The Bookseller - Day 2

Bologna 2024 opens with a Young Adult and graphic novel-fuelled bang

Reporting Tom Tivnan

Publishers and agents have reported “brisk” trading on the first day of a packed 61st Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF), with Young Adult and rom-coms the hot titles, graphic novels on the rise and picture books holding steady, though middlegrade has been called “a tougher sell”.

BCBF organisers said the fair opened with 1,524 exhibitors, a jump of 5% on 2023’s final total, and 82 more companies than the last pre-pandemic fair.

Pan Macmillan c.e.o. Joanna Prior said that there was a “clear level of optimism and excitement” at the 2024 BCBF. She added: “There has already been a real interest, and definite appetite to buy, from our international customers; the fair has started really well.”

One of the hot properties for Macmillan Children’s Books has been Pari Thomson

and illustrator Elisa Paganelli’s middle-grade novel Greenwild, which a fortnight ago won the overall Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. But Prior concedes that middle-grade space has been more difficult to sell of late; where “it has been harder to break new voices”.

Prior has attended Bologna in both years since she left Penguin General to run Pan Macmillan, and is one of several overall heads of houses at the Fiere this year, including her boss, Holtzbrink global c.e.o. Stefan von Holtzbrinck, and Penguin Random House (PRH) UK’s Tom Weldon. Prior said: “MCB is a third of our entire business; it just makes sense to come to Bologna. But apart from the business side, Macmillan’s overarching global culture is to get the world reading, because doing so is beneficial to people in terms of things like education, wellbeing and job prospects. And to do that well on the adult side, we have to start with children’s.”

As yet there is no standout contender to be an overall “book of the fair” but Young Adult fiction is still riding the BookTok wave and is clearly the hottest genre, with many of Bologna’s biggest titles coming from that space. These include Amber Hamilton’s romantasy Seven Deadly Thorns going to Bloomsbury in a “major” global deal and PRH Children’s six-figure pre-empt for Katja Kaine’s Blood of Gods and Girls. But illustration is strong, too, both in picture books and in comics, with Puffin announcing its new graphic novel imprint Puffin Graphics, and Piccadilly Press swooping for Jack Noel’s “side-splittingly funny” comic series Dadbot as the fair kicked off. Claire Wilson, head of literary agency RCW’s children’s arm, said: “YA is still really strong and there is a lot of horror, which everyone is talking about. But we might be seeing a bit of a shift in that BookTok market, as I think there is a lot more contemporary romance this year.”

But Wilson echoed Prior on the state of the middle-grade market: “It is, no question, a tougher sell. But as is always the case when trends change, the best books and talent will still rise to the top and find a home.”

Jeffers signs with HC Children’s through 2027

Oliver Jeffers has signed a multi-book deal with HarperCollins Children’s Books (HCCB) which extends his relationship with his long-time publisher to 2027. Alice Blacker, publishing director for picture books, bought rights for UK and Commonwealth, including Canada and Europe, along with translation rights in all languages, from Paul Moreton at Bell Lomax Moreton.

HCCB said this year would be “a landmark” for Jeffers as it marks 20 years since the publication of his first picture book, and will see the release of Where to Hide a Star, the “long-awaited” return of his [Lost and Found] boy and penguin characters”. HCCB said it will celebrate the landmark with yearround marketing and PR activity, as well as anniversary publishing. Cally Poplak, m.d. and publisher for HCCB and Farshore, said: “Oliver weaves wit, wisdom and love through his spellbinding stories and beautiful illustrations... We couldn’t be more proud and excited in this anniversary year to be announcing new publishing from our global superstar.”

bologna has opened its doors to the international publishing industry

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2024

The headlines

Faber’s Swan dives in for Fitzpatrick foray into middle grade

Carnegie shortlistee MarieLouise Fitzpatrick will move into middle-grade with a “showstopping” novel set on a magicrich island where “umbrellas fly, library books choose themselves and the very buildings are enchanted”.

Faber associate publisher Alice Swan bought world rights to two books in Fitzpatrick’s Cloud Witch Chronicles series from Eunice McMullen at the Eunice McMullen Literary Agency. The first in the deal, The Museum of Lost Umbrellas, will publish in February 2025.

Dublin-born Fitzpatrick has been an author/illustrator of picture books and a writer of fiction for older readers since she was first published in 1988. She is the recipient of numerous prizes, including 10 CBI [Children’s Books Ireland] Book of the Year Awards. Her début Young Adult novel, 2020’s On Midnight Beach, was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal.

The Museum of Lost Umbrellas centres on Dilly Kyteler who, while visiting the tiny island of Ollipest, discovers that she comes from a long line of Cloud Witches. When she goes to the island’s Museum of Lost Umbrellas to trace her heritage, she and her friends find themselves caught in a battle between those who support magic and those who are against it.

Fitzpatrick said the series was “a love-letter to the books of my childhood, the ones that tugged me in and let me be a part of their stories and their worlds”. It is also partly inspired by Alice Kyteler, who in the 13th century became the first person to have been accused of witchcraft in Ireland.

Italy

Children’s Top Five

Laughing to the summit

Alessandro Perugini, creator of Pera Toons, which has 1.3 million followers on Instagram, bags the year-to-date top spot in Italy’s children’s charts with his latest joke-filled cartoon Fatti una risata (Have a Laugh) selling more than 20,000 copies.

Pera Toons holds six of the top 10 spots, shifting a combined 77,270 copies. Only a translation of Jeff Kinney’s Diper Överlöde breaks

Pera Toons’ hold on the top five.

Bloomsbury bags global deal for Amber Hamilton’s Gothic YA début

Amber Hamilton’s “swoony, gripping” Gothic romantasy début, said to boast an “irresistible” hero and heroine, has been acquired by Bloomsbury.

Camille Kellogg, senior editor at Bloomsbury US, bought world rights to Seven Deadly Thorns, and a follow-up, from Caitlin Blasdell at Liza Dawson Associates. Bloomsbury Children’s editorial director Alex Antscheri has been confirmed as the UK editor. Bloomsbury UK, US and Australia will publish the title in autumn 2025, promising a “blockbuster” marketing and publicity campaign. The second book, a standalone, will follow in 2026.

