Puffin has signed a six-figure deal for a fantasy debut, The Monsters at the End of the World, by Rebecca Orwin.
Fiction publisher Ben Horslen pre-empted world rights to the post-apocalyptic middle-grade story with a six-figure advance for two titles from Camille Burns at Diamond Kahn & Woods. The first book will be published in paperback on 6th March 2025, at £7.99, in paperback with the second following a year later.
“The Monsters at the End of the World, for middle-grade fantasy readers who have loved The Last Bear and How To Train Your Dragon, is the launch of an incredible quality-commercial new writing talent,” Puffin said. “It will be a key focus for the Puffin Rights team at the upcoming Bologna Book Fair as part of their ongoing strategy to launch the best new voices in middle-grade fiction and to publish a book for every child.”
The blurb reads: “Two hundred years ago, a series of natural disasters known as the Ruin poisoned the land and caused never-before-seen sea creatures to claim the ocean as their own. For the coastal villages that are all that is left of humanity, they are a constant threat and a frightening story told to keep children out of the shallows.
“But when Sunny discovers one of those monsters trapped on the beach, she realises everything she thought she knew about them is wrong. Mo, as she names him, is an intelligent, gentle creature, far more in tune with nature than humans. With crops failing on land and hostilities increasing at sea, will Sunny and Mo’s unlikely friendship be enough to save what’s left of their world?”
Horslen said: “I couldn’t be more excited that Puffin are publishing Rebecca’s brilliant debut. As an exploration of the power of empathy to unlock intractable conflict, it’s both timely and needed, but first and foremost it’s an irresistible adventure, perfect for young readers dreaming of life-changing, unlikely friendships with magical non-human characters like Skellig, E T or Hannah Gold’s Bear. The fantasy market is booming across age groups, and this is a standout story that will transport readers immediately and for many years to come.”
Orwin added: “I still can’t quite believe that The Monsters at the End of the World will be making its way into the world hand-in-hand with that legendary little Puffin. I am profoundly grateful to Ben and the team at Puffin, and to my fabulous agent Camille, for believing so wholeheartedly in a post-apocalyptic middle-grade story about compassion, conviction and sea monsters.”
Burns said: “I’m so thrilled that my very first deal as an agent has resulted in such a perfect home for Rebecca and I can’t wait for readers to meet Sunny and Mo in 2025.”
Orwin grew up in Chesterfield. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Creative Writing from Newcastle University, and now lives in Sheffield.
Read the announcement on the Bookseller and BookBrunch.
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