John Green to tackle mental illness in October novel

Six years after his huge hit The Fault in Our Stars, author John Green will bring out a new novel, Turtles All the Way Down, in October.

Penguin Random House Children’s UK and PRH imprint Dutton Books in the US will publish the book simultaneously on October 10th, in a global English language publication.

Green has said that the novel is his "first attempt to write directly about the kind of mental illness that has affected my life since childhood".

The story involves 16-year-old Aza Holmes, a young woman who is looking for clues about the disappearance of a fugitive billionaire, while she simultaneously grapples with mental illness.

The publisher describes it thus: "Turtles All the Way Down begins with a fugitive billionaire and a cash reward. It is about lifelong friendship, the intimacy of an unexpected reunion, Star Wars fan fiction, and tuatara [reptiles endemic to New Zealand]. But at its heart is Aza Holmes, a young woman navigating daily existence within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. In his long-awaited return, John Green tells Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity."

The author said: “I've been working on Turtles All the Way Down for years, and I’m so excited to share it with readers this October. This is my first attempt to write directly about the kind of mental illness that has affected my life since childhood, so while the story is fictional, it is also quite personal."

Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children’s UK, commented: “A new book from John Green is cause for true celebration. John is the most powerful of storytellers and this is a proud and incredibly exciting moment for our whole company as we announce this news today.”

The publication of Turtles All the Way Down comes nearly six years after the release of The Fault in Our Stars, the bestselling book of 2014, which has sold over 23 million copies worldwide, according to the publisher, and was made into a 2014 film starring Shailene Woodley. Green's earlier novel Paper Towns has also been adapted for film. Both Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska have also racked up nearly 600,000 copies sold between them. Green, who has a massive following on Twitter (@johngreen) and Instagram (@johngreenwritesbooks) was chosen by TIME magazine as one of its 100 Most Influential People in the World.

News of the new John Green novel means October is adding up to a massive month for children's/YA publishing, with Philip Pullman's La Belle Sauvage (PRH Childrens/David Fickling) coming on 19th October, and two new Harry Potter books, tying in with the British Library exhibition, on the 20th.