Hodder Children’s signs Wattpad hit

Hodder Children’s Books has acquired a YA fantasy trilogy from debut author Taran Matharu. The first book in the series, Summoner, has already had three million reads on Wattpad since its publication on the site five months ago.
 
Hodder Children’s will publish Summoner, which is about a blacksmith’s apprentice, his demon and their battle against the Orcs, in 2015. Two further books, as yet untitled, will follow at a later date.
 
Naomi Greenwood, senior commissioning editor, and Nick Coveney, consumer, audio and digital editor, acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Juliet Mushens of the Agency Group.
 
“From the moment the team at Hodder started reading we were addicted to Summoner and its absorbing world,” said Greenwood. “With its mixture of friendship, adventure, political intrigue and magic, it will appeal to children and fantasy fans of all ages.”
 
International rights been sold in the US, Germany, Brazil, Russia and Spain.