Chris Hadfield to Publish Children's Picture Book The Darkest Dark in Fall 2016

TORONTO, Dec. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - New York Times bestselling author and astronaut Chris Hadfield will publish a children's picture book titled The Darkest Dark in Fall 2016. The Darkest Dark is about a boy who transitions from being afraid of the dark to wanting to explore every corner of the universe. Hadfield collaborated with Toronto-based writer Kate Fillion on the book, which will be illustrated by The Fan Brothers. Tara Walker, Publisher, Penguin Random House Canada Children's Group, acquired the book to be published by Tundra Books in Canada. Farrin Jacobs, Editorial Director at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers acquired the book for the U.S., and Belinda Rasmussen, Publisher, Macmillan Children's Books UK, acquired world rights to the book, excluding North American English and Canadian French. The U.S. and Canadian deals were arranged by Rick Broadhead & Associates, representing Chris Hadfield, and the UK deal was arranged by Ron Eckel of The Cooke Agency International on behalf of Rick Broadhead & Associates. The Fan Brothers are represented by Kirsten Hall of Catbird Productions.

"After 25 years of speaking in schools and working with children, I am extremely proud to be able to create this book," said Chris Hadfield. "The Darkest Dark addresses one of our most basic and common fears, brought visually to life with fine, distinctive style by The Fan Brothers. Pursuing the hopes and overcoming the worries of childhood are such key parts of growing up, and help determine how high we eventually may travel. Having seen our world thousands of times from orbit, I am so delighted that the ideas and images of The Darkest Dark will be available to all, most especially our younger kids."

Tara Walker said, "We are absolutely thrilled to be publishing Chris Hadfield's first book for children. Chris is a national hero who has captivated millions of people around the world and has an amazing rapport with kids. The Darkest Dark, which was inspired by a career-defining moment in Chris's childhood, is a universal story about facing your fears and following your dreams that will speak to all children and anyone who watched the Apollo 11 moon landing on TV in 1969. The text is imaginatively brought to life with the striking artwork of a brilliant new picture book illustration team from Toronto, Terry and Eric Fan. The Fan Brothers went flying with Chris and even spent time with him and his wife Helene at their cottage on Stag Island in southern Ontario where the story takes place. The Fans were incredibly inspired by the time they spent with the Hadfields – and their shared passion for space and dreaming impossible dreams suffuses every magical page."

Chris Hadfield is one of the world's most seasoned and accomplished astronauts, and is the author of the #1 international bestseller, An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth and You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes. The top graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in 1988 and U.S. Navy test pilot of the year in 1991, Hadfield was selected by the Canadian Space Agency to be an astronaut in 1992. He was CAPCOM for 25 Shuttle launches and served as Director of NASA Operations in Star City, Russia, Chief of Robotics for the NASA Astronaut Office in Houston, and Chief of International Space Station Operations. Hadfield most recently served as Commander of the International Space Station where, while conducting a record-setting number of scientific experiments and overseeing an emergency spacewalk, he gained worldwide acclaim for his breathtaking photographs and educational videos about life in space. His music video, a zero-gravity version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity," has received more than 30 million views online. His TED talk, delivered in March 2014, has been viewed almost four million times. Follow Chris Hadfield at @Cmdr_Hadfield.

Terry and Eric Fan received their formal art training at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. Their work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. The Night Gardener is their critically acclaimed debut picture book. Terry spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Eric has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. Visit them online at http://www.thefanbrothers.com/, at Society 6 and on Facebook (Terry Fan Illustration, Eric Fan Illustration).

About Tundra Books

Founded over forty-five years ago, Tundra Books is Canada's oldest children's publisher and an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada's Children's Publishing Group. Tundra is an acclaimed publisher of unique books for children of all ages and is home to some of North America's most accomplished writers and illustrators for young readers.

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SOURCE Penguin Random House Canada Limited

Scott Sellers, Penguin Random House Canada, 416.957.1564 / [email protected]