Hachette Children’s Group falls for début author Ingalls’ ‘escapist’ New York rom-com

Seven Deadly Thorns centres on Viola, who has hidden her “forbidden shadow magic” for 17 years. But then it is discovered and the queen gives The Huntsman an assignment and a new tattoo: the seven thorns on his forearm mean he has seven days to track down and kill Viola. This is not any ordinary Huntsman: it is the queen’s own son, Roze Roquelart, the arrogant prince who is a fellow student at Viola’s school—and who she

Bloomsbury has produced some of my favourite books since childhood... joining them is so surreal

Amber Hamilton, right

Hachette Children’s Group has snapped up two Young Adult rom-coms from British début author and bookseller Bea Ingalls, with the first title, a New York Cityset novel, written after Ingalls’ longanticipated first trip to the Big Apple was scuppered by the pandemic.

HCG editorial director for fiction

Lizzie Clifford acquired world rights from Rachel Petty at The Blair Partnership to the two standalones, We Used to be Magic and Your Favourite Fake Girlfriend. HCG says the books were “ones to watch” internationally, as it sewed up German and Italian deals just before the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Hertfordshire-based Ingalls had planned a “life-changing” trip to New York but when it was disrupted by Covid-19 restrictions, she started

Tom Tivnan @tomtivnan

hates more than anyone. But the Huntsman needs something from Viola and the two are forced to work together. Soon “terrible secrets are revealed as well as a sinister threats and an attraction. But is the prince telling the full truth? Is anyone?”

Kellogg said that when the manuscript arrived in her inbox, she read it in one sitting. She added: “I couldn’t make myself put it down. The delicious romantic tension, vivid dark academia setting and twist-filled plot make this book exactly what romantasy fans are looking for.”

Antscheri said: “I fell instantly in love with this swoony, gripping romantasy. Fans of the genre will adore this, but it’s also bound to create many new converts—like me—who will be seduced by the incredible tension and romance between our complex heroine Viola and the prince.”

US-based Hamilton, who describes herself as a “recovering middle school teacher”, said Seven Deadly Thorns is “a metaphor for queerness and the difficulty I experienced in learning to accept my own identity”. She added that she was thrilled to be pubished by “the ultimate romantasy powerhouse... Bloomsbury has produced some of my favourite books since childhood, so joining them is so surreal and special”.

writing instead, “pouring heartfelt hopes and dreams into We Used to be Magic”. The rom-com follows new model Audrey navigating the “dizzying bright lights” of the city; and student Ezra, who has returned to town with a broken nose and a broken heart. “Their connection is instant, smouldering and all-consuming. But when Audrey is confronted with the darker facets of the fashion industry and Ezra’s past proves impossible to outrun, will it be enough?”

Clifford called the book “gorgeous rom-com escapism that had me swooning from page one and clearly marks out [Ingalls] as a YA author of exciting potential”. Ingalls said she was “beyond excited to be introducing these characters to the world... it’s been a dream come true, and I’m still waiting for it all to feel real”.

10 Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year

Awards won by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Day Planner

Into the mixer: Storymix launches YA and illustrated arms

Inclusive fiction studio Storymix is launching two new arms: Storylink, an illustration-led “storytelling incubator” for “ages 0 to 18”; and the Young Adult-focused StoryRebel.

Call Your Agent: How to Become a Successful Literary Agent

10.00

Hall 29, Mall 1, BBPlus Theatre

A good chunk of today’s BolognaBooksPlus (largely) adult publishing-centred seminar stream will be taken up with this half-day conference aimed at those who want to begin a career in agenting, or set up their own agency.

LBA founder Luigi Bonomi will talk about how agents manage relationships with clients and publishers, while his colleague Louise Lamont (above) will sketch out how an agent’s role differs from a rights professional’s. Rosalind Ramsay will discuss how her literary scouting business sits within the rightstrading ecosphere, and a panel that includes Paris-based Lora Fountain and Sofia di Capita from Barcelona will examine how agenting differs internationally.

Storymix was founded five years ago by author, publisher and entrepreneur Jasmine Richards with a movie studio-style model to create children’s fiction featuring characters from backgrounds previously underrepresented in publishing. Its publishing partners have included Simon & Schuster, Scholastic and Bloomsbury, and the business won a FutureBook Start-Up of the Year prize. Richards is shortlisted in the Innovation category at the inaugural PublisHer Excellence Awards, with the winner to be announced at this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Storylink will focus on board books, picture books, chapter books and graphic novels, promising “stories that invite everyone in”. Its first project is author/illustrator Adeola Sokunbi’s four-book series for ages five-plus, Destiny Ink. Nosy Crow, which holds world rights, will publish the first title in June.

The YA-focused StoryRebel will launch with Oxford Blood, a “super slick and compelling” dark academia thriller by author Rachael Davis-Featherstone, slated for a 2025 release by Walker in the UK and Wednesday Books in the US. Richards said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in five short years and I am excited for the next five. We will make room for creators to make anarchic books, silly books and tender books—just like every other creator.”

storymix founder jasmine richards

Andersen Press wins Worsley’s ‘hilarious’ début picture book— and sells into four markets

Andersen Press has triumphed in the race to sign up toy designer turned picture book author/ illustrator Justin Worsley’s début about creativity and perseverance, with the publisher selling rights to four territories ahead of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Andersen Press picture books editorial director Sue Buswell bought world rights to Henry the Artistic Dog, and two other titles, from Neil Dunnicliffe at the Spring Literary Agency in “a deal hotly contested by multiple publishers”. Rights subsequently sold into the US, Korea and two other markets.

The first title is focused on Henry: an artist, a master sculptor and... a dog. Unfortunately, his self-made pieces, often completed on his walks and “in their sculptural forms”, are usually tossed in the bin without even being noticed. But Henry never gives up on his art until, one day, an unexpected somebody finally falls in love with his work and at last Henry has his moment to shine.

