OUP acquires new series from Harriet Muncaster in four-book deal


MAIA SNOW News editor


O


xford University Press Children’s has acquired four diary- format titles from author-illustrator


Harriet Muncaster ( 1), her first new series in five years. Muncaster is best-known for her


Isadora Moon series, which has been translated into 42 languages and adapted into a Sky Kids TV programme; the second series of the animated series is due to air in autumn 2025. OUP has been publishing Muncaster since the first Isadora Moon title, Isadora Moon Goes to School, launched in 2016. She has released more than 40 titles with the publisher and recorded life sales of just over one million units for £6.3m through Nielsen BookScan UK. OUP Children’s development


editor Debbie Sims bought world rights in the four-book deal from Jodie Hodges at United Agents. The first, The Diary of Wiska Wildflower: The New School, will be published on 2nd October 2025.


books. She added: “It’s been an absolute dream to work on this first story in the series and be able to bring the world to life with full-colour illustrations. I’m also loving writing in a diary style for the first time, as it lets me include so many extra little details and illustrations. It’s probably the most fun project I’ve ever worked on because I am so super-passionate about wisklings.” The series follows Wiska from


her first day at Inkcaps, when she is relieved to make friends with Cleobelle and Primrose. However, as she gets to know her new friends, she soon feels she must hide her true self and follow their rules. Gillian Sore, senior commission-


1 SARAH DARBY The titles are aimed at seven-to-


nine-year-olds and the publisher describes them as “the perfect next step for readers of Isadora Moon who are looking to move onto older fiction”. The series opener tells the story of Wiska Wildflower, a tiny “wiskling” creature who flies


around on an enchanted bloom, and her search for friendship at Inkcaps Academy. Muncaster said she developed


the wiskling’s “miniature, crystal- punk” world when working on her middle-grade Victoria Stitch series, a spin-off from her Isadora Moon


Graphic-novel adaptation of Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series takes flight


T


en Speed Graphic (TSG), Piatkus and Entangled Publishing have inked a


six-book deal to produce graphic novels of romantasy superstar Rebecca Yarros’ ( 2) bestselling Empyrean series. The graphic novels will cover the author’s three Empyrean titles published to date: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm. Yarros will be adapting the text, working with a soon-to-be- named team of comics creators. TSG editorial director Kaitlin


Ketchum acquired world rights from Entangled and Yarros, with Nicole Resciniti at Alliance Rights Agency working for Entangled and the Fury Agency’s Louise Fury acting on behalf of Yarros. Piatkus, the


Empyrean series’ British publisher, bagged UK and Commonwealth rights. TSG’s foreign and transla- tions sales will be managed by Rachel Berkowitz, director of subsidiary rights at Crown. Ketchum will edit the titles, with the publica- tion date for the first volume yet to be determined. Yarros said: “There is something


so special about seeing your words come to life through art, and I feel fortunate to have that experience in this medium. I can’t wait to dig in with the talented team of artists and editors to create a truly one-of- a-kind experience for readers.” Ketchum added: “Ten Speed is


so honoured to collaborate with Rebecca and Entangled to create


17


graphic adaptations that the incredible Empyrean fan commu- nity will love – true to the original books, stunning to look at and additive to the reading experience in the way that only graphic story- telling can be.” Yarros’ series follows the lives


of dragon riders at the elite war- college Basgiath. When the latest, Onyx Storm, was released in January it sold just over 155,000 units through Nielsen BookScan UK at launch, smashing Yarros’ own record for the fastest-selling Science Fiction & Fantasy title since records began. In the US, the title shifted more than 1.3 million copies through Circana BookScan in its first seven days.


2 Piatkus editorial director


Rebekah West said: “Bringing the Empyrean series to life in a stun- ning new format is an exciting opportunity and we can’t wait for both fans and newcomers to experi- ence the magic of Rebecca’s breath- taking world in a whole new way.” Entangled CEO and publisher


Liz Pelletier called the graphic novels “an incredible opportunity to harness the power of visual storytelling”.


ing editor, said: “The Diary of Wiska Wildflower series gives fans of Harriet Muncaster’s books the perfect next step in their reading journey. These are longer stories with more complex themes around friendship and self-expression but are still crafted with the same passion, creativity and story-telling magic that’s made Isadora Moon a firm favourite.” OUP children’s publishing


executive Lou John added that the new books were “fresh, and brim- ming with imagination, delving into a more expansive, yet still magical world, that will delight readers and leave them desperately wanting more”.


London Book Fair


News


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36