Puffin serves up Falafel's 'laugh-out-loud' middle-grade adventure

Puffin has acquired Trixie Pickle Art Avenger, a "hilarious" middle-grade adventure written and illustrated by comedian and host of the YouTube show "Art Club", Olaf Falafel.

Kelly Hurst, editorial director, bought world rights from Antony Topping at Greene & Heaton. It will be published in paperback and e-book on 7th July 2022. 

The "laugh-out-loud" illustrated adventure is aimed at readers aged seven plus and will feature "the Banksy of her school", Trixie Pickle. The synopsis reads: "Trixie loves art and hates bullies – and so decides to become an Art Avenger, righting wrongs at her school through art. She uses Picasso, Pollock and Ofili to teach bullies a lesson and help those in need."

During the 2020 lockdown, Falafel started his weekly YouTube show, offering draw-alongs, art lessons and inspiration for children at home. He will bring his knowledge and approach to young readers through Trixie Pickle Art Avenger, the publisher said. 

Hurst said: "Olaf’s hilarious 'Art Club' YouTube videos were a lifeline for my family during the lockdown months and so I was thrilled when the brilliant Trixie landed on my desk in a splash of acrylic and a cloud of spray paint. It has exactly the right number of fart jokes and it’s full of Olaf’s illustrations, which are just as funny as his writing. We are delighted to welcome Trixie and her arty adventures to Puffin."

Falafel commented: "I’m super excited about these books and, as they are about being a renegade artist, I reckon I can do an Andy Warhol and get someone else to write them for me! In all seriousness, I loved making kids laugh and teaching them about art during the various lockdowns so this is just perfect — I can’t wait!"

Falafel has published three titles with HarperCollins Children’s Books: Old Macdonald Heard a Parp (2017), Father Christmas Heard a Parp (2017) and Old Macdonald Heard a Parp from the Past (2018). He also published It's One Giant Leek For Mankind with Unexporcupine Publishing in 2019.