Piccadilly Press bags fantasy adventure trilogy from TV presenter and zoologist French

Piccadilly Press, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has acquired Beastlands, a fantasy middle-grade trilogy from TV presenter and zoologist Jess French.

Commissioning editor Ella Whiddet acquired world rights to three books in the series from Gill McLay at Bath Literary Agency. The first in the series, Beastlands: Race to Frostfall Mountain, will be published in paperback, e-book and audiobook in January 2024, followed by the sequel in 2025 and the finale in 2026.

The series will feature “wonderful and fearsome creatures from Jess’ imagination, inspired by her vast zoological expertise”, the publisher says, going on: “Beastlands is set on the island of Ramoa, which was once luscious and populated by mighty beasts. Now though it is home to barren and tamed cities, where nature is locked out and beasts are feared.

“Until Kayla’s beloved animal companion, a rare winged pangron, is stolen, and she has to journey into the wild Beastlands to get him back. As her quest brings her together with Rustus, an exiled young warrior, and Alethea, a healer desperately seeking a cure for a mysterious disease, they’ll adventure across the lands they know so little about, leading them to discoveries both great and terrifying.”

French is a qualified vet, a naturalist and entomologist. She is the author of over 20 books for children and the TV presenter of “Minibeast Adventures with Jess”. She has also worked as an animal handler on “Live ’n’ Deadly” and a story developer on “Springwatch”.

She said: “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with animals. I’ve studied them, operated on them, written about them, and all the while I’ve wondered what if? What if animals had evolved differently and we lived in a land populated by other creatures, as unique and wonderful as our own? This is the book I’ve always longed to write, and I could not have dreamed of having a better champion for it than Ella, or a better publishing home than Piccadilly Press.”

Whiddett commented: “We are so excited to welcome readers to the Beastlands, where wild things thrive. Jess’ writing is positively bursting with imagination, from wonderful and fearsome creatures to brave and bold characters, and she puts a brilliantly original environmental twist on the fantasy genre.”