Australian author Aaron Blabey, known for his bestselling children's books, has secured an eight-figure contract with Macmillan's UK, US, and Australian branches. This deal involves creating seven new books across two series aimed at tweens. Blabey, who has sold around 55 million copies of his works, gained fame with his Pig the Pug series, which features a mischievous dog. His success in the US market was an early indicator of the popularity that the animated series Bluey would later achieve there, leading to a three-book agreement with Scholastic Australia.
One of these books, Thelma the Unicorn, along with its sequel, became bestsellers and were adapted into a film by Netflix. Blabey's graphic novel series, The Bad Guys, which centers on animals with notorious reputations, topped the New York Times bestseller list and was adapted into a movie, with a sequel planned for 2025.
Macmillan revealed that Blabey's upcoming series, Game of Pets, will be a fantasy story launching in 2026. The second series, The Awfuls, is expected to explore a psychological sci-fi theme for young readers. Praveen Naidoo, managing director of Pan Macmillan Australia, praised Blabey's exceptional talent and his understanding of young readers.
Blabey expressed in a statement that after completing his fortieth book in the Bad Guys series in June 2023, he contemplated retirement. However, the enthusiasm from the Macmillan team for his new ideas reignited his passion, making him eager to start working again.