Faber signs three more from Costa Award-winner Farrant

Faber Children’s has re-upped with Costa Award-winning author Natasha Farrant, acquiring three new middle-grade novels. 

Alice Swan, editorial director at Faber Children’s, signed world rights, excluding the US and Canada, from Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan.

The three-book deal begins with Yakov’s Island, a story in which two children "learn what it means to belong" when an island goes up for sale off the coast of Northumberland. They are determined to make it their home—whatever it takes.

Swan described Farrant as “a diamond on our list”, adding: “It is extraordinary to think that someone so talented is still managing to further hone their craft: just when you think Natasha’s writing can’t get any better, it does. Her books empower and inspire and will fill young readers up with glorious big feelings. We are thrilled that we will be publishing her for years to come.”

Literary scout and former Orion and HarperColllins rights professional Farrant has been almost exclusively with Faber since she published her first children’s book, the Carnegie-longlisted and Branford Boase-shortlisted The Things We Do For Love, in 2012. Her titles have shifted just over £600,000 through Nielsen BookScan UK, led by The Children of Castle Rock and the 2020 Costa Children’s Book Award winner, Voyage of the Sparrowhawk. 

Farrant said: “I couldn’t be happier to carry on my creative partnership with the wonderful team at Faber, writing stories I love about brave, adventurous children taking firm control of their own destinies.”

Faber will publish Yakov’s Island in paperback in summer 2024.