S&S Children's sign four more in Supertato series

Simon & Schuster Children’s Books is to publish four more picture books in the Supertato series by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, after securing a major new deal.

Helen Mackenzie Smith, picture books publisher, bought four new adventures featuring central character Supertato and his nemesis The Evil Pea, directly from the co-creators. 
 
S&S Children’s Books is launching the first two titles in spring 2022 and autumn 2022, with a campaign featuring a "uniquely Supertato take on a seasonal hook". The third and fourth titles will publish in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The series will be supported by a major marketing and publicity campaign including multiple brand partnerships, TV advertising, digital activity, school initiatives and a year-round programme of events.

Both Hendra and Linnet co-illustrate and co-write every book as a team. They have sold 1.9 million books sold for £7.9m, with Norman the Slug with a Silly Shell their bestseller on 204,602 copies sold through Nielsen BookScan in the UK. According to the publisher, sales of the latest title, Supertato Bubbly Troubly, are tracking 53% ahead of last year’s Carnival Catatstro-Pea and 58% ahead of 2018’s Supertato: Veggies in the Valley of Doom. Supertato: Bubbly Troubly spent four weeks in the Children’s Top 10 and three months in Top 10 Picture Book Bestselling Chart. The duo's new series, I Spy Island, published with S&S Children’s Books on 8th July. 

Mackenzie Smith said: "We are completely thrilled to be publishing four more irresistible Supertato books with the wonderful Paul Linnet and Sue Hendra. Paul and Sue are at the very heart of the list here at Simon & Schuster, making picture book magic (and mischief, of course, whenever the Evil Pea is involved…). Kids absolutely LOVE these books – and we do, too."

In a joint statement, Hendra and Linnet said: "We are honoured and thrilled to be asked by Simon & Schuster to make four shiny new Supertato stories. It’s an absolute pleasure to be working again with the talented Helen Mackenzie Smith and Jane Buckley on the new spud tales. It’s lucky, really, as our heads are so full of potato that without the team at S&S to relieve the pressure there could be an unfortunate explosion. Vive la Spud!"