Knights Of snaps up new middle-grade novel from Polly Ho-Yen

Knights Of has snapped up The Last Dragon, a new middle-grade novel by Polly Ho-Yen.

Editorial director Eishar Brar acquired world English language rights in a two-book deal from Clare Wallace, managing director of children’s and agent at Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency. The book will be published on 6th June in B-format paperback, supported by a PR and marketing campaign, including artwork prints, point of sale materials and teaching notes.

The Last Dragon is described as "a moving story about bravery and self-belief with themes of conservation and preserving nature", and features black and white illustrations by Charis Loke. It marks Ho-Yen’s first middle-grade book with Knights Of, who also publish her young fiction titles The Boy Who Grew a Tree and The Girl Who Became a Fish.

Ho-Yen said: “I just love working with Knights Of and so this opportunity to write middle-grade fiction with them is truly a dream realised. The Last Dragon isn’t your typical dragon story. It’s not set in a fantasy realm or in some far-off kingdom; it’s told in a world that is just like our own and is the story of sisters and the power of sister bonds, of the need sometimes to get angry, and how uniting, standing up and pushing back is where our real fire lives.”

Brar added: “In this gently magical novel, Polly writes with the characteristic warmth and compelling writing that has endeared her to so many readers over the years. We know old and new fans alike are going to love Yara as she protects the very last dragon on earth."

Ho-Yen’s debut novel, Boy in the Tower (Corgi Childrens), was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and Blue Peter Book Award. Moreover, The Boy Who Grew a Tree (Knights Of) was shortlisted for the Teach Primary Book Awards and the inaugural The Week Junior Book Awards, and featured in the 2023 Read for Empathy collection.