Faber conjures deal with Cooper for 'sumptuously illustrated' fairytale

Faber has acquired illustrated fairytale The Taming of the Cat from two-time Kate Greenaway Medal winner Helen Cooper. 

Leah Thaxton, publisher, acquired world rights from Hilary Delamere at The Agency. The Taming of the Cat will publish in hardback on 5th October 2023.

The synopsis reads: “Starring a lethal cat, a mouse with a knack for storytelling and a princess who does not wish to be married, The Taming of the Cat features two stories entwined. Brie the mouse is a storyteller, caught in the paws of Gorgonzola, the murderous cheese shop cat. If Brie can amuse her, she might not eat him… yet. But as he tells his magical tale of a fierce princess and an enchanted hill, with a dragon and a giant cat; he gradually realises the truth. He can trust Gorgonzola more than the community of mice that he lives with. But can anyone really tame a cat?"

Alice Swan, editorial director, described the book as “one of the most sumptuously-illustrated fiction books” Faber has ever published while Delamare described the story as “seamless”. 

Cooper added: “I wrote The Taming of the Cat because I wanted to fashion a modern fairy tale with unusual alliances and themes of bullying and prejudice. There’s a fierce princess with no intention of marrying anyone at all – and she doesn’t. There are foxes who aren’t what they seem. There’s a magpie and a magic acorn or two. There’s a mouse trapped between the claws of a cat, who weaves this tale while he questions the nature of enmity and friendship. The story was mostly written during lockdown and unfolded at the length I had always intended. But what was meant to be a few illustrations became a great many. This is my first collaboration with Faber but they took the large heap of artwork and what had become a more substantial book completely in their stride, editing it with sensitivity, and the design looks sumptuous.”