Hachette Children’s Group snaps up concentration guide from neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow
Hachette Children’s Group has acquired Brainwave, an expert concentration guide from by neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow, illustrated by Ollie Mann, in a bid to address the need for books to help children’s attention spans.
Helen Archer, commissioning editor at HCG, acquired world rights from Caroline Michel and Silvia Molteni at Peters Fraser + Dunlop . The book will be springing into UK shops in May 2026, timed to support the exam season and end-of-year fatigue where concentration often wanes.
"At age nine, the human brain enters an important step in brain development where we learn how to best focus, what to pay attention to and begin to form lifelong habits," the synopsis says. "With decreasing attention spans reported worldwide, Brainwave provides a positive, accessible and practical toolkit to support children during this vital development stage."
The blurb adds: "Whether it’s to help a child increase their attention span or to better understand and use their phenomenal brainpower, this practical guide is packed with tools and activities to help children finesse their focus at school and beyond. Hannah Critchlow uses neuroscience and her understanding of children’s behaviours and emotions to guide the reader from easily distracted to fully focused (and when to let the mind wander), with fun exercises for them to complete along the way."
Critchlow said: "I wrote this book to help my nine-year-old son Maxen, and his friends (and all us parents) navigate this pivotal period of development. It’s a book to help children make use of the phenomenal brain power they possess, increase their focus in school and make positive decisions as their unique identity and life trajectory takes shape."
Archer added: "It is so important to be publishing a book that will help middle-grade children to focus better at a time where more children are struggling in school than ever before. There is a concentration crisis, and Hannah has addressed this so perfectly with her book full of practical tools and activities that genuinely help readers to concentrate better. It is the book every parent has been looking for."
