Penguin Random House Children’s acquires THE PROOF OF THE OUTSIDE at auction

Penguin Random House Children’s has announced the acquisition of The Proof of the Outside, a dark and compelling debut novel by Sarah Ann Juckes. Carmen McCullough, Commissioning Editor at Penguin Random House Children’s, acquired world rights at auction from Sallyanne Sweeney at Mulcahy Associates.

The Proof of the Outside follows the story of Ele, who is held captive in a small room by a man known as ‘Him’. Ele is determined to prove there is a world Outside. And when she finds a hole in the wall, the proof starts leaking in.

McCullough said: for ‘We are so delighted to be publishing Sarah and her extraordinary debut novel. This beautifully written story had me completely gripped from the very first line. Ele’s strong, distinctive and heartbreakingly optimistic voice gives us an unforgettable character we can all root for and reveals an important lesson about the power of stories to save lives.’

Sarah Ann Juckes added: ‘Penguin Random House Children’s publish some of the most striking and original young adult fiction out there. I am thrilled to be joining such a wonderful list. The publishing team have championed Ele’s story from the beginning and I can’t wait to share this with the wider world in January 2019.’