Hachette Children’s swoops for Jassat’s middle-grade novel in three-book deal

Hachette Children’s has bagged Nadine Aisha Jassat’s The Stories Grandma Forgot (and How I Found Them) in a three-book deal.

Senior commissioning editor Polly Lyall Grant acquired world rights from Gemma Cooper at The Bent Agency. The Stories Grandma Forgot will be published in May 2023, with two standalone titles publishing in 2024 and 2025. 

The Stories Grandma Forgot is a “lyrical” verse middle-grade novel following Nyla, whose dad died when she was four, or so she has been told. The synopsis reads: “So, when Grandma Farida insists she saw him in the local supermarket, Nyla wonders if Grandma is simply ‘time travelling’ again – the phrase she uses when Grandma forgets. But Grandma is Nyla’s best friend and when she asks Nyla to bring him home, Nyla decides to make a brand-new promise to her Grandma: to find him. As Nyla sets out on a journey through her family’s past to try and find the truth, she also hopes that uncovering important stories at the heart of her family will help her understand who she is, and where she fits in the world…” 

Jassat said: “I am so thrilled to have found a home with Hachette Children’s Group, and to be embarking on this adventure together. Nyla’s story brought me so much joy to write, and is one that is deeply important to me. I can’t wait to share it, and its whole cast of characters, with readers.”

Lyall Grant added: “I am thrilled to welcome Nadine to the HCG list. I have longed to find a grandmother-granddaughter story which deals with Alzheimer’s. It’s a subject matter not often seen in children’s fiction, yet its effects are present in many households around the world. Nadine’s brilliant writing conveys the myriad emotions that are present as Nyla comes to terms with her grandma’s illness. Nyla and Grandma’s journey will stay with you long after you finish the book – and so too will the feeling of hope.”