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A new picture book list for Faber and a children's title from adult author William Sutcliffe are among the deals signed at this year's Bologna Children's Book Fair.
Faber Children's launches picture book list
Faber Children's is launching a picture book list for the first time, with publisher Stephen Page asserting that children's books are now a "major focus" of the publisher's strategy.
Classics Snow by Walter de la Mare and T S Eliot's Macavity will be among the first titles from the list, which will begin publishing in 2014. Other titles already acquired are Hog in the Fog by poet Julia Copus, where Candy Stripe Lil sets off to find Harry the Hog who is lost in the fog; Do you Remember? by Helen Docherty, described by the publisher as "deeply moving" with the message that everything is possible; and Kitchen Disco by debut author and speech writer to David Cameron, Clare Foges, which shows fruit jumping up from the fruit bowl to dance when all good children go to sleep. Rights in the titles will be on offer at Bologna, via acting head of rights Lizzie Bishop.
Faber Children's plans to publish four picture books per year, one each season. Children's publisher Leah Thaxton said: "This will be a child-focused, highly selective boutique list,investing in only the very best for the discerning parent and the curious child . . . We're investing in story-led texts that will sit happily alongside the very best and the most original household classics."
Although the publisher has published picture books before, this will be the first time it has a dedicated list. Faber publisher Page said: "Children's books are now a major focus of our publishing strategy as we aim to build a substantial business developing children's publishing both in print and digital in markets where we believe our brand can be strong."
Egmont reveals Minecraft publishing programme
Egmont UK has unveiled its launch programme for online construction and combat game Minecraft, having acquired global publishing rights, excluding the US, in November 2012.
The publisher is also consulting the online game's fans about them contributing to the titles. It will be selling rights in the titles at Bologna Book Fair this week.
The publishing programme will launch in September, with four handbooks to the online game where users build worlds out of cubes. The Beginner's Handbook, which teaches new players how to survive in the Minecraft universe; The Redstone Handbook, which teaches fans how to use redstone, one of the most sought-after minerals in the game; The Combat Handbook, taking users through everything they need to defend themselves from attacks; and The Construction Handbook, which showcases the most complex structures users have built within the game. All four titles will be for children aged 9+ and will each be priced £5.99.
A Minecraft annual will also be released, priced £7.99, and Minecraft: The Poster Book will launch for £9.99.
Publishing and marketing director of Egmont's licensed character division Sarah Bates said: "As well as working closely with Mojang developers on the publishing we are also in discussion with a number of superfans about them contributing to our titles and next month we will be launching a competition for fans to win the chance for their design to feature as a page in our Minecraft Poster Book. Interest from retailers has been extremely strong and we can't wait to bring these books to market."
S&S Children's buys Sutcliffe's first young fiction
Simon & Schuster Children's Books has acquired a new illustrated young fiction series from bestselling adult author, William Sutcliffe.
Commissioning editor Jane Griffiths bought world rights in two books from Felicity Rubinstein of Lutyens & Rubinstein. It is the Are You Experienced? author's first children's fiction series.
The first book in the series, The Circus of Thieves, is described as an "hilariously off-beat adventure aimed at the nine-plus readership, featuring an eccentric cast of circus performers, an evil ringmaster, two very daring children and a variety of weird and wonderful animals." It will be published in late spring 2014, and will be illustrated by David Tazzyman, whose credits include the Mr Gum series by Andy Stanton. The second, as yet untitled novel, will follow in 2015.
Griffiths said: "William has created a wonderfully madcap adventure with a brilliant mix of slapstick humour and word-play that will appeal to children and adults alike. David's art style is a perfect fit for William's writing and I can't wait to see him bring the characters to life."