Buswell called Worsley “that rare talent who reaffirms the

Hachette goes nuts for Almond’s latest

skellig author and Hans Christian Anderson Award winner David Almond is to publish an “intense and compelling” coming-of-age middle-grade novel about “hope, friendship and conquering your fears” with the Hachette Children’s Group.

HCG editorial director Rachel Wade bought UK and world translation rights, excluding the US and Canada, to The Falling Boy from Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan Associates. HCG imprint Hodder Children’s has been one of the publishers of Almond’s fiction for older readers since Skellig was launched in 1998. The Falling Boy, scheduled for a

true joy, for editors like me, that is at the heart of making picture books; a creator who delivers original, breathtaking images, entertainment, laughter and a pinch of the subversive—which perfectly fits with everything that Andersen Press aims to deliver to our young audience”.

Day Planner

Worsley grew up in the Lake District and, after a degree in design for industry at the University of Northumberland, worked for 25 years as a toy designer in London, Hong Kong, New York and Barcelona. He then decided to change tack, completing an MA in children’s book illustration at Anglia Ruskin University; artwork he created for the course won the Batsford Prize for children’s illustration and the Sebastian Walker Award.

Worsley said the inspiration for his first book was walking his dog Percy and being “mightily impressed with one of his ‘artistic’ creations”. He added: “It is a story about perseverance and resilience... I hope puts a smile on children’s and parents’ faces.”

Henry the Artistic Dog is scheduled for a spring 2025 UK publication, with the second book in the deal, One Fine Day, due a year later.

September 2024 UK release, centres around new kid in town Joff, whose Dad is ill and whose Mum is always busy at work. He cannot wait to escape each day and explore with his dog, Jet. But there one place he is forbidden to go: the ancient, crumbling Chapel of Doom which sits above the town. But one day, “Joff’s adventures take him beyond the boundaries and he discovers something unexpected, something truly magical”.

Almond’s books have been translated into more than 40 languages and he was the Hans Christian Andersen honoree in 2010. He said: “As I wrote [The Falling Boy], I felt so close to Joff, his Dad, to the whole community of characters in the book. I hope that my readers will share Joff’s fears, loves, hopes and joys.”

Thirty-five years of Elmer

10.00

Hall 29, Mall 2, Licensing Conference Room

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Elmer, created by the late David McKee (above), technically turns 56 this year—it was first published in 1968 by Dobson Press. But it wasn’t until Klaus Flugge at Andersen Press acquired the rights in 1989, and McKee re-illustrated the story, that the patchwork elephant became a household name. By his death in 2022, McKee and Andersen had published 29 Elmer titles (two others have come posthumously) and the books have been translated into more than 60 languages. This panel, which includes Andersen’s PR and brand director Paul Black, will look at how Elmer’s themes of inclusivity have made it an enduring global IP.

Tom Tivnan @tomtivnan

Photography: Darren Irwin

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2024 The headlines

DK partners with the Dalai Lama for children’s meditation books

The Dalai Lama and his Gaden Phodrang Foundation will write two “small but mighty” illustrated board books for DK, aimed at inspiring children and adults to practise meditating together.

Katy Flint, DK Licensing’s senior acquisitions editor, acquired world rights to Bright Sparks Loving Kindness and Bright Sparks Peaceful Mind directly from the foundation. The titles, slated for a March 2025 release, have been “developed in collaboration” with the Dalai Lama. DK says they will be “ideal for a calming activity before bed or to diffuse difficult situations, and are the perfect tool for introducing the little one in your life to the benefits of meditation, breathwork and the art of mindfulness”.

Bright Sparks Loving Kindness is geared at helping children bring “positivity to their own lives” and have a “positive impact on those around them”. Bright Sparks Peaceful Mind, meanwhile, focuses on mindful breathwork.

Flint said: “Accessibility is a key pillar in all of the work we do at DK, and what makes these books so special is that they make meditation accessible to the youngest readers, as well as encouraging warmth and compassion.”

While the Dalai Lama has published widely on religious and spiritual matters for adults, he has rarely written for children. Tenzin Sewo, secretary of Gaden Phodrang, said: “His Holiness the Dalai Lama advocates for inner peace and emphasises the importance of educating children in compassion and warmheartedness. These books aim to guide children in developing a sense of oneness for humanity.”

A hat-trick of YA débuts go to PRH Children’s on the eve of Bologna fair

Penguin Random House Children’s has inked three “major” deals for Young Adult titles from firsttime authors just ahead of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair: two “sizzling” romantasies and a high-concept queer friends-tolovers thriller/romance.

World rights for two books from Australian author Sophie Clark were snapped up by publisher Anthea Townsend, simultaneously with her colleagues at Knopf US and PRH Australia, in a “significant” global co-publishing deal conducted by Christabel McKinley at David Higham Associates. The first, “epic and sizzling” romantasy Cruel is the

Light focuses on the brutal war between demons and man which has raged across Europe for over a century. When “élite Vatican exorcist” Selene crosses paths with mysterious foot soldier Jules, forbidden attraction follows, but they discover a terrible secret.

Publisher Carmen McCullough, meanwhile, had a six-figure pre-empt accepted by Maddy Belton at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency for Katja Kaine’s Singapore-inspired feminist romantasy Blood of Gods and Girls The book is a “melting pot of Eastern culture featuring female friendships, romance, betrayal and action-packed adventure”. It centres around Nisha, who must win the respect of a matriarchal Golden Eagle warrior and navigate her feelings for a holy man who represents those she hates.

