MidnightSun Publishing acquires Madsen’s ‘Animal Force’

MidnightSun has acquired world rights to Animal Force, a junior fiction novel written by Cerise Madsen and illustrated by Sally Heinrich.

According to the publisher, Animal Force centres on twins Leo and Kelly, who are on a camping trip for their eleventh birthday with their family, including their cousin Amos. Their adventure takes a turn when they encounter school bullies Kane and Felix, and the challenges they face help them grow and ‘go through fantastical transformations into various spirit animals whose strengths assist in standing up for justice’.

Madsen drew on her own life when creating Animal Force, particularly ‘time spent in nature during her childhood, her father’s love for birdwatching, annual family camping trips and later the 2019 Australian bushfires’.

Of the novel, Madsen said, ‘I wanted to create a fun wildlife adventure that explored the urgency of protecting nature and gave children a voice while also celebrating the joy of connecting with the wild world around them.’

Publisher Anna Solding said, ‘Animal Force is full of fun and outdoor play. The main characters are very relatable, and I hope readers will love them as much as I do. Cerise’s dedication to sharing the importance of conserving Australia’s wildlife and native animal species comes through spectacularly in Animal Force and will surely capture the interest and hearts of young readers.

‘Combining Cerise’s adventure story with Sally Heinrich’s beautiful illustrations will entice reluctant readers to pick up the book and get pulled into this magical world.’

MidnightSun plans to publish Animal Force in June 2026.

Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions