Penguin racks up Half Bad deals

Penguin has now secured deals in 36 territories for Sally Green's YA debut Half Bad.

The book was originally signed ahead of the Bologna Children's Book Fair in March, with Puffin editorial director Ben Horslen buying world rights from Claire Wilson at Rogers, Coleridge and White, in a pre-empt that beat off six-figure offers from the UK and US.

By July, the book has been sold in 25 different languages, including sales in Lithuania Brazil and Israel, and has now been sold in 36.

Film rights have been bought by Fox 2000 and Karen Rosenfelt, who produced "Twilight" and "Percy Jackson".

The book is set in the modern world and revolves around two factions of covert witches, Black and White, groups divided by hatred but united by their fear of one thing—a boy descended from both sides.

Green, 52, lives in Warrington with her husband and son, and previously worked as an accountant before beginning writing only three years ago.

Half Bad, the first book in the Half Life trilogy, will be released on 3rd March 2014.