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Walker Books has acquired three "charming" new picture book texts by author Eva Wong Nava, including Dancing Dumplings for My One and Only, The Moon Rabbit and Wednesday is for Wiggling.
Editorial director for picture books Maria Tunney acquired world rights for the books from Lydia Silver at the Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency Ltd.
Dancing Dumplings for My One will be published in January 2025 by Walker Books in the UK, and in December 2024 in the US, with Candlewick Press. It captures the connection between a grandma and her granddaughter, and is illustrated by Natelle Quek, who is represented by Alice Williams at Alice Williams Literary.
"Together, Eva Wong Nava and Natelle Quek sweetly and succinctly embody all the familiar rhythms, scents and sounds that make up a loved one and show how powerful and healing the making and sharing of food can be," the synopsis says.
Moreover, Wednesday is for Wiggling is illustrated by Holly Sterling, who is represented by Frederica Dawson at The Bright Agency. It follows a young child and celebrates family life. And The Moon Rabbit is Nava’s version of the Chinese legend of "Chang’er and the moon rabbit", which is described by the publisher as "a tale of nine scorching suns, a brave archer, an ancient queen, an elixir of life and a doomed love".
This book is illustrated by Jason Chuang, who is represented by Lydia Silver at Darley Anderson Illustration Agency. Both of these titles will publish later in spring and summer 2025, respectively.
Nava is the cofounder of Picture Book Matters – a mentoring platform for aspiring picture book creators in and from Southeast Asia – and has also established The Writing Essentials, offering editorial services like sensitivity reading and author coaching. “Being published by my children’s favourite publisher – the bear with the candle – is more than a dream come true," she said.
Tunney added: “From the moment I received Dancing Dumplings for my One and Only I knew that it was something unique – a story so beautifully composed, I felt an immediate kind of serenity reading it. It’s very clear that Eva is a tremendous picture book talent, and her storytelling – imbued with tremendous warmth and joy, and often written from her own personal experience and drawn from her heritage – creates naturally immersive read-aloud experiences.
"At Walker Books, we take great pride and care in the matching-up of words and pictures and so we feel very excited to partner Eva with such a wide range of illustration talent who are all bringing their own unique vision to her worlds.”