21st March 2025
The Shaw Agency
Naeli & The Secret Song Jasbinder Bilan Historical middle-grade adventure from the former Costa winner, in which a young Indian girl goes in search of her English father and the truth about her musical inheritance.
Agent Kate Shaw UK & Commonwealth, excl. Canada Chicken House
Pia’s Pet Club: Puppy Problem Serena Patel, Emma McCann (illus) Animal adventures and mayhem in a “hilarious” new illustrated series for ages seven-plus, from the writer and illustrator behind the multi-award-winning Anisha: Accidental Detective series.
Agent Kate Shaw World Usborne
This Boy I Hardly Know Lisa Heathfield “Heartbreaking” coming-of-age YA love story and “song to the bond of sisters” set against the broken care system, inspired by the author’s experiences teaching teens in a children’s home.
Agent Kate Shaw
The Girl With Gills Becca Rogers Debut middle-grade fantasy adventure about a 13-year-old “Larker” – the girl with gills – who must venture deep into the River Yore and overcome terrible fantastical creatures to save her brother and everything the Larkers stand for.
Agent Kate Shaw World Zephyr
Acting Up Holly Rivers “School of Rock meets Malory Towers” in a hilarious middle-grade about an accident-prone schoolgirl whose surprise casting in a Hollywood fantasy series causes mayhem. Inspired by the author’s own experiences as a child actress.
Agent Kate Shaw LOUISE ADOLPHSEN 10
Sheil Land
Song of the Saltings Rachael King The Red Rocks author’s newest is set on a remote island where a child is selected each year on Midwinter Day to be sacrificed to a creature that dwells in the saltmarshes. After eight-year-old Lotta is picked, her pony escapes and is claimed instead of her. Eight years on, the town thinks that the curse is broken, but Lotta is not so sure…
Agent Gaia Banks
UK Guppy, Australia/ New Zealand Allen & Unwin
Violet and the Velvets Rachael King The first book in a middle- grade series that follows neurodivergent tween rockstar-in-the-making Violet as her newly formed band strives to win the chance to compete at BandChamps. Can Violet solve the mystery of why their band stuff keeps disappearing, and harness her ADHD powers?
Agent Gaia Banks Australia/New Zealand Allen & Unwin
The Thrashers Julie Soto The bestseller’s YA debut, in which Jodie feels different from the other four Thrashers, members of her high-school’s elite. When misfit Emily takes her life on prom night, her diary is found and the Thrashers are arrested, charged and ostracised. “But something isn’t adding up, and one thing is clear: Emily isn’t done with the Thrashers.”
Agent Gaia Banks
UK HarperFire, US Wednesday Books
UK & Commonwealth, excl. Canada Rock the Boat, North America Delacorte, UK & Commonwealth excl. Canada audio
The Soho Agency
Stonewitch Skye McKenna McKenna’s fourth in the Hedgewitch series has dark forces astir in the Scottish Highlands, and young witch-in- training Cassie Morgan finds herself facing not only challenges from rival covens but also traitors and magical forces from beyond a new Faerie border.
Agent Philippa Milnes-Smith UK & Commonwealth, excl. Canada Hachette
Witchlore Emma Hinds A debut YA romantasy with a non-binary twist. Orlando Southerns is a shapeshifter with no control over their body changes. After their girlfriend dies in a spell gone wrong, Lando teams up with alluring new transfer student Bastian to try to bring her back.
Agent Philippa Milnes-Smith
UK & Commonwealth, excl. Canada Usborne, North America St Martin’s, Italy E/O, UK & Commonwealth excl. Canada audio
Tidespeaker Sadie Turner A debut YA fantasy duology in which a girl with the ability to control water secures a life- changing position serving a powerful noble family – but when she discovers that her predecessor died in a mysterious accident, she must navigate a maze of her employers’ secrets if she wants to survive.
Agent Marina de Pass
Storymix Imps
Mara Menzies A “stunning” middle- grade verse novel blending adventure and rebellion as four children uncover the dark truth of Queen Victoria’s enchanted empire: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe meets Get Out”.
Agent Jasmine Richards ( 8)
The Absolutely True Confessions of a Funny Girl Rekha Kirpal A hilarious, highly illustrated multimedia diary novel about talent, friendship, and first crushes. Subha must prove she’s destined for greatness – without losing her bestie or her nerve.
Agent Jasmine Richards Agent Jodie Hodges
Kid Manager Bali Rai
(writing as B Panwar) When 10-year-old Amar wins a contest to manage his favourite football team, he unexpectedly leads them to victory. A Ted Lasso-inspired underdog sports story with hybrid graphic- novel elements.
Agent Jasmine Richards
The Darkness Dreams of Us Jade Mutyora A YA dark romance in which two girls, cursed across lifetimes, fight to break free before their love ends in death – again.
Agent Jasmine Richards Agent Megan Carroll
Broken Space: Eye of the Cosmos Ed Caruana, Chris Hazeldine “Hilariously irreverent” middle-grade graphic novel series about a crew of treasure-hungry Star Breakers and their accidental quest to save the universe. “Perfect for fans of Amulet and Frostheart.”
Agent Jodie Hodges UK Puffin
Big Ideas from Science The School of Life A journey from ancient myths to modern science, including how humans gradually discovered the size of the Earth, why plants use carbon dioxide to grow, and the amazing technological advancements the future may hold.
Agent Caroline Dawnay UK The School of Life
8
Ava Sees Everything Jeremy Williams A “heartwarming, witty” middle-grade from the author of Max Counts to a Million about newly diagnosed diabetic Ava and the mystery she uncovers on her daily insulin trips through the secretive teachers-only corridor.
Agent Megan Carroll
Totally Chaotic History: The Stone Age Runs Wild! Greg Jenner ( 9) The next instalment of the “fantastically funny” new history series from bestselling author and chart-topping podcaster Jenner, this time turning his attention to the Stone Age.
Agent Donald Winchester UK & Commonwealth Walker
United Agents
The Book Hunters Tom Velterop A middle-grade fantasy “for fans of Anna James and Katherine Rundell”. When Fifth becomes an apprentice at a magical travelling bookshop, it’s a dream come true, but he soon finds himself thrown into the dangerous world of the Book Hunters, who seek out – and occasionally steal - rare and mystical tomes.
Agent Molly Jamieson
Crown Above the Sky Mark Richardson Middle-grade fiction set in the court of Henry VIII. Falconer’s daughter Anne’s world is in turmoil and help comes from the most unlikely of sources: Prince Edward – the king’s nine-year-old son.
Watson, Little
Where the Broken Go HF Askwith “Pacy” YA gothic fantasy/ thriller in which timid teen Alice is forced to confront the violent shadow- monsters only visible to her when her beloved sister goes missing and her crush turns up dead.
Agent James Wills World English Penguin
The Boy with the Mullet Lauren Ford “Wholesome, swoony” YA debut from the established romcom author, following childhood friends- turned-pen pals Daisy and Barry, who are reunited after a decade apart. Barry returns looking much older, and much hotter, than Daisy remembers…
9
Bologna Children’s Book Fair Agents’ Hotlists
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