Wakefield sells debut YA novel to US

Tuesday, 23 July 2019 Books+Publishing

Wakefield Press has sold world rights (ex ANZ) to debut novel Making Friends with Alice Dyson (Poppy Nwosu) to Walker Books US for a five-figure sum.

Wakefield publisher Margot Lloyd sold the rights to Walker Books US executive editorial director Susan van Metre, after Lloyd met with representatives from Candlewick Press (of which Walker Books US is a division) at the Visiting International Publishers program earlier this year.

Van Metre said: ‘I am excited to bring this book to lucky US readers. It is some of my favourite writing about first love in all its messy intensity.’

Making Friends with Alice Dyson is a contemporary romance set in and around Port Adelaide, with themes of friendship, fitting in and self-realisation. It’s the first book Wakefield has released on its recently established YA list, and is currently shortlisted for the Readings Prize.

‘It’s heartwarming to know this charming little story of a teenager from the Port will now be loved by readers worldwide. We’re incredibly proud of Poppy’s work, and couldn’t think of a better publisher than Candlewick to take her stories further afield,’ said Lloyd.

Wakefield has already acquired a second novel by Nwosu, Taking Down Evelyn Tait, which is due to be published in April 2020.

Category: Junior Local news Rights and acquisitions