so many people to thank for that. Some may say this is retiring but I don’t see it like that; I have so much I want to do and I see this next step as a brand new shiny thing and an exciting chapter in my life...”

Rasmussen commented: “I am sad that Steph is leaving us, but I am delighted she is staying with us on some important projects with her early years creators. We are not ready to say goodbye to her altogether. Steph has such incredible talent and we are so lucky that she has shared this with us at MCB. She sees publishing through a kaleidoscope; she visualises plans, shapes and formats invisible to the rest of us and weaves them all together in successful and unimaginable patterns.

"Her creative energy is unbeaten and contagious, and always combined with a very firm eye on the market. On a personal note, Steph has been an absolute rock, the best friend to celebrate with and always first on the dance floor. I will miss her.”

Joanna Prior, c.e.o. of Pan Macmillan said: “Steph will be hugely missed across the whole of Pan Macmillan. She has been an inspirational leader in the business and a warm and generous colleague. For me, it was a pleasure to be reunited with her at Macmillan after working with her many years ago, when she was at Ladybird, DK and Penguin Children’s Books. I know she has many other interests to pursue and adventures to have, so I’m just delighted that we can hang onto her as a consultant for some of our key early years publishing for a while longer.” 

Rasmussen is recruiting to replace Barton’s role.