Barrie Henderson

Barrie John Henderson (born August 1944) is a British publishing entrepreneur known for founding and selling three successful children’s publishing companies. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played a prominent role in shaping the UK market for children’s non-fiction, educational, and activity books.
Early career and Studio Publications Ltd
Henderson began his publishing career in the late 1970s when he co-founded Studio Publications Ltd in Ipswich. The company became known for the Munch Bunch series of illustrated children’s books, which featured anthropomorphic fruit and vegetable characters. The series gained popularity and led to a puppet-based television adaptation and a successful yoghurt brand tie-in. Studio Publications Ltd was sold to Ladybird Books in 1988.
Henderson Publishing Ltd and Fun Fax
In 1990, Henderson founded Henderson Publishing Ltd, which focused on producing interactive and educational content for children. Its flagship product line, Fun Fax, became one of the UK’s most popular children’s activity series during the 1990s. Fun Fax was a binder-based format combining factual information, quizzes, puzzles, and themed content on topics such as science, history, space, and popular culture. The format encouraged children to collect and organise modules, often issued in weekly or monthly updates.
*Fun Fax was published by Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd at least as late as 1998, with titles such as Funfax Eyewitness Organiser (1997) and Baby Faces (1998) under that imprint.
According to company records, Dorling Kindersley acquired Henderson Publishing Ltd in 1995, and the company was subsequently renamed Fun Fax Publishing Ltd.
Top That Publishing and Imagine That
In 1998, Henderson launched his third major publishing venture, Top That Publishing, focusing again on the children’s market with a mix of fiction, non-fiction, novelty, and activity books.
In 2011, Barrie Henderson retired from day-to-day operations, becoming Chairman. His son, David Henderson, took over as Managing Director.
In January 2018, Top That Publishing was rebranded as Imagine That Group. In November 2023, it was acquired by Gemini Books Group. Under Gemini’s ownership, the business now operates as Gemini Children’s Books Ltd.
Publishing legacy
Barrie Henderson’s publishing ventures significantly influenced UK children’s media by innovating packaging and distribution formats for children's educational and entertainment content. His brands, Studio Publications, *Fun Fax*, and Top That/Imagine That, helped pioneer interactive children's publishing from the 1980s through the 2010s.
Personal life
Henderson is based in Woodbridge, Suffolk. His work is characterised by a consistent focus on children’s education and creativity, and by building scalable publishing businesses that attracted acquisition by major players.

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