HCG seals string of kids' deals

Hachette Children’s Group (HCG) division Quercus Children’s Books has acquired a fantasy YA début by Josh Martin, who recently finished an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University.

Ariadnis follows Joomia and Aula, who are forced to undertake a mysterious, deadly challenge.

Quercus acquired world rights, excluding the US and Canada, in a two-book deal from Silvia Molteni at PFD. Sarah Lambert, editorial director at Quercus Children’s and Hodder Children’s, said: “We see Ariadnis sitting alongside the hottest contemporary fantasy novels, such as The Sin Eater’s Daughter [by Melinda Salisbury, Scholastic] and Red Queen [by Victoria Aveyard, Orion].”

Another HCG imprint, Orchard Books, signed a three-book deal with German publisher Coppenrath for teen series Dark Matter from Teri Terry (pictured), with senior rights manager Valentina Fazio sealing the deal. The first title, Contagion, will be published in the UK in May 2017. Orchard holds world rights to the trilogy, along with world rights (excluding the US and Canada) to the author’s backlist, which is published in 12 languages.

HCG is also selling rights to titles from two new lists, Pat-a-Cake and Wren & Rook: the former is the early years imprint led by Heather Crossley; the latter a non-fiction list run by Debbie Foy. The pair’s first titles will hit UK shelves in 2017.

HCG group rights director Andrew Sharp said: “I’m excited to add the exceptional pre-school and baby books from Pat-a-Cake to our portfolio and the announcement of Wren & Rook, with its innovative non-fiction, has been met with a lot of excitement.”