Beverley Naidoo

Beverley Naidoo is a South African-born author of children's books, best known for novels depicting life under apartheid such as Journey to Jo'burg, Chain of Fire, and No Turning Back, as well as The Other Side of Truth about Nigerian refugees, which won the Carnegie Medal in 2000. Born on 21 May 1943 in Johannesburg, she grew up during apartheid, opposed the regime as a student leading to detention and exile to the UK, where she continued writing and earned awards including the Josette Frank Award (twice) and Fellowship of the Royal Society of Literature in 2023.