Knights Of signs comedy series from Burhana Islam

Independent publisher Knights Of will publish Mayhem Mission and two further books in debut middle-grade series My Laugh-Out-Loud Life by Burhana Islam. The series will be illustrated by Farah Khandaker. 

In the series, Islam will draw from the experiences of her own family and Bengali community, adding "humour and heart to her rich and immersive cast of characters", says the publisher.

The first title, Mayhem Mission, will be published on 1st April 2021 and will follow the adventures of Yusuf Ali Khan, as his family prepares for his sister’s upcoming wedding. When the real meaning of his sister leaving home sinks in, he embarks on a mission to disrupt the wedding, with "hilarious" consequences.

Editorial director Eishar Brar acquired world rights in three titles from Polly Nolan at Papercuts Literary Agency.

Brar said: "Burhana is a true talent, we are so delighted to publish her debut fiction series. Mayhem Mission is full of laugh-out-loud moments, with a relatable and moving sibling relationship at its heart. It is always our aim to create space for our authors to write authentically and comfortably, so to see Burhana thrive in writing this series is really a joy. We can’t wait for young readers to meet Yusuf and follow him on his future adventures!"

Islam commented: "Mayhem Mission is a love letter to every multi-generational and multicultural family out there. I'm absolutely delighted to have shared this journey with Knights Of and I'm even more excited to share this with the world. In this day and age, it sometimes seems that there are too many expectations on people of colour to write narratives centred on heavy themes of inner-turmoil and identity. To combat that, Yusuf's story is a comedic celebration of what it means to be loved unconditionally — even if that love has a funny way of manifesting itself. I can't wait for young readers to meet Yusuf, Nanu, Amma and Affa in the hope that they'll get to see themselves within these very pages too."