The Bookseller.com

2nd July 2009

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RH and Transworld buy new Lovely Bones

09.05.08

Random House Children's Books and Transworld have concluded the joint acquisition of If I Stay by American author Gayle Forman, described as reminiscent of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones.

After a hotly contested UK auction, Caspian Dennis of Abner Stein sold the novel to Annie Eaton and Clare Argar at RHCB and Selina Walker at Transworld for a significant sum. Publishing in hardback on RHCB's list in May 2009, a dual edition paperback edition of If I Stay for teenagers and adults will follow from Definitions and Black Swan.

Selina Walker, editorial director at Transworld, said: "This novel is raw, powerful, uplifting, and it’s one of those rare books which makes you look at life in a different way after you have read it."

The joint acquisition by RHCB and TW builds upon previous joint successes including The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne.

Transworld Rights deal Random House children's Gayle Forman