Siobhan Dowd story turned into graphic novel

Independent publisher Barrington Stoke is adapting short story "The Pavee and the Buffer Girl" by the late writer Siobhan Dowd into a graphic novel.

The new version will feature illustrations by Emma Shoard and be published as part of Barrington Stoke’s Bucket List.

The story, originally published in 2003 in Skin Deep, a YA anthology about racism (Puffin), is about a young Irish Traveller boy. Jim is part of a Traveller family and bullied at school, where his only friend is a girl named Kit.

Mairi Kidd, m.d. of Barrington Stoke, bought world rights from Hilary Delamere at The Agency. Aimed at readers of 12 and over, the graphic novel will be published in March 2017.

Last week, Penguin Random House Children's announced plans to publish a sequel to Dowd's London Eye Mystery by Robin Stevens.