Grylls plans kids' books

Former SAS man, outdoors expert and TV personality Bear Grylls is branching out into children's publishing with a series of adventure titles.

To be published by Random House Children's Books' Red Fox imprint, Grylls' Mission Survival series for children (roughly nine to 11-year-olds) will launch in June with Gold of the Gods (p/b, £5.99), with three more to follow in 2009/2010. Billed as "a thrilling new adventure series from a real survival expert", the books feature intrepid schoolboy Beck Granger, "a brilliant new hero perfect for younger fans of Alex Rider, Young Bond and Chris Ryan", according to the ­publisher.

The publication coincides with Grylls' new series of "Born Survivor", set to return to Channel 4 in April in a prime-time Sunday evening slot, and will be supported by a "major marketing and publicity campaign".

Fellow RH imprint Transworld, meanwhile, has bought another three books from Grylls after the success of last year's tie-in to "Born Survivor". The first, Bear Grylls’ Great Outdoors Adventure, is due in October. The book will be followed by two more titles—one "biographical" and one "motivational", according to Transworld editorial director Doug Young.