‘Totally unique graphic work’ sold to US
Melbourne-based art-science collaborative and micro-publisher Scale Free Network (SPN) has sold North American rights to the graphic novel The Invisible War (Ailsa Wild, Briony Barr, Gregory Crocetti et al) to Lerner Books’ imprint Graphic Universe. Graphic Universe acquiring editor Greg Hunter described the book, which simultaneously follows a nurse stationed at the Western Front during World War I, and the microscopic battles between the bacteria and viruses lining her intestines, as ‘a totally unique graphic work’. The Invisible War has won a number of awards in Australia, including the overall Award for Excellence in Australian Educational Publishing. SFN co-founder and microbial ecologist Gregory Crocetti said he hopes the deal will ‘help popularise the use of graphic novels as a medium for science education’.
Penguin Random House Australia has sold North American rights to Limelight by 13-year-old slam poet Solli Raphael to Andrews McMeel Universal (AMU). The deal, brokered by Rights People, follows AMU president and publisher Kirsty Melville’s participation in Australia’s Visiting International Publishers (VIPs) program. Limelight is will publish in Australia in September and will introductory chapters on traditional and slam poetry, 30 original poems and tips on writing and performing.
Penguin Random House Australia has also sold North American rights to Tim Harris’ children’s book series ‘Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables’ (illus by James Hart) to Sourcebooks. The three-book deal was negotiated by Allison Hellegers at Rights People on behalf of Eleanor Shorne Holden at Penguin Random House Australia.
Wai Chim’s YA novel Freedom Swimmer (Allen & Unwin) has been optioned for film by writer and director Ben Ockrent at Micro Productions UK in a deal negotiated by Brian Cook of literary agency The Authors’ Agent. Freedom Swimmer is inspired by the true story of two boys who swam from mainland China to Hong Kong to escape poverty and oppression.
Walker Books Australia has acquired world rights to an anthology of YA short stories by LGBTQIA+ Australian authors, due to be published in 2019. Kindred: A Queer #LoveOzYA Anthology will be edited by writer and bookseller Michael Earp, and will include internationally published authors such as Christos Tsiolkas, Benjamin Law and Erin Gough.
Category: Think Junior rights sales
