Puffin to publish Ukrainian children's author Babkina in English for first time

Puffin is to publish Ukrainian children’s author Kateryna Babkina for the first time in English. 

Naomi Colthurst, senior commissioning editor, and Anna Barnes Robinson, publisher, acquired world English rights to Cappy and the Whale, which has been translated into English by Hanna Leliv and illustrated throughout by Julia Pylypchatina. The book was originally published in Ukraine by Old Lion in 2015 and will be available in English in October. 

To mark publication, Puffin is donating £5,000 to the National Literacy Trust’s campaign to support Ukrainian child refugees. The publisher said it does not expect to make a profit from the title, but any publisher profits driven by sales of the hardback book will additionally be donated. 

Cappy and the Whale follows eight-year-old Cappy who discovers a whale swimming outside his bedroom window. Cappy has leukaemia, which means he’s unable to live the adventurous and care-free life he reads about in books but with his new best friend he goes for a wild ride in the sky and together they go on a journey of imagination, hope and curiosity. 

Babkina said: “I wanted to show my readers that hopeful and funny stories can be found in even the most dramatic and sad situations. The story of little Cappy and his unusual friend is about noticing all the good and small miracles in our daily lives and it’s a story about love.” 

Leliv added: “I love how delicately Kateryna handles the complicated issues in a manner full of optimism and kind humour. Cappy and the Whale is a book bursting with love and life, and it has been an absolute delight to translate it.” 

Colthurst also commented: “Like many people, we have been shocked and horrified by the terrible events unfolding in Ukraine, and have wanted to find a way to express our solidarity with Ukraine, and the Ukrainian people. We are delighted to be publishing such a special and unique story in English for the first time, and are excited to share Cappy’s story of joy, imagination and hope with a whole new readership.”