Diane Roback will step down as SVP and children’s book editor at Publishers Weekly on March 2, 2026, transitioning to an editor-at-large role. Roback has headed PW’s children’s book coverage since 1986, when she was named children’s book editor by then PW editor-in-chief John Baker. Roback took over the role from Jean F. Mercier, with whom Roback had worked with on various children’s features.
“Diane is an absolute legend. Her contributions to PW and the industry are immeasurable,” said PW editorial director Jonathan Segura. “I’m thrilled she’s staying on board as editor-at-large, and also that she’s put together such an amazing team.”
During her 40 years at the publication, Roback broke new ground in the coverage of children’s books not only at PW, but in wider media circles. In 1988, she inaugurated the first national children’s bestseller list. She also set up a children’s reviews department that relied on a group of freelance reviewers in the same way that adult books were reviewed at the magazine. When the need for an online vehicle to cover the children’s book market emerged, Roback launched the weekly newsletter Children’s Bookshelf in 2005, with the newsletter moving to twice a week in 2012. Children’s Bookshelf now has 47,000 subscribers.
PW’s coverage of the children’s book market grew steadily as the industry itself experienced rapid growth, emerging from something that was considered a step-child to a publisher’s adult program to a major category in its own right.
“Diane’s coverage helped validate children’s publishing as a real business,” said Barbara Marcus, a longtime publishing executive who worked at Scholastic and retired earlier this year as president and publisher of Random House Children’s Books. “She gave a voice to all those who worked in children’s books and helped establish the category as an important part of publishing.” And while Roback’s coverage of children’s books carries great influence, “we always knew she would be fair,” Marcus added.
Roback plans to work at PW two days a week beginning in March. When she assumes her new role, Emma Kantor, currently senior editor for children’s books, will become PW’s children’s news editor, overseeing children’s news and feature coverage on the web and in print. In addition, Amanda Bruns will become associate reviews director for children’s and will continue to manage the day-to-day of the children’s reviews operation. Kantor will report to news director Kerensa Cadenas, and Bruns will report to reviews director David Adams.
“Publishers Weekly has a long tradition of supporting children’s books, going back to our editor Frederic Melcher launching the Newbery and Caldecott Medals and cofounding Children’s Book Week, and it’s been a great privilege to play a part in that history,” Roback said. “It’s also been a privilege to have a front-row seat to watch the inspiring growth of the children’s book field over the past 40 years.”
