Quercus signs 'beautiful' coming-of-age novel from Okereke

Quercus has signed a "beautiful" coming-of-age story from Chioma Okereke titled Water Baby.

Former assistant editor Ajebowale Roberts acquired world English language rights from Niamh O’Grady at the Soho Agency before moving to HarperCollins. The novel will be published on 11th April 2024.

Set in Makoko, a floating slum off mainland Lagos, Water Baby follows 19-year-old Baby who joins a new drone-mapping project to escape the future her father has planned. When the video Baby makes goes viral she has the choice to leave Makoko and represent the community on the world stage or, perhaps, everything she wants is in the very place she wants to leave.

Okereke’s debut novel, Bitter Leaf, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Africa Best First Book. She commented: "I’m excited that Baby is soon to be out on the big wide world, and even more delighted that she has found her home at Quercus. I’m so pleased to join its incredible family of writers. Working on this novel has been an absolute joy, and I hope readers will love it too."

Quercus added: "Chioma is a fantastic writer. This coming-of-age novel set in the real-life floating settlement of Makoko, Nigeria, shines a bright light on contemporary issues while portraying the life and social pressures on a young woman trying to escape the confines of her community."