Aaron Blabey Signs Eight-Figure Deal for Seven New Children's Books

Bestselling author Aaron Blabey has signed an eight-figure deal with Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group to produce seven new titles across two middle-grade series, set to be published in 2026. The first series, titled Game of Pets, will explore the whimsical concept of life on Earth as a board game played by giant animals using pets as avatars, while the second series, The Awfuls, introduces a top-secret weapon that can make enemies feel bad about themselves. Blabey, known for his successful works like The Bad Guys and Thelma the Unicorn, will have these books published simultaneously in the UK, US, and Australia. Macmillan is also developing a film adaptation of Game of Pets in collaboration with Foundation Media Partners. Blabey's previous works have garnered significant acclaim, leading to adaptations by major studios like DreamWorks and Netflix. This new deal marks a shift for Blabey, as he moves from his longtime publisher Scholastic to Macmillan.