Publishing director Jane Winterbotham negotiated a two-book deal for world rights with Almond’s agent, Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan Associates.
The middle-grade novel, The Tale of Angelino Brown, is the story of a tiny angel who appears one day in a bus driver’s pocket, going on to touch the lives of everyone in the town and the school. The picture book, entitled The Dam, is set in a flooded valley in Northumberland and is a “lyrical and poetic evocation of the power of music and community”.
Publication is set for 2017.
Almond, whose previous books include Skellig and A Song for Ella Grey (both Hodder Children's Books), said: “I’m delighted that the wonderful Walker Books will be publishing these books, which are so different from each other. It's a real joy and privilege to work with two such brilliant artists.”
