A new What the Ladybird Heard for next summer

Publisher Macmillan has confirmed it will publish a new title in the What the Ladybird Heard series by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside. It will publish in April 2020.

This will be the fourth book from Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks' number one bestselling What the Ladybird Heard picture book series, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this summer. It is the only picture series written by Julia Donaldson. In this new, funny rhyming adventure, the ladybird is off on a trip to the seaside but the familiar villains, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, are also back and they're up to their wicked ways again. This time they're planning to steal the mermaid's luscious long hair. Luckily, the crime-busting ladybird has another cunning plan to stop the thieves! This new book has plenty to look out for with an illustration of Lydia driving through the countryside, while Julia Donaldson and her husband, Malcolm, perform a children's show on the beach. The What the Ladybird Heard adventures have sold almost 2.5 million copies worldwide to date across the three titles already in print. What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside is Julia and Lydia's 11th picture book together; their partnership began 16 years ago when they first worked together on Princess Mirror-Belle in 2003, Julia's fiction series for younger readers. Look out for activities and events with The Story Museum over the Easter holidays next year, and a glittering performance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.