Phil Earle’s new middle-grade series goes to S&S Children’s Books
Simon & Schuster Children’s Books has acquired Finn’s Epic Fails, a new middle-grade comedy series from bestselling, multi-award-winning author Phil Earle.
Managing director Rachel Denwood acquired world rights in a “major” three-book deal from Jodie Hodges at United Agents, following an exclusive submission, and will be Earle’s editor at Simon & Schuster. The series will be illustrated by Al Murphy.
Finn’s Epic Fails is for readers nine and up and will be published in February 2026 in paperback, with the audiobook, read by the author, published simultaneously. The publisher says the book’s super-lead launch will be backed by a major high-impact marketing and PR campaign to run year-long, with a second book publishing in the autumn.
Finn’s Epic Fails stars self-professed mortification magnet Finn Hope as he tries (mostly fails) to endure the tyranny of his school heart-throb brother and the sinister schemes of his unicorn-obsessed little sister. With the help of best friends Lazlo and Google (ask her anything), can Finn find a way to win – or at least to survive – year seven?
Earle’s previous books include When the Sky Falls (Andersen Press), which won both the British Book Award for Children’s Fiction Book of the Year and the Books Are My Bag Readers Award for Children’s Fiction, as well as being shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
Earle said: “I’ve always been drawn to literary underdogs like Georgia Nicholson, Stanley Yelnats and the peerless Adrian Mole, so I’m chuffed to bits to introduce Finley N.O. Hope to their ranks. I can’t begin to tell you how much I’m enjoying writing about his misadventures (the poor kid) and am ridiculously excited to be working with the Mighty S&S team. Roll on 2026...”
Denwood said: “We are so excited to be publishing the brilliant Phil Earle on our blockbusting children’s fiction list. Finn’s Epic Fails is middle-grade The Diary of Adrian Mole, and during the editing of this book I have variously roared, snorted and cried with laughter. But this is Phil Earle so of course there are sublime moments of warmth and heart as well as many, many laughs. Readers will soon be cheering on the most loveable new underdog in children’s books!”
