Who we are
We are experienced children’s editors who have worked with a variety of best-selling authors.
Our passion is for high-quality writing that appeals to children and young adults. We have a deep understanding of what agents are looking for (and what they’re not looking for!), and a wide knowledge of the children’s book market.
The Lighthouse is run by its Director, Sarah Stewart, assisted by a brilliant freelance team.
Sarah Stewart
Sarah Stewart is the author of Elspeth Hart and the School for Show-Offs, Elspeth Hart and the Perilous Voyage and Elspeth Hart and the Magnificent Rescue (Stripes).
Previously, Sarah was Senior Editor at Floris Books where she acquired The Nowhere Emporium (winner of the Blue Peter Best Story Award 2016 and the Scottish Children’s Book Award 2016), Thorfinn The Nicest Viking (shortlisted for the Laugh Out Loud awards) and The Fourth Bonniest Baby in Dundee (shortlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize).
As Fiction Editor at Scholastic Children’s Books, she acquired the best-selling Tom Gates series by Liz Pichon (winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, the Red House Book Award, and the Waterstone’s Prize, and now translated into 36 languages). She was UK editor on The Hunger Games and the Captain Underpants series, and edited Dan Freedman’s Jamie Johnson series (now a CBBC TV show).
Sarah also spent ten years as a journalist and magazine editor, writing for a wide range of publications, from The Guardian to Mizz magazine. She was a UNESCO City of Literature Writer in Residence in Krakow in 2017, and she is currently a mentor for All Stories, working with underrepresented writers who are unable to pay for support.
Endorsements
Sarah is a terrific editor. She understood the story I wanted to tell and helped me make it the best it could be.
I absolutely relied on the clear-sightedness and sensitivity of Sarah’s editing. She spotted errors and inconsistencies; she honed and improved and encouraged. My books owe her a lot!
I gained immeasurably from Sarah’s keen editor’s eye, her insight and empathy, and her deep understanding of the world of children’s literature. I wish I could work with her on all my books!
The Lighthouse were brilliant at shepherding me in the right direction. Sarah could have pointed out the million things wrong with my book, but instead she identified what was working, where I needed to hone my craft, and where my writing came alive.
I really benefitted from the detailed feedback Sarah gave me on my manuscript. And not only that but her encouraging response to the story gave me a confidence boost when I really needed it. So grateful for that!