S&S inks new three-book Elphinstone deal

Simon & Schuster Children's has secured a three-book deal with children's author Abi Elphinstone, as part of a "major brand-building" publication plan extending to 2024.

S&S Children's m.d. Rachel Denwood acquired world rights from Hannah Sheppard at the DHH Literary Agency for "magical adventure" Fizzlehatch, and a second standalone middle-grade novel, plus picture book The Frost Goblin, which S&S said would be in the same vein as Elphinstone's Chistmas 2019 hit, The Snow Dragon. The titles will be edited by fiction editorial director Jane Griffits and picture book editorial director Helen Mackenzie Smith.

Denwood said: "[Elphinstone's] fantastically magical and fantastically human adventures speak to a wonderfully broad range of readers and the Simon & Schuster team, many of whom have worked with Abi since her debut, are totally committed to further building her publishing; there is no doubt that Abi Elphinstone is a major author brand-in-the-making."

Elphinstone has shifted 225,000 units for just under £1m through Nielsen BookScan since first being published in 2015. Over of those unit sales came out in her breakout 2019, helped by the World Book title, Everdark, and The Snow Dragon, her debut picture book illustrated by Fiona Woodcock which was named a Waterstones Children's Book of the Month in November.  

Elphinstone said: "[S&S] have championed me and my stories from the off — and sent them out into the world with such ambition and flair — and I can't wait to get writing about flying bathtubs, firebirds and frost goblins in these upcoming middle-grade and picture books."