Dan Santat, a Caldecott Medal winner, has signed a four-book deal with the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Connie Hsu, the editor behind Santat’s Beekle picture book, will serve as the editor on three of these books.
Publishers Weekly reports that Santat’s first title will be a Humpty Dumpty-themed picture book called After the Fall. Roaring Brook Press will release the book in Fall 2017. He also has a second untitled picture book in-the-works. Dude, a children’s book written by Aaron Reynolds and published by Neal Porter Books, will feature Santat’s illustrations.
The fourth project, a graphic novel entitled You Bad Son, will be published by the First Second imprint and edited by Hsu. According to the First Second blog post, Santat drew inspiration for this book from his “experience growing up as an only child in a Thai American family. The story centers on his decision to go to art school over pursuing a career in medicine, and what his family is faced with when his mother is diagnosed with cancer.”
A publication date has been scheduled for 2018.