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Scholastic has signed Ella Jones vs The Sun Stealer, a "high stakes action-packed" middle-grade novel from disability activist and blind broadcaster Lucy Edwards.
Fiction publisher Lauren Fortune acquired world rights in a two-book deal from Lauren Gardner at Bell Lomax Morton on behalf of 84 World Ltd.
Scholastic is also partnering with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to produce a Braille edition of Ella Jones vs The Sun Stealer. All formats will be published on 13th February 2025.
Written in collaboration with children’s author Katy Birchall, Ella Jones vs The Sun Stealer features 12-year-old Ella Jones who "relies not on a superpower, but on her own lived experience of navigating the world with sight loss". Ella has been blind for two years and is aided by her guide dog Maisie, her sister Poppy and best friend Finn.
The synopsis reads: "One day, on a visit to central London with her family, a light in the world is suddenly extinguished, causing panic and chaos as people are plunged into pitch black. A pagan god of light, Lugh, has been released from his millennium-old-prison by a shadowy villain and, out for revenge on humans, has brought darkness down on the world. But Ella is the hero the world needs: she is used to living her life in darkness every day, and is able to keep calm and work out a plan to defeat Lugh and return light to the world."
Edwards lost her eyesight at 17 and has since been documenting her experiences on YouTube and TikTok. She was the first-ever blind content creator to become an ambassador for Pantene and in 2017 began producing content for the BBC’s "Ouch! Disability Talk", BBC Radio 4’s "In Touch" and BBC News Online.
Edwards commented: "Ella Jones vs The Sun Stealer is a story that’s been in my brain for years and I have loved working with Katy Birchall and the Scholastic team to bring it to life. Growing up, losing my eyesight, I never read stories about strong independent blind protagonists because there wasn’t any. I wanted to make sure we were represented and I hope this book sends a message to every disabled child that they are fabulous just the way they are."
Fortune added: "Lucy is a true inspiration, full of joy and positivity and with a warm and funny outlook on life that we know will resonate with young readers. She has created an epic and game-changing middle-grade story where a young blind girl is the hero the world needs. Lucy cares deeply about helping blind children find representation in stories, as well as helping their classmates deepen their understanding about sight loss, wrapped up in a cracking page-turner of an adventure that no kid will be able to resist."