Candlewick to Deliver New DiCamillo Novel in Fall '09

By Rachel Deahl -- Publishers Weekly, 8/13/2008 1:37:00 PM

Candlewick Press has acquired Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo's next novel, announcing plans to release The Magician's Elephant, for middle-graders, in fall 2009. The Somerville, Mass., house remains DiCamillo's longtime publisher; other than the forthcoming September picture book from HarperCollins/Cotler (Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken, illustrated by Harry Bliss), it has published all the author's works.

DiCamillo, who won the Newbery Medal in 2004 for The Tale of Despereaux, has also achieved great commercial success; there are over 10.5 million copies of her books in print, in over 30 languages. A rep from Candlewick declined to comment on details of the acquisition or offer specifics on the book's plot. Karen Lotz, president and publisher of Candlewick (who acquired the book), said the book features "an entirely new approach in [DiCamillo's] storytelling." Candlewick associate editor Andrea Tompa will edit.

A film deal has already been closed on The Magician's Elephant; Holly McGhee and Emily van Beek at Pippin Properties—who sold world rights and audio to Candlewick—sold film rights (working with the Monteiro Rose Dravis Agency) to Fox 2000. Julia Pistor (Charlotte's Web and Lemony's Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) is attached to produce.