Macmillan Children's Publishing Group signs eight-figure deal with Aaron Blabey
Internationally bestselling author Aaron Blabey has signed an eight-figure deal with Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. The major global deal encompasses seven titles in two new middle-grade series, to be published simultaneously by Macmillan Children’s Books in the UK and Macmillan Australia.
Jennifer Besser, president and publisher, negotiated the eight-figure deal for world rights with Patrick Hughes at Foundation Media.
Blabey is a number one New York Times–bestselling author previously published by Scholastic, including the Bad Guys series (adapted for film by DreamWorks Animation), Pig the Pug and the Thelma the Unicorn duology (adapted for film by Netflix). Blabey served as an executive producer on both film adaptations.
The first of Blabey’s new series, Game of Pets, is slated for publication in autumn 2026. Macmillan said it “poses the important question: what if life on Earth is merely a board game being played by giant animals whose avatars happen to be our beloved pets?”
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The publisher added: “Hilarious and action-packed, Game of Pets is The Truman Show meets The Secret Life of Pets, all told in Blabey’s inimitable style. In the second of Blabey’s new series, The Awfuls, readers are introduced to a top-secret, experimental weapon – a ‘passive-aggressive’ weapon that is so formidable it has the power to make your enemy feel badly about themselves and give up. What could go wrong when this weapon falls into a kid’s hands?”
Besser said: “Aaron’s talents are myriad and extraordinary – and among his greatest gifts is his affection for what it means to be a young reader. This deep knowing shows up in his books’ every hilarious joke; in every complicated character with a wish just outside their reach; and in every illustration and plot twist, so exciting they leap right off the page and into young readers’ hearts and minds. What a dream it is to work with Aaron, whose work I’ve admired for so long, and what a thrill to make a publishing home for him at Macmillan.”
Alison Ruane, managing director of Macmillan Children’s Books UK, commented: “We are thrilled by the opportunity to work with bestselling, global super-talent Aaron Blabey. As the appetite for highly-illustrated, funny fiction grows, Aaron’s unique brand of hilarious and visual storytelling is exactly what children are looking for and we can’t wait to introduce his two exciting new series to many thousands of young fans.”
Blabey said: “In June 2023, I completed the final Bad Guys book – my 40th title in 10 years – and genuinely felt it might be time to retire... However, the infectious enthusiasm of everyone at Macmillan for a pair of new ideas (that I had quietly tucked away) has made me think perhaps all I needed was a holiday and a shot of new positive energy. I am very excited to get back to work. Here’s to a new chapter with the gang at Macmillan.”
