Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Agent, arden high, graphic novel, shakespeare

Shakespeare YA Graphic Novels – Twelfth Grade Night and King Cheer

Published Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:55:19 -0500

Twelfth Grade Night and King Cheer are the first two Shakespeare-based YA graphic novels in the Arden High series by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm and Jamie Green. They have been bought by Kieran Viola and Rachel Stark at Disney-Hyperion to begin publication in the autumn of 2022.

Shakespeare YA Graphic Novels - Twelfth Grade Night and King Cheer — Shakespeare YA Graphic Novels – Twelfth Grade Night and King Cheer

In the Arden high graphic novels, Shakespeare's tales get an update at a modern-day high school where magic and fairies are real, the LGBTQ themes of the original plays are more than subtext, and the drama is quite literally Shakespearean.

Agents Alex Slater at Trident Media Group represented Molly Horton Booth, Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency represented Stephanie Kate Strohm, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented Jamie Green.

Molly Horton Booth has written other Shakespeare high school-themed YA novels, including Saving Hamlet and Nothing Happened based on Much Ado About Nothing. Stephanie Kate Strohm is the author of novels such as It's Not Me, It's You; The Date to Save; The Taming of the Drew; Prince in Disguise; Love a la Mode; That's Not What I Heard; and Restless Hearts (Katy Keene #1). Jamie Green describes themselves as half-freelance book illustrator and half-independent business owner. Posting to Instagram, Jamie stated "The first book follows the story of Twelfth Night, and I cannot wait for you guys to get to know this version of Vi, Orsino, Olivia and friends."

Hyperion Books was founded in 1990 from scratch with no backlist under Disney's then-C.E.O. Michael Eisner and Robert S. Miller. Hyperion's strategy was to not purchase backlists, but to go after newer or lesser known authors and to "capitalize on Disney talent and products." The Disney Publishing Group was incorporated in January 1992. In April 1999, Hyperion Books, was transferred to Disney's ABC Group. In June 2013, Hachette announced that it would acquire Hyperion from Disney. Hyperion's books related to existing Disney–ABC Television Group properties and young adult titles joined the Disney-Hyperion imprint at Disney Publishing Worldwide.

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