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Walker Books signs picture book from "powerhouses" Dockrill and Child
Walker Books and Candlewick Press have signed Grey, a picture book from "children’s literature powerhouses" Laura Dockrill and Lauren Child.
Senior commissioning editor Lizzie Sitton acquired world rights for the text from Jodie Hodges at United Agents and rights for the illustrations from Philippa Milnes-Smith at the Soho Agency. The picture book will be published simultaneously in the UK and US in May 2024, in line with Mental Health Awareness Week.
"Laura and Lauren have together created a work of profound humanity and universal truth," said Sitton. "Their collaboration resonates from a place of love, empathy and understanding. I am sure it will provide profound comfort and hope to readers of all ages.”
Grey is a "gentle exploration" of a child’s feelings through colour. "Despite the joyful orange balloon, the huge yellow sun and the bright green trees," the publisher wrote, "the child still feels grey". The "words of poetic tenderness and truth combine with playful, warm and iconic art" in this "unique" picture book.
Dockrill said: "I feel young people need books about difficult things the very most. To empower them, to reinforce kindness but also to give them hope. The message is: self-acceptance, self-compassion and unconditional love. That, to me anyway, is happiness."
Child added: "I wanted to work with Grey because the subject is compelling and I knew I would enjoy the challenge of working with Laura’s text and translating emotion into images. Illustration can work beautifully to silently say those things that can be difficult to explain in words.”
Deirdre McDermott, picture book publisher, said: "“To have Laura Dockrill and Lauren Child – an absolute dream team – collaborating together creatively on a picture book for Walker Books is more than any children’s publisher could ever wish for."
