Jen Campbell
Jen Campbell is an author, poet and BookTube creator sharing book reviews, fairy-tale history and conversations about disability and disfigurement.
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Latest
Jen’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus her backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
- Owning It: Our Disabled Childhoods in Our Own Words2025 · Co-editor and contributor
- Please Do Not Touch This Exhibit2023 · Poet
- The Girl Aquarium2019 · Poet
- The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night2017 · Short story author
- Franklin’s Flying Bookshop2017 · Author, illustrated by Katie Harnett
- Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops2012 · Author
Overview
- From
- Northeast England; now based in London
- Work
- Author, poet, book reviewer, editor and disability advocate
- Breakout
- The Sunday Times bestselling Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops
- On YouTube
- Book reviews, fairy-tale history and disability representation
Mini bio
How it started.
Jen grew up in northeast England and studied English Literature at Edinburgh University. She worked in bookshops in Edinburgh and London, including the antiquarian shop Ripping Yarns. Her blog’s collection of unusual customer conversations became Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops, a Sunday Times bestseller.
Finding her people online.
After six years of written blogging, she wanted to join the BookTube conversations she had been watching. A collaboration with Leena from JustKissMyFrog helped give her the confidence to start her own channel. Her videos bring together the perspectives of a reader, bookseller and published author.
Stories in many forms.
Her work spans poetry, short stories, nonfiction and children’s books. The Girl Aquarium and Please Do Not Touch This Exhibit explore bodies, beauty, folklore and disability. For younger readers, she has written the Franklin and Luna trilogy and The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers. She also co-edited Owning It with James and Lucy Catchpole.
Beyond the page.
Jen reviews books online, in print and on radio, offers writing workshops and editorial services, and speaks at schools, universities and festivals. She spent three years as the Poetry Book Society’s vlogger in residence. Disability and disfigurement representation are recurring interests across her work.
Creditschronological, newest first
- 2025Owning It: Our Disabled Childhoods in Our Own WordsCo-editor and contributor
- 2023Please Do Not Touch This ExhibitPoet
- 2019The Girl AquariumPoet
- 2017The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the NightShort story author
- 2017Franklin’s Flying BookshopAuthor, illustrated by Katie Harnett
- 2012Weird Things Customers Say in BookshopsAuthor
Awards
- 2026 SLA Information Book AwardOwning It won the judges’ overall prize and the age 13–16 category; co-edited with James and Lucy Catchpole.
- Spelt Poetry Competition 2022Winner for “The Hospital Is Not My House”, later collected in Please Do Not Touch This Exhibit.
- Eric Gregory AwardRecipient in 2016.
- Jane Martin Poetry PrizeWinner in 2013.
Quotes
Poems should present windows, not boxes to tick.Jen Campbell, TOAST Magazine
In her September 2024 poetry column, Jen challenged the idea that there is only one correct way to respond to a poem.
Trivia
- Her books have been translated into twenty languages.
- She buys picture books for herself as well as reading them with her daughter.
- Her earlier podcast, Books with Jen, featured spoiler-free conversations with authors.
Find Jen
Follow Jen for books, fairy tales and her writing life.
Are you Jen Campbell?
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