S&S UK buys nine titles in Shannon Messenger series

Simon & Schuster (S&S) Children’s UK has acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights to nine books in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger.

The series is about 12-year-old Sophie Foster who is a telepath. One day she meets Fitz, a boy who can also read minds, who tells Sophie that staying with her family will put her in danger. She is forced to leave everything behind and start a new life in a new place.            

The publisher will release the first four books in spring 2020 and the next four in summer 2020. Book nine will be published simultaneously with Simon & Schuster US in November 2020.    

Jane Griffiths, editorial director for children’s fiction, struck the deal with Anna Carmichael at Abner Stein on behalf of Taryn Fagerness Agency.    

Rachel Denwood, m.d. at Simon & Schuster (S&S) Children’s UK, said: “Shannon Messenger has been a breakout success for Simon & Schuster US and we couldn’t be more delighted to welcome her to the list. We look forward to establishing Shannon as a truly global S&S author and to sharing this fantastic series with a new audience in the UK.”