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Jennifer Killick is moving to Farshore, the new name for Egmont Books UK, with two middle-grade fiction titles.
Sarah Levison, senior editor at Farshore, signed world rights in all languages from Kirsty McLachlan of Morgan Green Creatives. The first book in the deal, Dread Wood, publishes in January 2022 for readers aged nine to 11. It is also the first acquisition announced under the new Farshore name and logo.
The new book's synopsis explains: “When classmates (but not mate-mates) Hallie, Angelo, Gustav and Naira are forced to come to school on a SATURDAY, they think things can’t get much worse. But they’re wrong. Things are about to get seriously scary. What has dragged their teacher underground? Why do the creepy caretakers keep humming the tune to Itsy Bitsy Spider? And what horrors lurk in the shadows, getting stronger and meaner every minute? Cut off from help and in danger each time they touch the ground, the Dread Wood gang’s only hope is to work together. But it’s no coincidence that they're all there on detention. Someone has been watching and plotting and is out for revenge...”
Killick moves from Firefly where her most recent book, Crater Lake, was the Times’ Children’s Book of the Week, a BookTrust pick and an Amazon bestseller.
She said: “I'm incredibly grateful to be working with Sarah and the team at Farshore. From the moment my wonderful agent Kirsty introduced us and we started discussing the seed of a story I wanted to write, it felt like the perfect fit. I can't wait for readers to join the Dread Wood gang as they come together to battle some truly disturbing enemies, laughing their way through the horrors they face.”
Levison added “Funny, real, creepy, HUGE kid appeal – these are just some of the reasons why we are over the moon to bring Jennifer’s spookily brilliant books to the Farshore list. The team and I have long been fans of Jennifer’s writing and fantastically engaged relationships with her young readers, schools and bookshops. We’re thrilled to be able to bring Dread Wood and Jennifer’s new books to young readers everywhere – who we know will be delighted and terrified in equal measure!”