Puffin wins five-way auction for three ‘enchanting’ Tiny Dogs titles by author-illustrator Lihou

Puffin has won a five-way auction for début author/illustrator Rose Lihou’s series about a girl who discovers a litter of miniature canines.

Kelly Hurst, Puffin editorial director, won world rights for the three titles in the Tiny Dogs series from Rachel Petty at The Blair Partnership. The first book, Bea’s Secret Friends, will be published on 4th April 2024, the second follows three months later and the third will be released in February 2025.

The series—“perfect for young readers who are ready to move on from picture books”—centres around Bea, who with her mum moves in with her grandparents. Bea had remembered her grandparents’ house had a big, beautiful garden but it is now overgrown and neglected. But that suits Bea as she uses the garden to hide away from the strangeness of her new life. Then she hears a strange noise, goes to investigate and sees four fully developed but tiny dogs, no bigger than mice, playing in the grass…

Hurst said: “I am so delighted to be publishing [Lihou’s] enchanting début. She had me from the title Tiny Dogs, to be honest…her beautifully sweet illustrations and charming story about friendship, confidence and a group of pups you could hold in one hand have bags of child appeal."

Petty added: “The magical simplicity of this idea captured my heart as soon as I heard it—who wouldn’t want a dog that could fit in the palm of their hand? Every child will want to get lost in the miniature world of this story, full of wonder and adventure—and tiny dogs.”

Lihou is an artist and illustrator based in Winchester. She launched Born Lucky in 2016, a business that produces wall art for children, and previously worked as a senior designer at PRH Children’s.