Leonie Lock, Editor at children’s and YA publisher Firefly Press, has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One by Maggie Horne from Hannah Schofield at LBA, on behalf of Clare Friedman at InkWell Management.
‘Hazel Hill is a book that had me on tenterhooks until the very end, where I squealed with excitement and then started rereading immediately,’ says Leonie. ‘It’s a story about prejudice, harassment, injustice and spite. But, more than this, it’s a tale of hope, identity, empowerment, feminism and quashing gender norms. I hope you love it as much as I do.’
‘I’ll stop listening in ten seconds,’ I say. ‘Starting now.’
‘Fine,’ he says. He looks around one more time to see if anyone might overhear us, and then pauses again.
‘Ella Quinn … has a crush on you.’
Girls in Hazel’s school are being harassed by an anonymous person online, someone who seems to know all about their insecurities and dreams. With no one willing to stand up and face the bully, how will Hazel be able to prove her suspicions?
Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One confronts bullying, both online and in person, to give children the power to stand up for themselves and speak out against harassment.
Hannah Schofield said, ‘I am delighted that Leonie and the Firefly team fell in love with Hazel as much as I did, and I’m so excited about their publication plans. HAZEL HILL IS GONNA WIN THIS ONE is a vital book and will show young readers, especially girls, that their voices are important and deserve to be heard. It’s been an honour to be part of its journey to the UK!’
‘This story is deeply personal and so close to my heart, so to have the team at Firefly love it as much as I do is a dream come true. I’m so thrilled that Hazel will find her way to readers in the UK.’ said Maggie Horne.
The novel is slated for publication in October 2022.
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