Anna James signs three book deal with HarperCollins Children’s

HarperCollins Children’s Books has acquired the debut novel from literary journalist and scout Anna James in a “hotly contested” auction.

Pages & Co, a children’s title, tells the story of Tilly, who lives above her grandparents’ bookshop. One day Tilly realises that classic children’s book characters such as Anne of Green Gables are appearing in the shop through the magic of ‘book walking’ (crossing over from the page into real life). With their help, Tilly must try to evade the mysterious league of book collectors who vow to close the pages of ‘book walking’ forever.

Lizzie Clifford, commissioning editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, bought world rights, including digital and audio, from Claire Wilson of Rogers, Coleridge and White (RCW).

Sarah Hughes, fiction publisher at HarperCollins Children’s Books, said: “Pages & Co is a delight. It celebrates the magic of story and imagination in the most delicious way and has all the hallmarks of a future classic. We couldn’t be more proud to be working with Anna on her fabulous debut.”

Pages & Co will be HarperCollins Children’s flagship debut of autumn 2017 and details of marketing and publicity activity will be released in due course.

James is the former books and media editor of The Bookseller and literary editor of Elle. She is also a children’s and YA literary scout for Sylvie Zannier.