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Scholastic has inked a seven-figure, three-book deal with Liz Pichon to go beyond the Tom Gates world.
Publisher of fiction and picture books Samantha Selby Smith secured the world rights deal with Caroline Walsh at David Higham Associates.
Shoe Wars is one of two standalone novels in the deal, which also includes another Gates title. The author has shifted 3.24 million books altogether making £17.18m according to Nielsen BookScan.
Walsh said: “With Tom Gates, Liz and Scholastic have together built a growing legion of devoted fans who will be eager to see where Liz takes them next in the very funny, exciting and inventive Shoe Wars.”
Samantha Selby Smith, publisher of fiction and picture books at Scholastic UK, says: “We are in awe of Liz Pichon’s remarkable gift for inspiring young readers through her words and pictures. Scholastic is proud to be her home and we look forward to Liz’s new fiction, which promises to be astounding, as well as the new Tom Gates.”
Pichon said: “I’m having such an amazing time making the Tom Gates books with Scholastic (who’ve been brilliant), that I honestly wasn’t expecting to get such a fantastic reaction to Shoe Wars. It’s going to be full of inventions and new characters, with more whole page illustrations and – hopefully – still funny too."
She added: "To say I’m excited about making new books, reaching new readers with a global release, as well as continuing with Tom is an understatement. I’ve been piecing together the plot for Shoe Wars for the last two years and now I can’t wait to get going on all these fantastic opportunities ahead."
Pichon visited Horsenden Primary School in West London with members from the Scholastic team and helped break the Guinness World Record for the largest disco dance to celebrate her latest book, Tom Gates: Epic Adventure (kind of), on Thursday (12th October).
Further news about the author's new publishing will follow at Bologna Book Fair 2018.