Piccadilly Press is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Adventures in Lylaland, the children’s fiction debut by Sunday Times bestselling author and content creator, Louise Pentland. A wonderfully whimsical middle-grade adventure inspired by classics Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and George’s Marvellous Medicine, Adventures in Lylaland is aimed at readers 9-12 years.
Ruth Bennett, editorial director at Piccadilly Press acquired world translation rights from Anna Dixon at YMU Literary.
Ten-year-old Lyla Wilde is ready for a fresh start. After a summer of moving between her mum and dad’s houses, she’s fed up with the tension between them. Her parents had promised that the divorce would make things better, but it’s only made them more complicated! So instead, she escapes to Lylaland: her very own dream world, where anything is possible.
Then a national competition invites students at her school to invent the next best thing and finalists are offered the chance to bring their family on a weekend away. Lyla sees the competition as the perfect chance to get Mum and Dad back together and put an end to the arguing. But trying to think up the next best invention is harder than she expects, and stepping into Lylaland doesn’t offer her the escape that it used to. Just what will Lyla do when her daydreams start to feel like nightmares? Can she rediscover the magic of Lylaland and fix things in the real world too?
Louise Pentland said: ‘Adventures in Lylaland is the book I wish I’d had when I was younger. Lyla Blue Wilde is a charismatic little girl with a huge imagination that comes to life whenever she needs it. She uses it as an escape from the reality of divorced parents, school challenges, friendship drama or even just for fun. Lylaland is a magical, whimsical place that brings only joy filled fantasy … until it doesn’t.
Sometimes reality isn’t escapable and the hard things in our lives, even as a child, need to be faced. Children reading this book will quickly relate to Lyla, who experiences so many difficulties of the modern child. They’ll root for her to overcome her challenges, just as they process their own in her reflection.
I am absolutely delighted to be working with Piccadilly Press for my debut children’s book. They are the perfect people to bring this magical world to life for me and for all the children I hope read about Lyla and her adventures in Lylaland!’
Ruth Bennett, editorial director at Piccadilly Press, said: ‘Louise is such a talented writer! Here, in her debut novel for children, she has perfectly captured both the magic and the challenges of having a child’s eye view on the world, bringing Lyla and her world to life with empathy and kindness. Like Lyla, Louise’s imagination knows no limits and readers will delight in the wonder and sparkle she creates with her pen!’
LOUISE PENTLAND is an award-winning, Sunday Times bestselling author, content creator and broadcaster. With a combined following of over 8 million, Louise is one of the world’s first and original online content creators. Celebrated for her Wilde novels trilogy, and smash-hit non-fiction memoir MumLife, Louise is firmly recognised in the literary space.
Featured on the coveted Sunday Times ‘Top 100 Influencers’ list, Louise has a popular Hello! Magazine column and is an ITV daytime regular. Louise’s broadcast career cements her firmly as a media-favourite and she has her very own BBC radio show.
As a UN Global Ambassador for General Equality, a NSPCC Ambassador for Childhood, and the face of BBC Children in Need 2024, Louise uses her platform and influence to continuously give back. Louise is also involved in the support and encouragement of childhood literacy with the National Literacy Trust and charity Bookstart, alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Adventures in Lylaland will be publishing in paperback on 28th August 2025.
Photographer credit: Nicky Johnston
