Geri Halliwell-Horner, known as Ginger Spice of the iconic British girl group the Spice Girls, is set to release a new middle grade book.
Halliwell-Horner’s book, Rosie Frost & the Falcon Queen, has been acquired by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. The two-book deal for North American rights was brokered by Anthony Mattero at CAA and Jill Santopolo, associate publisher at Philomel. U.S. publication is slated for fall 2023, with Scholastic publishing concurrently in the U.K.
The Spice Girls rose to fame with their 1996 debut single “Wannabe,” which was a number one hit in several countries. The group went on to sell more than 85 million albums worldwide, and has been called the bestselling girl group of all time.
Rosie Frost & the Falcon Queen follows orphan Rosie Frost to her new school for extraordinary teens, set on Bloodstone Island. When the island is under attack, the only way Rosie can save the school is by entering the Falcon Queen Games. She will have to rely on her new peers if she plans to succeed.
“Rosie Frost has lived in my heart for a long time—and this feels just the right moment to introduce her to the world,” Halliwell-Horner said in a release. “I hope her strength in the face of adversity and path to believing in herself inspire young readers across the globe to find their own strength and power as they face challenges in their own lives.”
Halliwell-Horner’s latest marks her return to children’s publishing. Her Ugenia Lavender series, illustrated by Rian Hughes, was published in 2008 by Macmillan Children’s; Rosie Frost & the Falcon Queen is her first literary endeavor in more than 10 years.
A Sisterly Bond
Self-help author Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt will publish a new picture book, Good Night Sister, next year. Pratt’s bedtime story, illustrated by Lucy Fleming, centers on two sisters who are sleeping in their own rooms for the first time, and how together they help get over their fears.
“This story is a reminder that, no matter your birth order, a cuddle from your sibling, or best friend, can ease your mind and give you strength in the moments you never thought you could get through,” Schwarzenegger Pratt said in a release.
Good Night, Sister is set to publish on February 7, 2023 with Penguin Workshop. Renee Kelly, senior editor at Penguin Workshop, negotiated the two-book deal for world rights with Jan Miller at Dupree Miller & Associates representing Schwarzenegger Pratt and Frederica Dawson at the Bright Agency representing Fleming.
Schwarzenegger Pratt has written books in both the self-help and children’s genres. Her 2020 book The Gift of Forgiveness, about navigating feelings of resentment towards others to find inner peace and healing, was a New York Times bestseller. Her first children’s book, Maverick and Me, a picture book teaching children about pet adoption, came out in 2017 from WorthyKids.
