S&S Children's buys three books from North in 'significant' pre-empt

Simon & Schuster Children’s Books has signed a three-book deal for a "magical" middle-grade series from debut author Jacob North in a "significant" 48 hour pre-empt. 

Michelle Misra, fiction editorial director, acquired world all-language rights from Silva Molteni at the Peters, Fraser + Dunlop Agency. North American rights have been sold to Nicole Ellul, senior editor at Simon & Schuster US. The Ice Apprentices, the first book in the deal, will be published in 2025 with an "unmissable" marketing campaign. 

Following Oswin Marsh who has always felt like an outsider, The Ice Apprentices is set in a deserted land of snow, called the "Tundra". The synopsis continues: "When the grandmasters of Tundra send Oswin to the school for ice apprentices, to learn a special kind of ice magic, it’s finally a chance for him to prove his worth. With his new friend, Ennastasia, Oswin soon finds himself risking everything he holds dear…" 

Misra commented: "I knew the minute I started reading The Ice Apprentices that it was something truly special. Within pages I found myself totally immersed in this rich world of ice and magic that Jacob had created. With characters to die for and incredible world building, it really is a remarkable book. It champions inclusivity at its very heart but is, above all else, a unique and epic adventure. We are delighted to be welcoming Jacob to our fantastic list of talented storytellers."

North said: "It doesn’t feel real that Oswin’s story has found such a fantastic home with Michelle and the Simon & Schuster team. I am so thankful to my agent, Silvia Molteni, for her hard work in preparing The Ice Apprentices for submission. I hope this world of snowy log cabins, mischievous spells and monsters as bizarre as they are deadly will become as breath-freezingly real to others as it is to me."