Yorkshire-based Kaine is half-Singaporean, half-German and the creator of writing software

Usborne cooks up a six-figure pre-empt for Harry Woodgate’s baking-themed detective series

Usborne has nabbed awardwinning picture book author/ illustrator Harry Woodgate’s move into middle-grade, with a “major” six-figure pre-empt for a fourbook bakery-themed detective series. Associate editorial director Sarah Stewart bought world and audio rights to Cinnamon Crumb, Baking Detective: The Great Cake Caper, and three other titles, from Alice Sutherland-Hawes at ASH Literary. The publisher described the series as “’Wonka’ with cakes instead of candies, [combining] bowlfuls of

charm and humour with lashings of secrets and sabotage”. The launch title centres around the titular Cinnamon, who lives in the bakingobsessed town of Marzipan. As she is no baker herself (she even burns toast), she decides to become a detective. But she soon is caught between the rivalry of Victoria Sponge and Madeleine Macaron, who are vying to win the coveted Twelve Tier Crown at the Great Cake Carnival; both Victoria and Madeleine ask Cinnamon to spy on their rival. Cinnamon reluctantly agrees, but soon she is “in a situation

stickier than sticky toffee pudding”. Stewart said: “Harry Woodgate plus baking mysteries is a match made in publishing heaven and the minute we heard about this series we knew we had to snap it up. Harry’s writing for older readers oozes with charm and humour, just like their gorgeous illustrations and picture books.”

Long-time illustrator Woodgate’s début picture book as author/illustrator, Grandad’s Camper (Andersen Press, 2021), won the British Book Awards’ Children’s Illustrated Book of the Year, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize’s Best Illustrated Book, and was a recipient of a Stonewall Book Award Honor from the American Library Association. They have been the author/illustrator for three subsequent books for Andersen and Little Tiger.

Tom Tivnan @tomtivnan

australian writer sophie clark

j l simmonds’ novel is ‘packed with juicy booktok tropes’

Photography: Tenzin Choejor

The Novel Factory. Blood of Gods and Girls was longlisted for the 2023 Bath Children’s and WriteMentor unpublished novel awards.

The trio of deals was rounded out by editorial director Amina Youssef acquiring world and dramatisation rights to Bristol resident J L Simmonds’ Run Away with Me from Saskia Leach at the Kate Nash Literary Agency. The book—“packed with juicy BookTok tropes”—follows Jessie, who “needs to get the hell out of Seattle” after admitting she wanted her abusive stepfather dead, as he has now been murdered. When popular and beautiful Brooke offers Jessie a ride in her Mustang, they go on the run across the US. Can they stay ahead of the cops? And, as their friendship blossoms into something more, can they find a future together?

The deals were announced ahead of PRH’s YA Ball at Bologna’s Palazzo Gnudi last night (8th April), which featured the three début authors. Publishing director Ruth Knowles said PRH Children’s is “so excited by the ongoing boom in YA and crossover fiction across genres”. Cruel is the Light and Run Away with Me are due to be published in January and June 2025 respectively. Blood of Gods and Girls is to follow in March 2026.

Day Planner

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award

12.45 Services Centre, Illustrators Café

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), a.k.a. “the Nobel for children’s literature”, has its annual joint Bologna/ Stockholm winner’s announcement this afternoon. The SEK5 million (£370,000) prize is a rarity in kids’ book gongs, as though it mostly salutes individual authors it can also be given to organisations which have made an outstanding contribution to children’s literature, such as the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa in 2015. Last year’s winner, YA author Laurie Halse Anderson (pictured above), commendably donated $100,000 of her prize money to PEN America to fight the spike in book bans in schools and public libraries in her native US.

Templar scoops two titles from début picture book

author Zeshan Akhter

Templar Books has plumped for two titles from début picture book author Zeshan Akhter— the first “a heartfelt celebration” of people’s names, their significance and the cultures they come from—which will be illustrated by Åsa Gilland.

Amelia Warren, commissioning editor for picture books at the Bonnier Books UK imprint, bought world rights to My Name is a Gift, and a second title, from Alice Williams at Alice Williams Literary. World illustration rights for Gilland’s artwork were acqured from Susan McCabe at Lilla Rogers Studio. Three co-edition deals have been struck, in France, Italy and with Simon & Schuster US. Glaswegian Akhter studied zoology, has worked in nature

Book of Animals (DK). My Name is a Gift, she said, stems from her experience of being Scottish of Pakistani heritage and from having a “desire for names, which are the first treasure we ever receive, to be understood and respected, no matter how different they appear”.

Jakarta-based Swedish illustrator Gilland added that the “topic was close to my heart” as her two sons have “Swedish first names and Javanese middle names that carry deep significance, but they often have to spell out and explain [those names]. I wanted to illustrate a family joyously celebrating their heritage… I hope a lot of parents and children of different backgrounds can relate to and enjoy this lovely book”.

katya kaine’s book is due in spring 2026

Farshore sinks its teeth into Swain’s vegetarian vampire-themed picture book

Farshore has bought world rights to author/illustrator Holly Swain’s “irresistibly funny” picture book about a vegetarian vampire called Colin and his battle against his arch-enemy: a pesky duck. Tiffany Leeson, creative director at the HarperCollins Children’s Book division, snapped up world rights to Colin’s Castle from Becky Wilson at The Plum Agency. The “’Home Alone’ with a vampire twist and a pinch of Wile E Coyote” title will publish in the UK on 29th August, accompanied by a “far-reaching and exuberant” marketing and publicity campaign.

Colin, the veggie vampire, has just

Magic Cat pounces on Waterstones winner

Litchfield’s dinosaur tale

Independent publisher Magic Cat has secured a picture book about “acceptance and letting people live the life they want” from multiple award-winner David Litchfield.

Magic Cat picture book publisher Katie Cotton snagged world rights to The Dinosaur Next Door from Anna Moore Armstrong at The Bright Agency. Cotton previously published Litchfield during her stint working at Frances Lincoln.

The story, which will publish in the UK in September and is aimed at ages three-plus, follows Liz, who is sure that her next-door neighbour, Mr Wilson, has a secret because he has “a very long neck, clumpy feet and a strange taste for green leaves”. He just

moved into his new castle, which is perfect in every way until Duck arrives. Duck, Farshore said, “pops up when Colin’s in the bath, when he’s watching telly, when he’s on the loo... Quack! But Colin has a plan. Will he succeed in banishing Duck from his castle and leading the duck-free life that he dreams of?”

