Take two: Bloomsbury Education buys a brace of historical tales

Bloomsbury Education has snapped up a coming-of-age adventure featuring a Muslim heroine working for Britain in the Second World War and a title exploring the ravages of empire and “real-life pirates of the Caribbean”. The books will be published in its Diverse Historical Fiction series, a list aimed at younger readers that spotlights creators and stories from previously underrepresented backgrounds.

Editorial director Hannah Rolls bought world rights, all languages, to Sufiya Ahmed’s Second World War tale, Rosie Raja: Churchill’s Spy, and a sequel; and Iszi Lawrence’s Blackbeard’s Treasure which is to be illustrated by Elisa Paganelli. The Ahmed deal was done with Sophie Gorell Barnes at MBA, while Lawrence’s was concluded with Jo Sarsby at Jo Sarsby Management, with Imogen Holmes at Astound US representing Paganelli. 

Ahmed’s story is set in 1941 and has half-Indian, half-English girl Rosie realising her dad is a spy for Britain. She can’t bear to be away from him, so she stows away on a plane for his mission in occupied France. Blackbeard’s Treasure is a “swashbuckling, page-turner” featuring real-life pirates Blackbeard, Anne Bonny and Black Caesar, but is also packed with “riveting” historical detail about the Atlantic slave trade.

Rolls said: “In the past, historical fiction has tended to focus on one type of person but there are amazing stories waiting to be told about a hugely diverse cast of characters.”

Ahmed has written 10 children’s books including Ruby Ali’s Mission Break-Up and Timmy and the Treasure, an updated Enid Blyton Famous Five story. Lawrence is a stand-up comedian and presenter of BBC Radio 4’s “Making History” who has previously written The Unstoppable Letty Pegg and Billie Swift Takes Flight for Bloomsbury Education.

Rosie Raja: Churchill’s Spy will be released this August, with its sequel to come the following year. Blackbeard’s Treasure is scheduled to be published in January 2023.