PRH buys ‘hilarious’ middle-grade series by Humza Arshad and Henry White

Penguin Random House Children’s has bought a humorous middle-grade series by comedian Humza Arshad and comedy writer Henry White.

The series, which will be illustrated by Aleksei Bitskoff, is about Humza Khan, a.k.a. Little Badman, who is the greatest 11-year-old rapper Eggington has ever known. When Humza’s music teacher departs, his auntie steps in as substitute, and nobody seems to care about the unorthodox teaching because of the endless sweet treats. But as other teachers start to disappear, with more aunties appearing in their place, Humza knows something isn’t right. 

With the help of his elderly uncle and friends Umer and Wendy, Humza discovers that the suspicious aunties might not be as friendly as they seem. Now he must find a way to destroy them before they take over the world.

PRH Children’s will publish two titles on the Puffin list in 2019 and the first, Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties, will be released on World Book Day (7th March).

Editorial director Holly Harris said: “We could not be more excited about the Little Badman series. Humza and Henry are irrepressibly funny and ridiculous, and the world they have created is hilarious. We see this as the launch of a very exciting new series and have no doubt that readers everywhere will be as charmed by young Humza as we are."

Arshad wrote, directed and edited a YouTube series called ‘Diary of a Badman’ and created the mockumentary series "Coconut" for BBC Three. He met White after the BBC introduced the two men to develop the Diary of a Badman YouTube series into a sitcom pilot.

Penguin Random House Children’s bought UK & Commonwealth rights in a two book deal from Humza Productions/Big Deal Films, brokered by William Morris Endeavour.