Piccadilly Press, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of a funny and heartwarming highly illustrated new series for all young animal fans, The Zoo Crew, from award-winning author-illustrator Clare Elsom.
Georgia Murray, commissioning editor at Piccadilly Press, acquired world all-language rights to three books from Clare Elsom.
If you’re one of a kind, you’re one of the Zoo Crew! Ryley loves his life at his family’s sanctuary for unusual animals. Who else gets to look after spotty zebras, green flamingos or kangaroos who can’t hop? From Cosmo the hyperactive sloth to Princess the dirt-hating aardvark, life is never dull when you’re part of the zoo crew!
With the charming hook of unusual animals, the first book, The Zoo Crew: Lemurs on the Loose, focuses on ring-tailed lemurs with a difference.
Clare Elsom says: “I am so excited to find the perfect home for The Zoo Crew with Piccadilly Press. I can’t wait to let the cat out of the bag (well… more like elephants, penguins, lemurs, camels and piranhas out of the bag) and introduce everyone to Ryley and his world!”
Georgia Murray said: “We are so delighted to be publishing Clare Elsom’s first series as author-illustrator in several years, and she’s jumped back in again with a resounding roar with this utterly heartwarming and funny story of a zoo with a difference. Clare has a real talent for mixing the endearing and the zany with wonderful real-world storytelling and we are so thrilled to have such a talented creator on the list.”
Clare Elsom is a children’s illustrator and author. She is the creator of young fiction series Horace & Harriet, and has illustrated dozens of other children’s books, including the popular Flying Fergus series written by Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy and Joanna Nadin, Furry Friends by Holly Webb and Superheroes Don’t Get Scared by Kate Thompson. Clare regularly visits schools, appears at literary festivals and has been a guest on popular TV show Blue Peter. She was a World Book Day competition judge and won a Lollies Award for her illustrations in 2024. She lives in Devon with her young family.
The Zoo Crew: Lemurs on the Loose will be publishing in paperback in May 2027, followed by the second book in February 2028 and the third book in Autumn 2028.
