Walker goes into battle for historian Holland's retelling of Herodotus

Walker Books has landed The Wolf-Girl, the Greeks and the Gods: A Tale of the Persian Wars by award-winning historian, author and broadcaster Tom Holland, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. 

Publisher Denise Johnstone Burt acquired world rights in all languages from Patrick Walsh at PEW Literary. Illustration rights were secured from Claire Cartey at Holroyde Cartey. The title will publish in hardback in spring/summer 2023.

The synopsis reads: "’The Persians are coming…’ With her mother’s dying words, 10-year-old Gorgo of Sparta is plunged into a dangerous world of vengeful gods, invincible heroes and an empire that threatens to sweep across the globe. With extraordinary and masterful prose, internationally acclaimed author Tom Holland expertly weaves myth and history in a compelling and dramatic retelling of Herodotus. Jason Cockcroft’s astonishing artwork boldly evokes vast ancient landscapes, mighty battles and enthralling tales of Gods and Greeks."

Johnstone Burt said: “The story of the war between the Greeks and the Persians is one of the greatest epic stories of all time and persuading Tom to write for young readers was a dream come true. His brilliant prose brings the great battles of Thermopylae, Marathon and Salamis to life and matched with Jason’s daring illustrations will create a publishing sensation for next year.”

Holland’s non-fiction work Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic (Abacus), won the Hessell-Tiltman Prize for History and was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize. Persian Fire (Little, Brown), his history of the Graeco-Persian wars, won the Anglo-Hellenic League’s Runciman Award in 2006. He is the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s “Making History” and acclaimed podcast “The Rest is History”. He has written and presented a number of TV documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4, on subjects ranging from Isis to dinosaurs. He served two years as the chair of the Society of Authors and is chair of the British Library’s PLR Advisory Committee.

"Reading about the Persian Wars was what first made me dream of becoming a historian," he said. "If the book can evoke for a new generation of children just something of the sense of excitement and wonder that this astonishing period of history evoked in me as a child, it will not have failed.”

Born in New Zealand, Cockcroft grew up in the north of England and studied illustration at Falmouth University. He has illustrated many picture books and fiction titles for all ages, and contributed to the cover artwork for the first three UK editions of the Harry Potter series. His debut fiction title, We Were Wolves, published in 2021.

He commented: “Having dipped my toe into Greek mythology earlier in my career, it’s a privilege to return once more to such rich storytelling and build a visual world that will hopefully match Tom’s riveting manuscript.”