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Jenny Pearson has written a middle-grade comedy series with her agent and fellow children's author Sam Copeland, scooped by Puffin in a two-book, six-figure deal.
Ben Horslen, fiction publisher, acquired world rights to the Tuchus & Topps series from Julia Churchill at A M Heath. The first in the series, The Underpants of Chaos, will publish in summer 2022.
The series follows a young spy-detective duo as they investigate the increasingly bizarre series of events unfolding at their school. Puffin said: “Full of the humour, wit and heart loved by readers of both Pearson’s The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates (Usborne) and Copeland’s Charlie Changes Into a Chicken (Puffin), The Underpants of Chaos explores themes of family, friendship and identity through a fast-paced plot brimming with laugh-out-loud comedy. “
The synopsis explains: “Something bad is happening at Little Strangehaven Primary. What are the peculiar SHIVERS that keep striking the school, bringing Strangeness in their wake—from uncontrollable ballroom dancing to an attack by military chickens? Spy-detective Agatha Topps is determined to find out. She’s the only person who doesn’t forget the Strangeness as soon as it’s over. At least, until new boy Lenny Tuchus turns up and remembers too. Their spy-detectoring leads them to the Book of Chaos, an ancient text which has been hidden away in the Room of Forbidden and Dangerous Books. Can Agatha and Lenny fight off attacks from evil underpants and Transylvanian gargoyles to stop the SHIVERS before their town is sucked into oblivion? Because power lies in books—especially this one...”
Copeland's books have been translated into 26 languages and nominated for multiple awards including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. When not writing, he is an agent at RCW where he represents Pearson among many others and has recently been shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year at the Nibbies.
He said: “I came up with the idea of collaborating with another author a long time ago, and it is a huge honour for Jenny Pearson to work with me. Having learned from the best, it has been a real delight to see Jenny’s writing progress through my patient guidance.”
Pearson's debut children's novel The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates was published in 2020 and has already been sold in 20 languages. It was Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month, the Times Book of the Year, Sunday Times Book of the Week, shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book of the Year 2020 and ULKA Book Award, and longlisted for the Branford Boase.
She said: “I went to Sam with the idea for Tuchus & Topps after David Baddiel was too busy to commit. Sam might not have been my first choice, or indeed my second, but writing this with him over the lockdown period has been pure joy. Mostly.”
Horslen added: “Individually, Sam and Jenny are two of the funniest writers for kids today. Together, they are something extra special, and this new series showcases their pitch-perfect blend of humour and heart. I’m delighted to be continuing our journey with Sam and also to welcome Jenny to Puffin.”
Tuchus & Topps: The Underpants of Chaos will publish in summer 2022, with second book Tuchus & Topps: Attack of the Killer Librarians to follow in summer 2023.