Nosy Crow buys two by Catherine Bruton

Nosy Crow has acquired two standalone books by Catherine Bruton, the author of I Predict a Riot and We Can Be Heroes (Egmont).

The first book, No Ballet Shoes in Syria, due for publication in June next year, is about a 10-year-old refugee from Syria whose talent for dancing is spotted by a local ballet teacher. Miss Helena believes Aya can earn a scholarship at the prestigious Royal Northern Ballet School but Aya and her family must also fight to remain in the country.

“I wanted to tell the story of a young Syrian asylum seeker: her life before and during the war in Aleppo, her flight from her war-torn country and struggle to make a new life in the UK,” said Bruton. “I hope it's a story that will make young readers think about words like 'refugee' and 'asylum seeker' differently - to see the child behind the label, as  a child with hopes and dreams just like they have. Ultimately I hope it is a story of heartbreak - but also of hope.”

The second title, Another Twist in the Tale, is a reworking of Dickens’ classic novel Oliver Twist, telling the story of Oliver’s secret sister Twill, and will publish in 2020.

Tom Bonnick bought world rights to both books from Caroline Montgomery at Rupert Crew.