Moon + Bird snaps up SENCO advocate Cate Haynes’ middle-grade debut
Moon + Bird commissioning editor Brittany Willis has acquired neurodivergent and SEN speech and language therapist Cate Haynes’ middle grade debut, The Spell Whisperer.
The book is billed as “a magical fantasy about a neurodivergent young witch with a stammer who has to discover her true magical abilities in time to save everyone she loves from the ghoulish Soulrazers”.The world all-languages deal was brokered with Becky Bagnell of Lindsay Literary Agency on behalf of Haynes, with publication scheduled for August 2027.
Willis said: “I was so excited when this book landed in my inbox. Soul-stealing villain, a race against the moon, a protagonist learning that her greatest weakness might be her greatest strength… What’s not to love? I was an avid fantasy reader as a child (I still am!) and the world Cate has created oozes magic and made me feel so nostalgic. From an Encanto-inspired house to a talking cat familiar, this middle grade has everything a good fantasy needs.
“Cate’s expertise as a speech and language therapist for children with special needs brought strong authenticity to the story, and we know it’s a deeply personal one for her as she, too, has navigated stammering. Moon + Bird publisher Laura Whitaker-Jones and I hope that this book will open up important conversations between caregivers, educators and children about self-belief, bullying and resilience and offer a fantastic springboard for discussion about voice, communication and self-expression.”
Whitaker-Jones added: “I adored this very strong acquisition from Brittany from the moment she brought it to my attention, and could not be more excited to be publishing this debut from such a brilliant author and SENCO advocate. Author Cate Haynes shares our vision for Moon + Bird to accurately and positively represent neurodiverse conditions and speech and/or language difficulties in a fresh way without them being the focus of the story, and she and her agent Becky have been a dream team to work with.
“The Children’s Society estimates that 15% to 20% of the population are neurodivergent, yet many young people don’t feel supported and comfortable to be themselves in schools or social settings. As the parent of a neurodiverse child, I believe that every child should feel included and heard, and I’m proud to publish a debut like Cate’s that reminds us that it’s the things that make us different that are often our greatest strengths, and it’s the voices that struggle to be heard the most that often affect the biggest change in the world.”
Haynes said: “I am so delighted to work with Brittany, Laura and the whole team at Moon + Bird. Their keen editorial eye and creativity have added an extra sparkle to The Spell Whisperer. This book and its under-estimated main character rattled around in my head for a long time, waiting for me to find the right way to tell it. I had so much fun writing about broken spells, Soulrazers, friendship, cake and a quirky, sentient house, and I can’t wait to share it all with readers. Huge thanks to my agent, Becky Bagnell, for believing in this book and for sending it to Brittany and Laura.”
