Montefiore duo pen first children’s book

Simon & Schuster Children’s Books has acquired The Royal Rabbits of London, the first children’s book by Santa and Simon Sebag Montefiore.

Senior commissioning editor Jane Griffiths acquired the world rights in a two-book deal from Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown and Georgina Capel of Georgina Capel Associates. The illustrator is Kate Hindley (United Agents).

The Royal Rabbits of London, described as The Hobbit meets Fantastic Mr Fox meets Watership Down, is about a rabbit called Shylo, who moves to London to discover the secret world of the Royal Rabbits of London, who defend the kings and queens of England.

In a statement, the authors said: “‘The story was inspired by our son Sasha, who imagined a society of rabbits living under Buckingham Palace, and developed with the advice of our daughter Lily when they were seven and nine years old. But it is also about the struggle that every parent feels between the old world – books, reading – and the perils of the new – phones and computer games. Both of us have been so busy with novels and history books that it has taken us six years to write.”

Santa Montefiore is the author of 15 novels for adults, including her latest title, A Mother’s Love (Simon & Schuster).

Her husband, Simon Sebag Montefiore, is the author of non-fiction history books such as Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar and The Romanovs (W&N).