Hove-based Swain has worked as an illustrator for more than 20 years since graduating from the University of the West of England, collaborating with authors such as Michael Morpurgo, Cressida Cowell and poet Roger McGough. Leeson said: “From the minute Colin arrived on my desk, we were all smitten. Holly has created a hilarious partnership between Colin and his rival, Duck, with a unique new illustration style that’s perfect for their story.”

may be a dinosaur. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one who has noticed and “when Mr Wilson is taken away by scientists, Liz realises that everyone is free to live the life they wish, and she must help save her friend”.

Cotton said: “David and I have worked together for a long time and it’s been an absolute pleasure to help him bring his first dinosaur story into the world. It has all of the warmth, incredible light-filled scenes and heartfelt messages people expect from a Litchfield classic and I know it will gather him even more fans.”

Litchfield is based in Bedfordshire and has illustrated across picture books and middlegrade for writers such as Smriti Halls, Ross Montgomery, David Almond and Anne Booth. His work includes the bestselling The Bear and the Piano trilogy, the first of which—published by Cotton—won the 2016 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize’s illustrated category.

Litchfield said: “This book will now and forever hold a special place in my heart. Not only did the book reunite me with my wonderful editor Katie, but I know that the story of Mr Wilson, a happy outsider who just wants to live his best life and bring joy to others by sharing his creative gifts, will resonate with a number of people.”

Spain Children’s Top Five

Fantasy fliers

Rebecca Yarros’ novels

Fourth Wing and Iron Flame rank first and third in Spain, selling a combined total of nearly 100,000 units (categorised as YA, compared to adult fiction in Anglophone territories). Yarros’ fellow US romantasy author Sarah J Maas also hit the top 10, which featured books for all ages, including three picture books, middle-grade fiction from local authors and Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper Volume

Tom Tivnan @tomtivnan

In depth

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2024

Company Spotlight: Scallywag Press

Celebrating five years of picture books that pass the ‘EEK test’

Sarah Pakenham took a gamble and set up her own firm, Scallywag Press, in 2019, just before the pandemic hit. Not only did the business survive, she now has more than 30 titles under her belt

Icould have paid off my mortgage or done this,” Sarah Pakenham says, looking back on the past five years as a solo entrepreneur. The “this” she is referring to is Scallywag Press, the picture-book publisher she set up in 2019 after leaving Andersen Press, where she started off her career “making teas and filing”; she left 27 years later as Andersen’s rights director, with the blessing of founder Klaus Flugge.

Decades of experience, coupled with the irresistible prospect of choosing and publishing books from start to finish, gave Pakenham the courage to go it alone. “There was a lot of nail-biting before taking the plunge,” she admits from her office in central London. “But publishing is all about risk, gambling and revenue— working out which books are going to do well, or not. We just have to hope that a few [successes] will support the others.”

Now numbering 30 titles, Scallywag’s list is selective, with every manuscript put through a rigorous vetting process. “Our books have to pass the ‘EEK’ test: emotion, empathy and kindness. Those are values and skills we feel are the most important to learn about and remember,

Julie Vuong @julesvuong ‘‘

because we want children to remember Scallywag books into adulthood.” As a result, there is a certain signature to Scallywag books and a leaning towards titles that radiate humour and the surreal, as renowned author Satoshi Kitamura encapsulates (more on him later).

There is an endearing sense Pakenham is coming to realise the scale of her achievements at Scallywag as we talk in real time. We’re chatting, as is customary these days, via Zoom during the interlude between the London and Bologna book fairs. Although far from quiet, the break before Bologna offers Pakenham a much-needed breather, and a useful moment to reflect on her show strategy. The London Book Fair is about “consolidation, networking and meetings”, reaching new export customers including from Korea, alongside agents and suppliers. Bologna, on the other hand, is about “exhibiting and meeting new people” as well as selling backlist and new books for translation rights.

This year, both occasions also serve as celebratory opportunities for Scallywag’s fifth birthday. And the party poppers look set to come out again after the fairs, peaking with a “do” and a partnership with Independent Bookshop Week in June, with prizes and promotions on offer. Pakenham’s immediate reaction to the milestone is, though, one of relief. “I’m very glad to have reached five years because of the pandemic,” she confirms.

Back then, with her business strategies scuppered, Pakenham rode with resilience through the stuttering years. “In the first year of trading, I was coming to terms with what to expect and learning the ropes. Then the pandemic happened. Would I have built up faster or sold more? It’s very good to have come through the other side, but maybe I would have achieved more [had it not happened].” Pakenham, though, is far from disheartened. “I’m quite pleased with where I am and absolutely grateful for all the support I have got from the industry.”

Solo ventures are rarely solitary and Scallywag is no different, calling on a trusted group of freelancers. Pakenham is keen to sing the praises of Janice Thomson, her former editorial director at Andersen Press, who she calls her “main support”. Alongside acting as Scallywag’s freelance editor, Thomson came up with the firm’s name—and a doubly good one it is, capturing the “spirited and liberated” nature of young children, while also mirroring Pakenham’s “S P” initials.

It takes a village

At this five-year appraisal, Pakenham seizes on the chance to recognise others who have made Scallywag a success. She cites the aforementioned Kitamura, who believed in her potential as a publisher from the very start. “When I told him I was leaving Andersen to start a new company, he gave me a book to publish called Hat Tricks, which really put me on the map.” She emphasises how crucial that moment was to outside perceptions, as well as her own confidence. “Just having his name attached to a Scallywag book made me feel as though I could do it.”

To have secured such a distinguished author as Kitamura early on was a real coup. His unforgettable

30 Picture-book titles on the Scallywag Press list after five years of publishing

Scallywag’s Bologna hotlist

Wolf in the City

Rachel Tilda Wolf

April 2024, £7.99, 9781915252531

Début from British author/illustrator Wolf, a graduate of the Cambridge MA in Children’s Book Illustration.

