Après enchères avec quatre autres éditeurs, ce sont finalement les éditions Algonquin qui publieront les deux prochains romans middle-grade de Kelly Barnhill. Le premier, THE WITCH’S BOY, est prévu pour septembre 2014 et a été déjà annoncé comme l’un des cinq titres sélectionnés pour le BEA Buzz Panel 2014, indice de l’intérêt et de l’enthousiasme qu’un titre suscite chez les professionnels de l’édition.

Et voici la couverture dessinée par John Klassen:

THE WITCH’S BOY

Kelly Barnhill

Algonquin Young Readers, September 2014

In the tradition of Neil Gaiman and Kate DiCamillo, THE WITCH’S BOY is at once engagingly lyrical and breathtakingly adventurous.  With a deft hand, Barnhill takes fairy tale elements – speaking stones, a bandit king and his practical daughter, and a spoiled young king – and weaves them into a richly detailed narrative that feels both classic and completely fresh at the same time!

Even the revered Witch can’t save her sons when they are swept into a raging river, and only one boy, Ned – the wrong boy – survives.  Nonetheless, it is up to him to protect his mother’s magic (hidden and kept safe under their house) from the Bandit King who wants to steal the magic for its rightful owner.  Ned must summon the unruly magic for himself, and with the help of the Aine, the Bandit King’s daughter, try to save his family and put the magic back to rest.