Dermot O’Leary signs up for more children’s books with HCG

TV presenter Dermot O’Leary is writing two more books in the Toto the Ninja Cat series for Hachette Children’s Group.

Editorial director Kate Agar acquired world rights to two titles from Jonny Wilkinson at John Noel Management. Both books will be illustrated by Nick East and Toto the Ninja Cat and the Superstar Catastrophe will be published in hardback on the 19th September 2019. The paperback will follow in Spring 2020.

Agar said: “We are delighted to be publishing further titles in the Toto the Ninja Cat series. Dermot’s warm and winning personality shines through in his writing and has won him many young fans. The series has sold in excess of 110,000 copies. Toto the Ninja Cat and the Superstar Catastrophe is an endearing action-packed story for all animal-loving seven-to nine-year-olds. Grown-ups will enjoy reading this aloud with its music festival setting and witty feline puns.”

O’Leary will also embark on a schools tour across the UK later this month.

In related news, HCG has also acquired three picture books by debut author and illustrator Viola Wang. The first book will be Rabbit Bright, a story about conquering your fears.

Group picture book publisher Emma Layfield bought world rights from Arabella Stein at The Bright Agency and will publish in hardback in March 2020.