Hachette Children's falls for Brown's 'fresh' debut YA romance

Hachette Children’s Group has acquired All That’s Left in the World, a queer YA romance about courage, hope and humanity from debut US-based author Erik J Brown.

Tig Wallace, senior commissioning editor, bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Ben Fowler at Abner Stein. The paperback will be published in March 2022. 

Aimed at ages 12 and over, All That’s Left In The World follows two teenagers who survive a pandemic to find the world changed for ever. The synopsis reads: "A superflu has wiped out most of the population and Jamie lives alone in a cabin in the woods, until an injured stranger crosses his path. Life is dangerous now and, armed with a gun, Jamie goes to pull the trigger. But there’s something about Andrew that stops Jamie in his tracks, and Jamie takes him in. As they eventually step out into the strange new world on a perilous journey, their relationship starts to feel like more than just friendship."

Wallace said: "It’s hard to know where to start in describing how wonderful this book is. Erik has captured the speculative power of How I Live Now and combined it with the heart of Love, Simon. What I’m most excited about, aside from the stunning cover, is how timely this book feels for the YA market. A queer romance with a high concept, of-the-moment hook like this feels fresh and invigorating – I hope readers enjoy coming with us on this journey."

Brown commented: "I feel so incredibly lucky that All That's Left In The World is being published by Hachette Children’s Group! Growing up, finding queer stories was incredibly difficult, so I’m thrilled that Hachette has chosen to bring this story of hope and love to young readers in the UK and abroad."