Hachette Children’s Group signs ‘sensational’ middle-grade trilogy by Gallagher

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Hachette Children’s Group has acquired the Transcendent trilogy, starring twin geniuses who embark on a high-tech mission to save the world, by debut author Patrick Gallagher.

UK and Commonwealth rights were acquired by Polly Lyall Grant, now at Scholastic UK, from Kemi Ogunsanwo at The Good Agency. Transcendent is the first book in the series and will be published in paperback in June 2024, with the next books in the series publishing in June 2025 and June 2026 respectively.

The synopsis reads: “Jacob and Kira are twins from Mbale in sun-soaked Uganda. They navigate life as unsuspecting geniuses while building the miraculous inventions that keep tumbling out of their heads. Kira dreams of exploring beyond the hot, dusty terrains of home but her impulsive behaviour often gets them into trouble. Jacob too dreams of distant worlds beyond the horizon but his anxiety can sometimes get in the way of adventure.

“When Jacob and Kira discover an agency has been watching their every move in the hope of enlisting them for the mysterious Transcendent project, the twins are hurtled from Uganda to the cold, metal streets of futuristic London where, alongside teenage geniuses from across the world, they will be blasted into space to save the planet from the greatest threat it has ever known. Will their dreams of adventure come true, or is the threat too great to handle?”

Primary school teacher Gallagher said: “I have dedicated a huge chunk of my life to telling this story and I am ecstatic that it will finally be hitting shelves. I am beyond excited to be working with Hachette and could not be more grateful to my agent, Kemi, for her unwavering dedication and support. Most of all, I cannot wait for all of you to meet Jacob and Kira next year!”

Kate Agar, publishing director, said: “We have high ambitions for this stellar series and are so excited to be welcoming Patrick to Hachette. His protagonists stay with you long after you finish reading, and Patrick’s dual setting is incredibly striking. He has a unique ability to transport you from bustling street markets and mountainous landscapes to a slick big city. And his epic action scenes will capture the imaginations of readers who are ready to migrate from younger middle-grade and fly towards teens.”