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Big Picture Press has signed a three-book deal with rapper and poet Akala.
Akala’s first non-fiction children’s title, as yet untitled, will be an illustrated history of human brilliance and achievement, and will highlight untold stories from around the globe.
“Growing up I was lucky enough to be a beneficiary of the Pan-African 'Saturday school' movement where I learned very early that there were countless examples of human brilliance and achievement that fell outside of mainstream historiography, thus I am extremely excited to be working on a collection of books for young people that focus on lesser known examples of human achievement from all around the world throughout all of history,” said Akala.
Big Picture Press is an imprint of Templar Publishing, which is itself an imprint of King’s Road Publishing, part of Bonnier Publishing. Lisa Edwards, head of children’s publishing at King’s Road, acquired world language rights from Adrian Sington at Kruger Cowne Rights and will publish in 2019.
Akala has also signed to Hodder Childrens for a "magical realist Shakespearean series".
In May he will publish a memoir Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire with John Murray Press imprint Two Roads, which tells stories from Akala's life, from the time he was stopped and searched as a child to the day he realised his mum was white, and covers everything from the police, education and identity to politics, sexual objectification and the far right.