Simon & Schuster Children’s swoops for two more in Shireen’s Grimwood series 

Simon & Schuster Children’s Books has acquired two more stories in the Grimwood series by Nadia Shireen. 

Ali Dougal, publishing director, acquired world rights from Jo Unwin at JULA. Launched in September 2021 in hardback, e-book and an audiobook narrated by Adam Buxton, the “riotously funny” illustrated middle-grade adventure series has been shortlisted for the Books are My Bag Award, The Branford Boase Award and the Scholastic Lollies. 

Books in the series include Grimwood (2022), Grimwood: Five Freakishly Funny Fables (2022, World Book Day) and Grimwood: Let the Fur Fly (2023). According to the publisher the series has, to date, sold 130,000 copies through TCM. It also featured as a World Book Day £1 read in 2022, and translation rights have been sold in 17 territories. The third book in the series is set to publish in August 2023, with books four and five following at nine-month intervals.

Shireen, whose other books include Good Little Wolf and Barbara Throws a Wobbler (Jonathan Cape), said: "I can now confirm after visiting schools around the nation that there is a demand, nay a NEED for more stories about chaotic urban foxes, treebonking squirrels and a homicidal eagle with a sideline in podcasting. To that end, I am delighted to be working with S&S on even more tales from the psychedelic rural anti-idyll that is Grimwood. Hooray!”

Dougal commented: “Grimwood has fast become a firm favourite for kids and adults alike. There’s nothing funnier in the market, and we know that this series is responsible for creating new readers and making bedtime reading the opposite of soporific – but nobody minds because everyone’s having so much fun. Nadia Shireen is a genius and we couldn’t be prouder to publish her on our thriving middle-grade list.”