New Laura Dockrill novel about overweight girl to Hot Key

Hot Key Books, part of Bonnier Zaffre, will next year release a new novel from children’s and YA author Laura Dockrill, entitled Big Bones.

The novel is described as a “firmly teen” story about a girl who is overweight. The book starts as Bluebell, known as BB, is visiting a nurse to discuss weight loss, despite being happy about her size.

Dockrill said: “Writing Big Bones was paying a debt off to my younger self. Through the voice of BB I faced many of my own demons that I had stuffed down; not feeling pretty enough, not good enough, not as cute or as small as my little sister was, not cool enough or smart enough. Not independent enough. Or brave enough. Forever flitting between feeling too big or too small, too loud or too quiet. I wrote this for all the rejection I felt as a kid.

“I was constantly wanting and waiting to transform into the 'real' version of me, always looking to my mum thinking WHEN?! I now know that I was there with me all along I was just conditioned to not like what I saw.”

Emma Matthewson, publishing director at Bonnier Zaffre, acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights from Jodie Hodges at United agents and will publish in Spring 2018.