MCB swoops for McKay's The Swallows' Flight

Macmillan Children’s Books has acquired The Swallows’ Flight, the companion to Hilary McKay’s award-winningFirst World War novel The Skylarks’ War (MCB).

Samantha Smith, publisher for fiction, non-fiction and picture books, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency. It will publish in hardback on 27th May 2021.

The Skylarks’ War won the 2018 Costa Children’s Book of the Year Award, was selected as a Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month in January 2019, and was picked as the Times and the Sunday Times’ Children’s Book of the Year amid widespread critical acclaim.

The Swallows’ Flight is a "moving" Second World War story of family and friendship set on opposite sides of a devastating conflict. It features characters from the earlier book as well as the next generation moving from childhood to the threshold of adulthood amid the chaos and conflict of the Second World War.

The synopsis explains: “Erik and Hans admire swallows over the rooftops of Berlin, little thinking that one day they will be flying above England, risking their lives in a war they both detest. Ruby and Kate, great friends despite their differences, find themselves racing towards a danger that neither of them could possibly have imagined. Meanwhile Rupert and Clarry work secretly for peace — and a brighter future for them all.”

Smith said: “I couldn't be more delighted to introduce Hilary's new novel, which reunites us with many of the characters we fell in love with in The Skylarks' War. This is a story of such hope, just the story we all need as we head towards summer 2021.”