Macmillan Children’s Books has signed a seven-book deal from John Patrick Green across the author-illustrator’s InvestiGators and Agents of S.U.I.T series.
Editorial director Cate Augustin acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Kristin Dulaney at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in the US. The new deal will take the number of books, across both series, to 19 titles, with publishing running through to the end of 2028.
This year, the InvestiGators series will be republished with “refreshed” covers from January and the series will be supported with an “extensive” year-round comms campaign. Class Action, the eighth book in the series, will be published on 30th January followed by Wild Ghost Chase, book three in the Agents of S.U.I.T series, in April. Green will also be on a “major” tour around the UK including “large scale” public events and multiple school events.
Green has also donated the prize money from the inaugural Scholastic Graphic Novel Prize, which he won with the InvestiGator’s All Tide Up, to the UK Comics Laureate programme. “Reading comics as a kid got me excited about stories, and literature, and how books were made. It was the beginning of my journey to become a professional comics creator. When kids around the UK chose my InvestiGators graphic novel to receive the Scholastic Graphic Novel Prize, I wanted to use that to help those kids start on their own creative journeys. The UK Comics Laureate programme does amazing work to champion comics, and I’m honoured that my publisher and I can help with that mission.
Augustin commented: “With its wacky humour, irresistible puns, super-sleuthing characters and commercial artwork, InvestiGators is a hit with children of all ages. John is so passionate about giving children the chance to discover the joy of comics and graphic novels, and we are so excited to be working with him to bring the series to even more young readers across the UK with our programme of year-round activity.”
Alison Ruane, managing director at Macmillan Children’s Books, added: “InvestiGators is a smash hit with children and it is a thrill to work with our US colleagues and see the sales and popularity grow across the world. As part of our ongoing commitment to the series and graphic-novel publishing, we are also pleased to support the UK Comics Laureate initiative.”
Pan Macmillan’s Making a Difference fund matched Green’s donation to UK Comics Laureate.
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