Mitchell Beazley scoops new edition of Leendertz almanac

Octopus imprint Mitchell Beazley has scooped the new edition of Lia Leendertz's best-selling modern almanac.

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2020 will be published this September, alongside an e-book and audiobook. Stephanie Jackson, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Adrian Sington at Kruger Cowne Ltd.

Last year’s edition, detailing ways to connect with the seasons, appreciate the outdoors and discover ways to mark the start of each month, was a hit, selling 39,085 UK print copies for £282,921.

The new version, illustrated by Julia McKenzie, includes features on each month's unique nature, including key dates, moon phases and meteor showers, sunrises and sea temperatures, tides and garden tasks, birdsong and blossoms, seasonal sauces and recipes, hedgerows, festivals and songs.

“The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2020 reinvents the tradition of the rural almanac for a new audience,” according to the synopsis. “It gives you the tools and inspiration you need to celebrate, mark and appreciate each month of the year in your own particular way. Divided into the 12 months, a set of tables each month gives it the feel and weight of a traditional almanac, providing practical information that gives access to the outdoors and the seasons, perfect for expeditions, meteor-spotting nights and beach holidays.”

Leendertz, an award-winning garden and food writer, said: “Writing the almanac is a joy and I am immensely grateful to its readers, who have taken it to their hearts and established it as a Christmas tradition. There are few things more thrilling for an author. The Almanac 2020 is a beauty and I am delighted with it. I hope readers new and old will love it too.”

Octopus is planning a big social media push for the title along with special initiatives for retailers, including exclusive point of sale seasonal materials throughout the year.

Jackson said: “Lia Leendertz is a genius. Spotting the need for a modern almanac, her brilliant revival of the genre has become an annual necessity for many: much gifted, frequently referenced, a welcome bestseller for the trade and the perfect addition to tabletops, till points and Christmas stockings. We’re proud to be publishing its third edition.”