Cerrie Burnell

Cerrie Burnell was Writer in Residence from September 2019 until March 2020. During this time, she explored the power of fairy tales and the importance of diverse and inclusive stories.

Cerrie is best known for her work on CBeebies, and is also the author of Harper and the Sea of Secrets and The Girl With the Shark's Teeth, among many other books.

During her residency, she shared her passion for storytelling and her experiences of dyslexia and also ran a creative writing competition for primary school children.

When she was appointed, Cerrie said of her residency:

'Through overcoming my own difficulties with dyslexia, I've learnt that every child should have access to a wealth and wonderment of stories, regardless of whether they can read them. With the help of people around you – in my instance, my mum – all children can become enchanted by stories. I'm so excited to find out how books have been championed throughout the world and how children from every culture have found keys to unlock a love of literature.

'I am also beyond delighted to be working with BookTrust. They are a fabulous organisation who have reading and storytelling at their heart, which resonates with me so acutely.'

Hear more from our current Writer in Residence