S&S snaps up three more books from Supertato duo

Simon & Schuster (S&S) Children’s UK has snapped up three more books from creative duo behind bestselling illustrated children’s book series Supertato.

S&S editorial director for picture books Helen Mackenzie Smith acquired world rights directly from picture book partners Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet.

The deal will see S&S publish three books a year from 2021 onwards in spring, summer and autumn. As well as growing the Supertato brand, Hendra and Linnet will create new characters.

Hendra and Linnet said: “We are very excited and honoured to be asked to create new characters to go alongside Supertato and the rest of the gang. Simon & Schuster have always been a supportive and happy home for our ideas and we look forward to unleashing more of our silliness with them.”

S&S Children’s UK managing director Rachel Denwood said: “That Sue and Paul rocketed to number one in the week of World Book Day was so fitting: reading for pleasure starts with picture books that delight, entertain and make story time a joyful experience for all involved. Sue and Paul are uniquely attuned to this and we see great potential to grow their readership even more. S&S’ strategic brand-building and our creativity around Sue and Paul’s books has resulted in a 57% increase in their sales in 2020, with several more fantastic books to come from them this year."

Mackenzie Smith added: “Working with Sue and Paul is a pleasure and a privilege—they create deliciously entertaining books that children really love. The idea of getting to work with them on a brand new character is ridiculously exciting and we’re so proud to be their publisher.”

Hendra and Linett’s other books include Barry the Fish with Fingers and Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell (S&S). Their total sales are over 1.5 million through BookScan Total Consumer Market and their sales to date in 2020 have increased 57% year on year. Hendra and Linnet’s World Book Day book for 2020, Supertato: Books Are Rubbish, reached the top of the overall UK charts on publication.