Owlet buys the follow-up to Fennemore and Damoulakis' lockdown hit

Owlet Press has acquired Lauren Fennemore and Zoe Damoulakis’s picture book The Wonderful World was Waiting, the sequel to the duo’s overnight lockdown sensation The Year We Muddled Through. Sam Langley-Swain, founder and managing director of Owlet Press, bought World Rights to the title, which will publish on 15th June. 

The first title, acquired in November 2020, just before the author gave birth to her first baby after years of IVF treatments, sold 1,000 copies within three hours on sale, and shifted over 15,000 within the first six weeks. Illustrator Damoulakis was signed to the Bright Agency after the success of the book.  

Fennemore said “the weirdness and wonder of a year that none of us are going to forget in a hurry” inspired her to start writing, to document events in a way which “captured the love and hope that has kept so many of us going. I’m blown away by the response to the first book and heart-warmed to think that it has resonated with so many. I hope that people also find hope and joy in The Wonderful World Was Waiting as they rediscover the world anew with their little ones.” 

Langley-Swain said: “When Lauren said she was working on a sequel – while juggling the demands of a new baby, no less – we jumped at the opportunity to bring another important and memorable book to families everywhere, especially those with babies born during the last 15 months. Lauren’s story captures the sentiment of our current situation perfectly, and Zoe’s illustrations bring so much joy and wonder to every page.”