Scholastic acquires Gamble's first middle-grade series

Scholastic has acquired two titles in veterinarian and TV presenter Luke Gamble's first middle-grade series.

Yasmin Morrissey, commissioning editor, acquired world rights for two books from Elly James at the HHB Agency Ltd. The first title, The Secret Animal Society, will be published in September 2021. 

The Secret Animal Society will follow Edie Wight who, after her parents fail to collect her from boarding school for the summer holidays, is sent to live with her estranged uncle, a veterinarian in a remote part of the New Forest. Before long, Edie understands there is something magical about the animals her uncle treats and that the doctor is the last in a long line of veterinarians who treat mythical creatures, and among his patients are pegasi, unicorns, dragons and more. At first, her uncle is wary of his new house guest, but when he receives a summons from the Himalayas to help a remote family of yetis, Edie finds herself on the voyage of a lifetime. Along the way, she’ll learn about the secret talent passed down through the generations of her family, uncover the doctor’s past, and come face to face with the doctor’s old enemies, the Syndicate: a troop of murderous hunters of mythical animals.

Morrissey said: "Luke’s writing blew me away from the very first page. His ability to storytell is totally effortless, which coupled with his unique passion and expertise for animals, has created something truly magical. There are gorgeous hints of Dahl, Snicket and Ibbotson in Luke’s craft that makes him such an exciting talent to work with. A true adventure awaits every reader of The Secret Animal Society, and I can’t wait for them to meet Edie and the doctor."

Gamble commented: "It’s a huge honour to join the Scholastic stable of children’s authors. The opportunity to be part of such a creative and empowering team is fantastic and Edie and the doctor couldn’t have found a better home from which to launch their adventures! Writing the first book has been such a fun process, with four young children of my own at home, it’s so easy to get carried away and get sucked into world of mythical creatures! I found myself looking forward to the end of the day when I had the chance to sit down and write the next bit of the book! I’m super excited about the journey ahead and with such a supportive team around me, I can’t wait for us to power up the next ones in the series!"

Gamble has starred in wildlife programmes for National Geographic, Animal Planet and two prime-time series on Sky One. He is also the founder and c.e.o. of charities Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) and Mission Rabies which seek to protect animals worldwide. He has previously published two books with Two Roads: The Vet: My Wild and Wonderful Friends (2011) and The Vet: The Big Wild World (2012).