Australian author Aaron Blabey has secured a significant deal with Macmillan publishers, spanning across the UK, US, and Australia. The agreement entails the production of two new series aimed at the tween demographic, involving a total of seven titles. Blabey, renowned for his ‘Pig the Pug’ series, has had considerable success with his children’s books, which have reportedly sold around 55 million copies. His works have also inspired an animated series, similar to the popularity of ‘Bluey’ in the United States.

Blabey’s ‘Thelma the Unicorn’, under the new agreement, became a bestseller along with its sequel. The story was adapted by Netflix into a film, further expanding Blabey’s reach. Additionally, Blabey’s graphic novel series, ‘The Bad Guys’, ranked No. 1 on The New York Times graphic novel bestsellers and was also adapted for the big screen, with a sequel pending.

Macmillan has announced that the first of Blabey’s new series, ‘Game of Pets’, is a fantasy series set to launch in 2026. The second, ‘The Awfuls’, hints at a sci-fi theme for young readers. The managing director of Pan Macmillan Australia, Praveen Naidoo, expressed admiration for Blabey’s diverse talents and his deep understanding of young readers. Blabey himself, who recently completed his fortieth title, has been inspired by the enthusiasm from Macmillan to explore new ideas and projects.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/19/aaron-blabey-bad-guys-author-new-book-deal-eight-figures