Puffin snaps up O'Hara's At Home in a Book

Puffin has snapped up At Home in a Book by Lauren O’Hara, featuring illustrations of iconic houses, places, characters and objects from childhood classics, accompanied by extracts from the original texts.

Publisher Andrea MacDonald acquired world rights from Angharad Kowal Stannus at Kowal Stannus Agency. Keren Greenfeld, art director, will design. It will publish in October 2024.

The publisher describes At Home in a Book as “perfect to introduce young readers to childhood classics as well as a beautiful cross-over gift for book lovers and book-lovers-to-be".

O’Hara said: “I am delighted that Puffin is publishing At Home in a Book. With its rich tradition for publishing classic children’s literature, it feels like the perfect home for my peek into the worlds of Anne of Green Gables, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Little Women and more. I hope that children and adults alike will be able to share in my love of these classic tales and delight in a closer look behind the doors of 221b Baker Street, Anne’s beloved Green Gables, Heidi’s alpine hut and Captain Nemo’s ’Nautilus’.”

MacDonald added: “When I first saw Lauren’s stunning idea and artwork for At Home in a Book I knew I had to publish it because I wanted to own it and give it to everyone I knew. Lauren has created something special: the perfect book for book lovers. There is nothing quite like this: the book opens like the front of a dolls’ house letting each reader pore over Anne’s room in Green Gables, delve into Holmes’ deducting bag, or explore a map of Neverland. I have been obsessed with cutaway illustrations since reading Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s Cops and Robbers as a child, and I can’t believe my luck that Lauren has dreamed my perfect book into existence.”