Simon & Schuster UK acquires three new titles by Michelle Harrison

Simon & Schuster UK has acquired three new titles by children's author Michelle Harrison.

The company's senior commissioning editor Lucy Rogers bought UK and commonwealth rights from Julia Churchill at A M Heath, in a deal that will include Harrison’s 10th book for S&S.

The newly acquired novels will form part of a five-year plan to build on the success of the Widdershins Adventure series. Readers can expect "Harrison’s trademark mix of dark magic and breathtaking adventure, with the possibility of returning to Crowstone with the much-loved Widdershins sisters."

Rogers said: "Michelle is an extraordinarily talented, goosebump-giving writer whose stories have cast a spell over readers young and old. We’re overjoyed to have the opportunity to expand her magical universe with three new middle-grade adventures that promise to be every bit as bewitching."

Harrison's titles include A Pinch of Magic and A Sprinkle of Sorcery, which have sold a combined total of 74,376 copies through Nielsen BookScan in the UK. A Pinch of Magic, the first instalment of the Widdershins Adventures, was being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for Children’s Fiction Book of the Year at The British Book Awards.

Harrison said: "Hurrah! My spell to conjure up more books with S&S has worked. I’m enormously proud to be published by them and, with three more stories brewing, I’m a happy word witch indeed."

A third Widdershins book' is expected for February 2021, as part of Harrison's 2011 contract, with the three titles in the new deal to follow from 2022.  

Rachel Denwood, m.d. of Simon & Schuster Children’s UK, described Harrison as "one of the most exciting and accessible children’s storytellers writing today, and she has huge potential to break out to the broadest possible readership.

"We are delighted to sign up these future titles and to extend our partnership with Michelle: she is part of the DNA of Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, and we are working with her on some very ambitious and thrilling growth plans!”