Fig Tree scoops Marisa Giannasi's A Miscellany of British Bookshops

Fig Tree has acquired A Miscellany of British Bookshops, a non-fiction illustrated title by designer and illustrator Marisa Giannasi.

Publishing director Helen Garnons-Williams acquired world rights from Sophie Lambert at C&W. The book will be published in hardback in June 2027 to coincide with Independent Bookshop Week.

The book will feature watercolour portraits of more than 100 British bookshops alongside stories about the shops and booksellers behind them. The author has built an online following through her watercolour sketches of bookshops across the UK.

The synopsis states: "A Miscellany of British Bookshops is a heartfelt, community-led project featuring gorgeous watercolour portraits of over 100 of Britain’s most beloved bookshops, alongside affectionate stories about the shops and the booksellers who create and curate them."

Garnons-Williams said: "From the moment we laid eyes on Marisa’s gorgeous watercolour sketches of bookshops they stole our hearts. And when she started recounting the stories from her encounters with booksellers up and down the country, we knew we needed to champion this book.

"We feel proud and enormously excited to be publishing this beautiful, life-affirming Miscellany, which will bring joy to anyone who treasures books, bookshops and booksellers."

Giannasi said: "I began this project with the intention of celebrating our treasured bookshops through ink and colour. Sketching is how I best understand the world, slow it down and see it more clearly. With every visit, I fell a little more in love with the magic of the bookshop and the inspirational energy of our booksellers."