Penny Thomas, Publisher at children’s and YA publisher Firefly Press, has acquired UK and Commonwealth (exc. Can) rights in Digging for Victory, an exciting and emotional MG debut by Cathy Faulkner, from Silvia Molteni at Peters Fraser and Dunlop.
Firefly Editor Leonie Lock said: ‘Cathy has written a truly breathtaking verse novel which is simultaneously clever and sensitive. Her words transport the reader back in time to skulk through the night, uncovering secrets with the feisty protagonist, Bonnie. I hope young readers find this title just as inspiring and moving as I do!’
Set in Devon in 1941, Digging for Victory tells the story of twelve-year-old Bonnie Roberts who is desperate to play a valuable part in the war effort. For her, tending the family vegetable patch just doesn’t cut it; she wants to be a hero like her RAF pilot brother, Ralph. But when the mysterious Mr Fisher is billeted at her farmhouse, and Ralph is reported missing in action, she starts to question what heroism actually involves. And as Bonnie attempts to find out who Mr Fisher really is, she embarks on a life-changing and emotional voyage of discovery.
Mr Fisher?
Mother asks, untying her apron.
He holds out his hand and gives a quick nod
but his face looks as frosty as the frozen fields behind him.
Come in, come in!
Mother shuts the door, hurriedly puts another log on the fire and the kettle on the stove.
But the cold has come in now.
And somehow, I think it’s here to stay.
Appealing to fans of Phil Earle and Emma Carroll, Digging for Victory is an emotional rollercoaster that brings verse fiction to a middle-grade audience.
‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be publishing a novel with Firefly,’ said Faulkner. ‘The team have been so welcoming and supportive, and it’s such a pleasure to feel so involved with the creative decision making even at this very early stage. I’ve had great fun writing Digging for Victory and can’t wait to see it in the hands of young readers.’
The novel is slated for publication in summer 2023.