Faber Children's carouses with Casale's 'kick-ass' YA novel

Faber has landed Sing If You Can’t Dance, a story about a teenage girl coming to terms with a disability, in a two-book deal from Alexia Casale.

Publisher Leah Thaxton acquired world rights from Kristina Pérez at Zeno Agency. The first book will publish in paperback on 6th July 2023.

"When Ven starts losing her mobility in her teens, her dream of being a dancer is over before it starts," the synopsis reads. "But Ven is unstoppable so, if she can’t dance, she’ll sing, whipping her hopeless school choir into shape and finding them an amazing gig to prove that life isn’t over just yet. An uplifting story of music and unexpected friendships that captures the breathlessness of first love and the seminal importance of hope."

Also published by Faber, Casale’s debut novel, The Bone Dragon, was shortlisted for the Waterstones’ Children’s Book Prize and the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis. It was a Book of the Year for the Financial Times and the Independent, as well as being longlisted for the Branford Boase. Her second novel, House of Windows, is featured on Reading Well’s mental health booklist. She is also the director of YAShot, a young adult and children’s literature festival providing free author visits to libraries paired with disadvantaged schools.

"I am beyond delighted to be continuing my YA journey with the editorial might of the brilliant Faber Children’s behind me," she said. "The whole team have embraced the fact that Sing If You Can’t Dance is a story about first love, friendship and music that just happens to have a disabled protagonist. They’ve always spoken of Ven as the spiky, unapologetic, ’sarcasm personified’ character she is, never diminishing the issues she’s facing while respecting that she isn’t defined by her mobility or pain—which is just as well or she’d have caused no end of trouble."

Editorial director Alice Swan said: "Sing If You Can’t Dance is an #OwnVoices YA novel thrumming with personality and attitude. Ven, facing some serious challenges as her mobility is compromised by illness, leads the charge on putting her life, and herself, back together. She’s a feisty, sarcastic, brilliant character that readers will love. Alexia Casale has created such a strong, authentic voice and her exquisite writing sings off the page. We are so proud to be publishing this kick-ass book."

Pérez added: "I’m thrilled that Alexia will once again be working with the expert team at Faber for the next phase of her YA career. Faber is the perfect home for her poignant and accomplished novels."