Hannah and the Violin

Satoshi Kitamura

April 2024, £7.99, 9781915252531

Scallywag’s sixth book with the Tokyo-born, Londonbased author and illustrator Kitamura (pictured below).

Ivy Newt and the Swamp Dragons

Derek Keilty & Magda Brol

April 2024, £7.99, 9781915252531

Third in Keilty and Brol’s Ivy Newt in Miracula series.

animal characters and quirky tales had been published by Andersen Press ever since Flugge spotted his work in a Covent Garden gallery and asked him to illustrate Hiawyn Oram’s 1982 hit Angry Arthur

“I thought the first year would be mostly finding new talent and older books to reissue,” Pakenham says. After Kitamura signed up to Scallywag, more authors followed, including Ruth Brown, an established book artist of more than 40 titles. “She had a book that was turned down by Andersen and when she showed it to me I loved it,” Pakenham beams. “I’m working on a fourth by Ruth. She is now in her 80s and is a real household name, especially in schools and libraries.” Passionate to talk about her list, Pakenham goes back to the book that kicked everything off. “Me and My Sister by Rose Robbins, about life with an autistic sibling, is the first book I took on and it remains an important book,” she says of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prizeshortlisted title.

There is, of course, a word of appreciation for the towering Flugge, her employer for almost three decades and the person who “allowed me to see how publishing works”. One of the core principles she learned, which she has instilled at Scallywag, is a strong author-publisher relationship. “I had a desire to return to what we see as the ‘good old days’, when authors and illustrators had a more personal connection with a small publishing staff, and decisions could be arrived at in a less commercial and more altruistic and experimental environment.”

Expanding and consolidating

Looking back on key events in Scallywag’s brief history, Pakenham thinks Bounce Sales & Marketing taking on the list to sell to the trade was “pivotal”. She says: “Robert Snuggs at Bounce agreed to take us on, even though we only had two and a half books to show at the time.”

Scallywag recently branched out across the Atlantic, working with Lerner Publishing to Americanise six books a year. So far the link-up has been fruitful, selling out of Ruth Brown’s Eye Spy and Rob Ramsden’s We Planted a Pumpkin. Pakenham is also excited to work more with American author Jon Agee, one of Scallywag’s flagship names. “We have been lucky enough to buy 10 books by him and I love everything he does. His The Wall in the Middle of the Book is a classic in the making.”

Scallywag also expanded into poetry last year after Pakenham was captured by the writing of journalist Simon Lamb. “I came across Simon in a local Scottish newspaper and he had written such a spirited review that I contacted him and asked if he had written a book,” she says. “This became A Passing on of Shells, illustrated by former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell, which was nominated for the Carnegie and made the UKLA Book Awards and The Week Junior Book Awards shortlists.”

As to the next five years, Pakenham wants to consolidate what she has and not lose focus of why she launched the business. “Scallywag is rather personal to me. I want the books to mean something to people and be memorable for generations, as my best childhood books were to me.”

In depth

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2024

Author interview: Theo Parish

Theo Parish on their début coming of age graphic novel memoir, the comics boom and importance of trans representation

Tom Tivnan @tomtivnan

If one were an acquiring graphic novel editor or an agent interested in repping comics clients at this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair, it would be essential to visit the Comics Corner in Hall 30. But in those many moments of down-time here at the Fiere—in the queue for the loos, in the queue for an espresso, in the interminable queue for a taxi at day’s end—it might be profitable to also have a gander at what’s new on Webtoon or Tapas.

It is on those platforms, and a few other online sites, where many creators who have gone on to become “the next big thing” in comics often first post their work. Most famously, Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper began life as a webcomic, but there are a host of others that have been turned into successful book series, such as Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus, Míriam Bonastre Tur’s Hooky and Ari North’s Always Human.

Add to that list one of the most-anticipated Young Adult graphic novels of 2024, Theo Parish’s Homebody, won in a six-way UK auction by Macmillan with North American rights bagged by HarperAlley, also at auction. The “moving celebration of trans joy” is Parish’s memoir of being a non-binary person finding a home in their own body.

Parish’s story, however, wasn’t initially conceived in graphic form, which might seem strange as they have worked as an illustrator since completing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in games art and design at Norwich University of the Arts. Parish says: “It started as a

I just posted the comic and thought some people might identify with it; I didn’t think anything more would come of it... I wasn’t prepared for the whirlwind

poem, and was an attempt to convey some of the feelings I was having about my relationship with my body. I was using the metaphor of it being similar to a house that you live in that doesn’t really belong to you, versus something that feels more like a home. After writing it, I realised that I could see some images that would work well with it. So I created a small four- or five-panel comic that I shared online.”

They received enthusiastic responses. Parish says: “What was really interesting was the positive reaction from both transgender and cisgender people; I think both can relate to this feeling of finding out who you are. That spurred me on to keep sharing my experiences, which then turned into a whole book.”

Parish adds, with some understatement, that their webcomic “got some traction”. It went viral and they were soon approached by several agents enquiring about representation, with Parish opting for Lydia Silver at Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency—who had obviously been spending fruitful time on webcomic sites. “I wasn’t expecting it,” Parish says. “I just posted [the comic] and thought some people might identify with it; I didn’t think anything more would come with it. Even after I worked with Lydia on the book and we sent it out to publishers, I didn’t think much more would happen. And when it did, it was a surprise; I wasn’t prepared for the whirlwind.”

Nomadic storytelling

Homebody combines a traditional narrative memoir arc with imaginative, non-linear asides done in striking, nuanced artwork, mostly of a blue pastel colour palette. It is, as Macmillan promised, joyful, but the overarching feeling is wholesomeness; it is easy to like and empathise with the Parish of the memoir, and their supportive family. Homebody does have educational elements that will be useful to any kid wondering where they fit on the gender spectrum, or questioning their sexuality, but these elements are done with the lightest of touches and no hint of didacticism.

