Puffin bags four more ‘phenomenal’ tween titles from Kirby

Puffin has snapped up four more titles in the Lottie Brooks series by author and illustrator Katie Kirby.

Carmen McCullough, editorial director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Chloe Seager at the Madeleine Milburn Agency. 

The new titles in the series see Lottie navigate the perils of puberty, embarrassing parents, dating dilemmas, friendship catastrophes and a chaotic Christmas.

The first title in the series was published in 2021. Since then, the third book, The Mega-Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks, shot straight to the top of the children’s book charts on publication. There will be two Lottie Brooks titles in 2023 – the fourth in the series, publishing in July, with a Christmas special following in October. 

This Christmas title will see the series move into hardback for the first time with the next three titles also publishing in hardback annually in June, with paperbacks following each February – taking Kirby’s publishing with Puffin to 2027.

McCullough said: “In 18 short months, the Lottie Brooks series has stormed to the top of the children’s bestseller charts and into the hearts of tweens everywhere. Katie is an incredible talent, understanding exactly what her readers want and need: fantastically funny relatable stories that help them manage the tricky business of growing up. We could not be more thrilled to be working with Katie on four more books in this brilliant series!”

Kirby added: “When I first started writing about Lottie I never dreamed that that first book would lead to a series of eight! I’m thrilled that the wonderful team at Puffin believe in Lottie as much as I do, and I can’t wait to bring more of her madcap adventures to readers.”

Seager said: “Katie is the funniest writer for tweens around and the phenomenal reaction to her books speaks for itself. I can’t wait to get four new books into the hands of readers desperate for more Lottie!”