Tom Fletcher pens 'highly inventive' picture book for PRH

Tom Fletcher is set to publish another picture book with Penguin Random House Children's.

The McFly band member’s forthcoming title, There’s a Monster in your Book, will be published under the Puffin imprint on 29th June. The book will be illustrated by "rising star" Greg Abbott.

World rights were acquired by commissioning editor Joe Marriott from Stephanie Thwaites at Curtis Brown in a two-book deal.

The musician’s debut middle-grade novel, The Christmasaurus, was published by PRH last October. He also co-authored a series of picture books, The Dinosaur That Pooped (Red Fox), with McFly bandmate Dougie Poynter with illustrations by Garry Parsons. The Dinosar that Pooped a Lot was was one of the biggest children’s books of 2015.

Fletcher said: “I'm extremely excited to announce There's a Monster in Your Book. This was actually the first book I wrote whilst on tour with the band many years ago, long before the Dino Poop series and The Christmasaurus, so my cheeky little Monster has been patiently waiting in his book all this time. It feels quite appropriate though that it’s being published now that I am a father as it's so much fun to read with kids (much better than band mates). We live in an age where kids are so familiar with screens, I wanted to show that with a little imagination a book can be just as interactive. Greg has created such an awesome, unique-looking Monster and I can’t wait for people to go on this little adventure with him.”

Commissioning editor Joe Marriott said: "Puffin is incredibly proud and excited to be publishing this highly inventive and satisfying picture book from one of the most exciting voices in children’s publishing. There’s a Monster in Your Book is a clever, engaging read-aloud delight that celebrates all the fun that can be had with a book. We’re sure it will have readers small and large laughing for years to come.”

Teams at PRH UK and in the US are collaborating on the title. The Random House Books for Young Readers imprint of Random House Children’s Books in the US will release the jacketed hardcover of There’s a Monster in Your Book on 5th September.

Heidi Kilgras, editorial director at Random House Books for Young Readers said: “Tom Fletcher’s inviting story is a dose of pure pleasure for the kids who won’t be able to resist participating in the action and the grown-up reader. It’s pretty much a perfect picture book.”

Fletcher credited his wife’s career as an author as inspiring him at the Christmarausus launch in October. Coronet is publishing the first non-fiction book by novelist, actress, and TV presenter Giovanna Fletcher, Happy Mum, Happy Baby: My Adventures in Motherhood on 23rd February. She is also the bestselling author of Billy and Me, Christmas with Billy and Me, Dream a Little Dream, Dream a Little Christmas Dream, You're the One That I Want and Always with Love (Penguin).