Crown House cops middle grade detective series from Kessel

Crown House is publishing a debut middle-grade detective series which supports children’s mental health and well being by debut author and NHS England clinical director Anthony Kessel.

The psychology and education publisher's m.d. David Bowman acquired world rights for the Don't Doubt the Rainbow series directly from the author Anthony Kessel.

First book in the four-book series, The Five Clues, out on 2nd August 2021, is a mystery thriller and family drama. The synopsis explains: “Walking back from her mother’s grave, 13-year-old schoolgirl Edie Marble finds a note in a pocket of the sheepskin coat that she hasn’t worn since the day, a year earlier, when she received the awful news of her mother’s death. The note is from her mother, who has laid a trail of clues for Edie to find that will help her to shed light into a corporate human rights scandal and uncover the mystery around her death.”

Kessel said: “I am thrilled to bring these Edie Marble adventures to children. As well as providing young people with gripping detective stories in which to immerse themselves, I also introduce them to the Three Principles understanding of how the mind works. Awareness of this approach – now starting to be taught in school-based programmes worldwide – will help young people navigate the stresses, anxieties and challenges of modern life, and improve their psychological wellbeing and resilience. I couldn’t have found a better place to launch the Don’t Doubt the Rainbow series than with the dedicated team at Crown House.

Bowman added: “We are delighted to have signed this exciting and important new series. It links extremely well with our psychology and self-help expertise and provides a great new vehicle for delivering mental health benefits to children through an exhilarating narrative - giving them the tools to manage all sorts of negative emotions including anxiety and grief.”