Bologna Book Fair Highlights from Penguin Random House Children’s

BOLOGNA CHILDREN'S BOOK FAIR: 3 – 6 April 2017

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy is the largest and most important international trade show and Book Fair dedicated to children’s books. As the market for children’s books continues to grow, what happens each year in Bologna has an enormous influence on global children’s publishing.

As always our Penguin Random House Children's Rights Teams are fully primed for a busy schedule of events at this year's Bologna Book Fair. These events will showcase the latest market trends in the international Children's book industry and are an opportunity to meet the huge range of illustrators, graphic designers, literary agents, publishers, authors and translators that flock to the event each spring to experience the business world of books and multi-media products.  

We'll be championing the broad range of our licensing from Hatchimals to perennial favourites like Peter Rabbit™ and Doctor Who. We'll also showcase our amazing authors from those who are already established like Sophy Henn, Sally Green and R. J. Palacio to debuts from Connie Glynn and a second novel from rising star Emily Barr. 

One of the highlights for our publishing team will be a special breakfast event with author Ed Vere.

PRE SCHOOL: Special Event

Penguin Random House Children’s is hosting a special breakfast event with Ed Vere on Wednesday 5th April at the Fair. He will be unveiling his new book, and discussing his career to date from his early titles such as The Getaway, Banana, Bedtime for Monsters to latest big hitters such as Max the Brave.

For all rights enquiries please contact:

Lorna Stone LStone@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk for our picture books
and
Eishar Brar EBrar@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk for our fiction titles

YOUNG ADULT: Special Event

In an unprecedented move the Penguin Random House Children’s rights team will host a special pre-publication event to launch The Rosewood Chronicles by Connie Glynn on to the world stage at this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Zosia Knopp, Rights Director, Penguin Random House Children’s says:

We couldn’t be more excited to introduce our publishing partners from around the world to Connie and the incredible The Rosewood Chronicles at a masked ball at Le Stanze. Our guests will be in for a real treat!

The Rosewood Chronicles is the first in a series that will follow unlikely friends Lottie and Ellie throughout their time at Rosewood Hall written by Connie Glyn, AKA Noodlerella.

When fourteen-year-old Lottie starts at the infamous Rosewood Hall, she quickly learns she will be sharing a room with Ellie – a girl very different from Lottie, so different that she is, in fact, the Crown Princess of Maradova. Due to a series of lies and coincidences, Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess, so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life. Suddenly Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty – a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal . . .

The Rosewood Chronicles will publish in September 2017. Penguin Random House Children’s holds World rights.

YOUNG ADULT: Hot Title

The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green

Half Bad by Sally Green was THE Book of the Fair in 2013. And, in 2014, the Penguin Random House Children’s Rights Team broke a Guinness World Record for the most translated book by a debut author pre-publication. It has now sold in 51 territories worldwide.

Now in 2017, they will be unveiling a brand new trilogy from Sally. The Smoke Thieves is a fantasy series set against a backdrop of warring kingdoms and mysterious magic.

Sally Green says: In this new series I’m creating a world of darkness, fear and a bit of thievery. I love developing new characters and I can’t wait to share their lives with my readers.

The Smoke Thieves, is set to publish in Summer 2018, simultaneously with Viking Books for Young Readers in the US.  

Penguin Random House Children’s holds World rights.

MIDDLE GRADE: Hot Title

Twelve Nights by Andrew Zurcher

Timeless and magical literary fantasy in the vein of Philip Pullman and C.S Lewis.

Andrew Zurcher is an incredible new writing talent. A storyteller passionate about stories, writing for readers from 9–99.

Kay and her little sister, Eloise, never imagined that their standard icy Christmas Eve in Cambridge would be the start of a twelve-night odyssey.

Kay’s father is working late – as usual. Fed up and ready to start their family Christmas, her mother bundles her daughters into the car and drives to her husband’s Cambridge college to collect him herself. But when they get there, nobody has even heard of him. The porter claims mobody by his name has ever worked at the college...

Ruth Knowles, Editorial Director, Penguin Random House Children’s says:

This book is something very special – the kind that every editor dreams of discovering; the kind that gives you goosebumps from the off because the writing, characters and setting are all so vivid

Twelve Nights will publish in January 2018. Penguin Random House Children’s holds World rights (US rights have been sold).

PRE SCHOOL: Hot Title

There’s A Monster in Your Book by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott

Tom Fletcher is a creative powerhouse. One million Dinosaur That Pooped picture books have sold worldwide and his debut fiction title The Christmasaurus was a huge UK bestseller and sold in 10 languages!There’s A Monster in Your Book uses the power of a child’s imagination to create a magical interactive storytelling experience.

There’s A Monster in Your Book will publish in June 2017. Penguin Random House Children’s holds World rights (Random House hold US Rights).

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