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Piccadilly Press will publish award-winning picture book author Frann Preston-Gannon’s first story for older readers, about an adventurous "rockpooler" that is pitched as "perfect for fans of the Moomins and Hilda".
Ruth Bennett, editorial director at the Bonnier Books UK imprint, acquired world rights from Jodie Hodges at United Agents to Little Lim and the Golden Treasure, which will be released in spring 2025.
The book, with full-colour illustrations and aimed at readers aged six-plus, follows Limpet Pebble—known to friends and family as Little Lim—who lives with her father in a cottage in a community at the edge of a large rockpool, where houses disappear and reappear with the rising tide. Lim has dreams of winning the young explorer contest at the Tidepool Moon Festival, "but will determination to win the prize lead her into troubled waters?"
Preston-Gannon has been working as an author and illustrator for over a decade. beginning with her 2012 début picture book, The Journey Home (HarperCollins Children’s Books) which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. An anthology poetry collection which she illustrated, I am the Seed that Grew the Tree (Nosy Crow), won that retailer’s Gift of the Year prize in 2018.
Her new book, Preston-Gannon said, came to her during Covid-19 lockdowns when, spending the summer in her south London flat, she longed "for beautiful natural places and dreamt of sharing the wonder of exploring the shoreline with a new generation". She added: "It has been such a thrill to step outside of my picture book comfort zone and spend time building a more expansive world. I am hoping this book will strike the perfect balance of a longer book without compromising on illustrations for readers to dive into."
Bennett added: "Frann’s love for the natural world shines through in all of her work, and it’s brilliant to see her take her natural flair for storytelling to this new format, combining her gorgeous artwork with beautifully crafted words. Little Lim’s story has the timeless charm and enduring appeal that makes the art of children’s books so very special."