Orchard launches Secret Princesses series at Bologna

Orchard Books is launching its new 7+ series fiction, Secret Princesses, at Bologna Book Fair.

The publisher, which is part of Hachette Children’s Books, came up with the idea for the series with creative company Hot House Fiction. The series is written by a number of authors under the pseudonym Rosie Banks and will launch in June with four books - The Magic Necklace, Dolphin Adventure, Starlight Sleepover and Pop Princess - all priced at £4.99, followed by an extended special in the autumn. Next year, Orchard will publish two sets of four books and 2-3 specials.

Castilian and Catalan rights to the first four books and the firsts pecial have already sold to Spanish publisher La Galera and more deals are expected to be signed in Bologna.

Orchard is promoting the series through a partnership with fashion retailer Monsoon, which will stock the same dresses as the characters wear in the cover of the first book. Monsoon has also designed a friendship necklace, which Orchard will feature in a competition, and will have samplers of the books in its stores.

Publisher Megan Larkin said her ambition is for Secret Princesses to be “number one in the market”.