Philippa Gregory is trying her hand in the young adult market. The bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl, among other titles, has closed a world rights, four-book deal with Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for a historical romance series.

Jon Anderson, president and publisher of S&S Children's, jointly acquired rights with Ingrid Selberg, director of children's publishing for S&S UK. Gregory's husband, Anthony Mason, brokered the deal with S&S (working on behalf of Gregory's company, Philippa Gregory Ltd.). Venetia Gosling at S&S UK Children's will be editing the titles and the first book is scheduled for an international hardcover release in summer 2012. The YA series - it will be published simultaneously in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and India - will also be timed to release alongside Gregory's forthcoming adult trilogy, which S&S acquired in October 2010. (In the U.S., Simon Pulse will be releasing Gregory's YA series.)

Gregory has a standing relationship with S&S and, in the U.S., has long been published by the house's Touchstone imprint. There are over nine million copies of Gregory's books in print, and The Other Boleyn Girl was adapted into the 2008 film starring Scarlett Johansson.