Jim Field signs six-book deal with Hachette

Illustrator Jim Field has signed a six-book deal with Hachette Children’s Group (HCG).

Field will create two picture books with Kes Gray and a fiction title with Julian Gough for Hodder Children’s Books, and two picture books with Rachel Bright and an illustrated classic gift book for Orchard Books. Both Hodder and Orchard are imprints of HCG.

All the new titles will be released between 2018 and 2020.

Hilary Murray Hill, c.e.o. of Hachette Children’s Group, said: “We’re proud to be Jim Field’s publisher. His well-established talent and range is outstanding, from the quirkily humorous to the poignantly heartfelt. We’re committed to continuing this publishing breadth across Hodder Children’s Books and Orchard Books, allowing each book to excel individually and also be part of an effective long-term strategy.”

The deal for world rights was brokered between Emma Layfield, picture book publisher at Hodder Children’s Books, Emma Lamm, commissioning editor at Orchard Books, and Field’s agent Jodie Hodges of United Agents.

Field has already worked on several titles for Hachette, including Oi Frog, written by Gray, which has sold 140,000 copies, according to HCG. He is also the illustrator of David Baddiel’s middle-grade fiction titles for HarperCollins Children’s Books.