That said, Parish pitched it to a YA audience because “I know that a book like this is something that I would have really benefited from when I was that age. When I was

growing up, I didn’t have the language to communicate how I was feeling because I didn’t see myself represented [in books and other media]. So it is important to me that Homebody might be able to help someone who is perhaps feeling like they don’t understand what they are going through—and that they are not the only one to experience these things”.

That raises the point that we are in a time where transgender issues are out in the open and acceptance of the “T” within the LGBTQ+ community is, in some respects and in some countries, at an all-time high. The converse is that conversations around gender can also be fraught, with politicians, pundits, social-media warriors and others often using trans people’s personal journeys as a weapon to fight their corner in the culture wars. “Well, it’s obviously complicated,” Parish says. “In a lot of ways it is better that there is more trans visibility. We have more conversations, there is more awareness. But there is always a period when greater awareness of something that might disrupt traditional ways of thinking creates an initial reaction that can come from a misunderstanding, or a fear of change, or the unknown. The climate is definitely better now, but we are still in a growing period.”

Drawing influence

Parish has always been a comics fan, starting off, like many British kids, with the Beano. Their current favourite creators include Tillie Walden and N D Stevenson (whose 2015 breakthrough Nimona began life as, you guessed it, a webcomic). Homebody even has a sweet passage depicting how the accepting nature of those at Comic Cons helped Parish become the person they are today.

The current vogue for graphic novels—or, rather, the vogue of Anglophone countries catching up with territories like France and Japan—has been cheering for Parish: “It’s brilliant that mainstream publishing is responding to the growing appetite for comics, and for comics as an art form. It’s not just superhero stories—there is nothing wrong with superheroes, by the way, I love them—but there is so much variety [in the content] being published now, which is great. There is some way to go though, as some people still dismiss comics as not being ‘real books.’”

Parish’s deal with Macmillan and HarperAlley was for two titles; the second is underway but in the early stages, though they promise its focus will be “another personal, family story”. Further down the road, Parish “would love to keep making comics for as long as I am able to, for as long as people want to read them. But I love writing stories and I would like to move into different fictional spaces. I would love to do something with video games; I would love to write novels. I want to do it all”.

Publication 25.04.24

Imprint Macmillan

Format PB/EB

ISBNs 9781035017621/ 638

Rights World, excluding US, Canada, Philippines (Macmillan); North America (HarperAlley), Dutch, German Editors Cate Augustin, Charlie Castelletti

Agent Lydia Silver, Darley Anderson Children’s

1 Can you give us some background to the Every Cherry list and why Sweet Cherry decided to launch it? Well, it comes in three parts. Every Cherry is structured exactly how I would structure a mixedability lesson in a specialist school, into three sections: Easier, Symbolised and Stories for Your Senses, reflecting the varying abilities within groups of learners. The other element to the list is using Sweet Cherry’s pre-existing, most popular titles and making them accessible for all to read. The titles were chosen for both educational reading and reading for pleasure, so that readers can be empowered inside and outside school. We now have the foundation of what the Every Cherry list needs, and are planning on developing this with new, exciting and diverse titles designed specifically for the imprint.

In terms of why we launched Every Cherry, Sweet Cherry is known for its diversity, so when I approached it with the idea for accessible books, it realised that there was an opportunity to reach another community. This was no easy feat and, of course, one book doesn’t suit the entire SEND (Special Education Needs and Disability) community and different versions of the same book are required. Sweet Cherry fully supported the direction that the imprint began with, grew and continues to move in.

2 Can you explain how you produce these books as I imagine the design, for example, is crucial. The initial stages of development were where a lot of thought went, with user-testing, parent focusgroups, student focus-groups, speaking to visual impairment specialists and so on. Translating all of that into a book format was where the Sweet Cherry team came in. The initial editing process was crucial, adapting the texts to remove complex language and abstract concepts but keeping the stories fun and

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2024 Imprint spotlight: Every Cherry

Emma Steel

engaging. The visual aspects and design of the books were important, too: we had to ensure they were visually appealing and accessible, but not overwhelming for the reader. We had to of course consider the additional features to each range, such as the sensory elements on covers, audiobook inclusion, symbols etc. One thing I would say about the entire process is that it was incredibly collaborative and I was always open to new ideas; I’m never one to ignore input from others.

3 Could you sketch out the launch list and why you chose these particular titles?

I suppose we wanted to capture a snapshot of what the full Every Cherry list will be. It is those three key pillars again—Easier, Symbolised and Stories for Your Senses—enabling readers to have a real sample of the Every Cherry formula. We chose titles that we thought would be appealing to the widest audience in the SEND community.

It’s difficult to categorise the books into age-ranges because people in the SEND community have different cognitive levels, which may not be in correlation to their actual age. We have tried to bear in mind that readers may be accessing these books at a much older age, and ensured that the books are well thought-out for this. The launch list also consists heavily of literature that is globally known, meaning they can also appeal to a wider audience, especially educators, librarians and parents. If we were to categorise them, however, these books are written at specific reading levels: Easier being a seven-year-old reading age, Symbolised a five-year-old reading age and Stories for Your Senses slightly earlier.

4 What are the ambitions for growing the list in the medium- and longer-term?

To continue to build upon the foundations, enabling readers to have a one-stop shop for fully accessible books; we hope

I want to be the pioneering publishing brand that dares to enter a new realm of accessibility. I was to spearhead a new era of accessibility

to be the home of accessible reading. We want to develop the list to include a range of classic literature, Sweet Cherry original titles and lots of reading for pleasure books. I would also like to continue encouraging readers to understand the Every Symbol structure: we have a beginners, emergent and confident symbol reader range, so I would like to provide a range of books that enables people to become familiar with the range.

The other goal is to bring in diverse publishing, with new fiction and non-fiction specifically created for Every Cherry and catering for the SEND community. I want topics that are familiar, loved and spoken about in the SEND community to be properly represented in the books. I want to tackle issues within the SEND community, like vulnerability on social media, internet safety and so on. I want people with SEND to walk around carrying Every Cherry books and feel proud to have them, knowing that they can actually read the books. I want to be the pioneering publishing brand that dares to enter a new realm of accessibility. I want to spearhead a new era of accessibility.

