DK toddles off with six from What Mummy Makes star Wilson

DK has signed a six-book deal with Rebecca Wilson, bestselling author and founder of the What Mummy Makes Instagram food channel, including cookbooks and her first children's titles.

World rights were acquired by senior acquisitions editor Stephanie Milner and children’s publishing manager Francesca Young from Darryl Samaraweera at Artellus Ltd.

The deal includes two new cookbooks, with the first, on family comfort food, publishing in September 2021, and the next scheduled for autumn 2022. DK will also publish four children’s board and picture books starting in spring 2022.

Wilson’s debut cookbook What Mummy Makes: Cook Just Once For You and Your Baby was published in July 2020, sharing her family recipes suitable for babies from six months old, plus older children and parents too. The cookbook sold more than 15,000 copies in its first week, according to the publisher, and shot to the top of the charts. It is also shortlisted for a British Book Award, it was revealed today. A follow-up meal-planner was published in December 2020.

DK said: “Rebecca’s second standalone cookbook, Family Comforts, will show you how to cook over 100 heartwarming meals suitable for the whole family. Expect homely, flavourful recipes which are simple to cook and perfect for busy families. Setting it apart from other cookbooks, this is comfort food that everyone will love. Whether you are looking for delicious dishes to share with friends or a quick-cook meal after work, all recipes are suitable for young children from six months and irresistible for adults too. Rebecca’s philosophy is that parents can wean their babies, introducing them to a variety of new foods, while sharing the same meals alongside them, resulting in stress-free family feeding where parents and carers only need to cook once for the entire family.”

Milner added: “Having published not one but two bestselling books with Rebecca Wilson, I’m so honoured to have made the connection between her and the DK Children’s team to expand her publishing options within our business and her brand as a chart-topping cookbook author. I’m so excited to be on such a creative journey with her—long may it continue!”

Wilson said: “I’m really excited to continue working with DK over the next couple of years. It’s my goal to make cooking at home and feeding your family as easy as possible, with simple and comforting recipes. Since publishing my first two books, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching everyone making my food and I’m eager and excited to share more. I feel incredibly honoured to be given the opportunity to write two more cookbooks, and also to be able to expand into the children’s market, a lifelong passion of mine. I can’t wait to share what’s coming next.”

Young added: “We can’t wait to work with Rebecca to create a series of beautiful children’s books. It’s so exciting to be publishing titles that are not only engaging children on brand-new themes, but introducing them to new experiences too.”