LKP signs illustrator Yasmeen Ismail

Laurence King Publishing (LKP) has bought Yasmeen Ismail's Push, Pull, Empty, Full, previously published by Blue Apple Books, and will turn the book into a new activity series.

Push, Pull, Empty, Full will be republished as the first book in a new series from LKP, entitled ‘Draw & Discover’. The series, for children aged 4-7, was created by LKP’s Elizabeth Jenner (head of children’s) and Chloe Pursey (children’s commissioning editor) to foster drawing skills in children.

LKP will republish Push, Pull, Empty, Full in January 2017 along with a second book, Inside, Outside, Upside Down. The third title, Happy, Sad, Feeling Glad, will follow in April 2017.

LKP struck a three-book deal for world rights with Ismail’s agent, Vicki Willden-Lebrecht of the Bright Agency.

Jenner said: “Yasmeen’s illustrations and picture books spark the imagination and get children’s creativity flowing. We’ve admired her work for a long time at LKP, so we’re delighted to be working with Yasmeen to publish ‘Draw & Discover’, her first ever activity book series.”

Ismail is also the author of picture books such as Nothing! and I’m a Girl!, published by Bloomsbury Children’s.