Hachette Children’s swept away by animal epic from Webb  

Hachette Children’s Books has been swept away by The Story of Greenriver, a “lyrical tale” of two otter siblings by Holly Webb.  

Lena McCauley, senior commissioning editor, acquired world rights for two books from Julia Churchill at A M Heath. It will be published for readers aged 9-11 in September 2022.  

The Story of Greenriver sees Webb take a new direction with a story that is a departure from her younger, pet-focused stories. The new novel has all the hallmarks of a modern classic, said the publisher, and is illustrated by Zanna Goldhawk. 

The synopsis reads: “In The Story of Greenriver, Sedge is the reluctant heir to the leadership of the Greenriver otter holt. His sister, Elderberry, was lost in a flash flood that washed the two tiny cubs from their home. Now it’s spring again and the river is rising dangerously once more. With the holt threatened, Sedge is convinced Elderberry is still alive and can help save the holt—if only he’s brave enough to journey downstream to find her.”  

McCauley said: “Holly uses beautifully evocative language to describe the animals that live along the Greenriver, which is perfectly complemented by Zanna Goldhawk’s stunning illustrations.”  

Webb added: “I’ve loved working on The Story of Greenriver—it echoes so many books I adored growing up. It was wonderful to be carried away by adventure as I was writing.”