5 You were a special needs teacher before your publishing career. How has that experience helped with developing Every Cherry? It’s helped me every single day! When I am working on a pitch, working on a title strategy document or editing symbols, I often refer back to a particular

Every Cherry launch titles

Frankenstein Mary Shelley; Gemma Barder (adapted), Nick Moffat (illus) The adaptation of Shelley’s classic, with illustrations and symbols alongside the text. Published in the UK and US on 2nd May.

A Day at the Beach

Emma Steel; Wendy Wen

Due in summer 2024 and the first in a seasonal series—the follow-up is Autumn is Awesome—in the Stories for Your Senses range aimed at those with profound and multiple learning difficulties.

Moby-Dick Herman Melville; Gemma Barder (adapted), Arianna Bellucci (illus) The Easier Classics version of Melville’s whaling epic, which includes a simplified layout, dyslexiafriendly font and glossary terms.

student, class or situation and think: “How could that child access this book?” My teaching career grounds me in publishing because I want the imprint to stick to its foundations and remember who we are making these books for. I taught English in SEND schools and saw the frustration of learning to read, and reading in general. One of the things I enjoyed the most was getting to know a learner and working out how best they could access a book, and I would try in so many different ways—I would have them try audiobooks, I would translate the text into symbols. I have used all of these devices and approaches and have translated them into Every Cherry.

6 Can you sketch out the sales and marketing strategy? Will selling to schools and educators be as important as bookshop sales? We have worked closely with schools, focus groups and libraries throughout the development process and will continue to do this after publication day. These books are a response to the issues being faced by educators and pupils. As part of our marketing and publicity campaigns, we are attending countless events at schools and other venues that are aimed at teachers, librarians and professional bodies.

7 Related to that, and as this is Bologna, what is the market for these types of books internationally? The dyslexia-friendly fonts and predictable formats, and making things accessible for neurodiverse readers, is at the forefront of people’s minds, so the Easier range sells in that way and Symbolised is great abroad for learning EAL (English as an Additional Language). We have already had great interest from collaborators overseas, especially with our Symbolised and Stories for Your Senses ranges, proving that Every Cherry really is the first of its kind.

Bologna Children’s Book Fair

Author Q&A: Elizabeth-Irene

Baitie

Elizabeth-Irene Baitie Author

The prize-winning writer on her dual loves of literature and science, and how children are making a difference in conservation and the environment

Questions Tom Tivnan

1 Crossing the Stream and the upcoming Flying Up the Mountain are your first books published in the UK. Can you tell us a bit about them?

Crossing the Stream is about 12-year-old Ato, who has long dreamed of visiting the bird sanctuary that his late father had helped to build. On one hand, Ato is up against his overly protective

mother’s fears and a sinister enemy in his neighbourhood; on the other, he has the support of his two childhood friends and the love and strength of his grandmother. The story was birthed from my relationship with my grandmother; in my childhood she seemed like a firebreathing dragon, but as I grew older, our relationship deepened

and she became to me a fount of strength, love and wisdom.

Flying Up the Mountain takes Ato to new heights—literally. Having overcome the foes that stood in his way in the preceding book, he and his friends make it to the bird sanctuary. He hopes to undertake the competitive missions necessary to attain the coveted title of Asafo: Protector of the Earth. I’m hoping this soaring sequel will remind readers that dreams can come true, and that there is strength in unity and diversity.

2 Both books have ecological and sustainability themes; is this something you are particularly interested in?

Yes indeed. My siblings and I grew up under the watchful eye of a grandmother who had a herbal treatment (usually plucked from her expansive eco-garden) for everything from toothache to diarrhoea, and where much of our playtime was spent climbing trees and running wild in said garden. We innately understood our link with nature.

I had in mind, while writing, the young people today who are environmental warriors, ready not just to roll up their sleeves for Mother Earth, but also willing to make sacrifices for her preservation. I wanted a story set in a world where young readers would rediscover the nurturing embrace of nature and feel affirmed in their power to make an environmental difference.

3 Can you sketch out your background and your journey to becoming a YA fiction writer and a biochemist? As a child I was a faithful diarykeeper who ate, breathed and drank books. By age six I knew I wanted to be a writer. But in high school—to my surprise!—I enjoyed the challenge of studying the sciences and consequently veered off to study clinical chemistry and molecular biology.

By my early thirties, I had founded a thriving diagnostic laboratory… but I had an aching, pen-shaped hole in my heart. When my first book for children, A Saint in Brown Sandals, was awarded the Macmillan Writers Prize for Africa in 2006, it gave me the encouragement I needed to throw myself into writing.

4 Why did you decide to write stories for younger people? Is there anything more delightful than losing yourself in a book as a child? At that age, every day is an adventure, every experience is fresh and raw. Life experiences can sometimes make a young person feel uncertain about this world; I would like my stories to be that footnote on the pages of young readers’ lives, reminding them that despite the brokenness around us, love and kindness always come back, courage is rewarded, hope lives on and faith often triumphs.

5 Do you think initiatives like Spotlight on Africa at this year’s fair have been beneficial?

A resounding yes. It’s an effective way to surmount the barriers that complicate the ability of African writers to climb onto the global platform—such as limited access to publishing opportunities, restricted market reach, fewer distribution channels and consequently lower visibility. As my agent Sarah [Odedina of Accord Literary] would say: “Here’s to more!”

Elizabeth-Irene Baitie was born and raised in Greater Accra, Ghana. After studying chemistry and molecular biology at the University of Ghana and University of Surrey, she founded a medical laboratory near her home town. Since publishing her first children’s novel in 2005, she has garnered a number of awards, including the Macmillan Writers Prize for Africa and the Burt Award for African Literature (twice). The third edition of Bologna’s Spotlight on Africa features a collective stand of more than 30 publishers from across the continent (Hall 29, A25 to B35) and an events programme which includes today’s Contest for African Illustrators Awards (Illustrators Café, 5.40 p.m.).