Walker acquires Marr, Speechley picture book

Walker Books Australia has acquired world rights to the picture book One Day, written by Shirley Marr and illustrated by Michael Speechley, in a two-book deal.

One Day introduces a little girl in a yellow raincoat to a mayfly who is determined to make every moment of her day count.

‘We playfully discussed, during a chance meeting, the hypothetical question of “What would you do if you only lived for one day?”,’ said Marr and Speechley. ‘The idea quickly became something driven primarily by the love of art and prose that neither of us believed would find publication—if not for the support of agent Gemma Cooper of the Bent Agency. We cannot wait for readers to delve into our passion project and meet Mayfly!’

‘Shirley and Michael’s beautiful encapsulation of the notion of carpe diem has never been more beautiful,’ said Walker publisher Clare Hallifax. ‘From Shirley’s exquisite prose to Mike’s charming and inventive illustration, readers young and old will be charmed and inspired.’

Shirley Marr is a first-generation Chinese Australian living in Perth, the author of YA novels Fury (Black Dog) and Preloved (Black Dog), and the CBCA Award–winning middle-grade novel A Glasshouse of Stars (Puffin), among others.

Speechley, also based in Western Australia, is the author of picture books The All New Must Have Orange 430 (Viking) and The Gift (Puffin), which were Notable Books in the 2019 and 2020 CBCA Book of the Year Awards, respectively.

Walker will publish One Day under its Walker Studios imprint in May 2025.

Photo: Jess Gately.

Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions