Rock the Boat snaps up ‘inspiring’ picture book of Sir David Attenborough

22nd January, 2024

Rock the Boat has snapped up Wild Planet, an “inspiring and accessible” picture-book biography of Sir David Attenborough.

Editorial director Shadi Doostdar acquired UK and British Commonwealth rights from Siaurui Goh at Penguin Young Readers Group US, on behalf of Rob Weisbach. The book, a fully illustrated collaboration from husband-and-wife team Hayley and John Rocco, will be published on World Environment Day on 5th June in paperback.

The book tells the story of Attenborough and the planet. The synopsis says: “As a boy, David loved exploring the wild places near his home, collecting fossils, rocks and newts. When he grew older, he got a job at the BBC, where he had an idea for a new kind of show: he would travel the world to film animals in their natural habitats.

“For seven decades, David’s innovative documentaries have been treasured by millions of people. But as time went on, he noticed the wild places he loved were shrinking. What could we all do to help?”

Doostdar said: “This is so much more than a children’s biography of a beloved British icon. Hayley and John Rocco use clear and powerful language and illustrations to convey David’s greatest message: the planet is changing because of humans, but we can save it if we act now. My greatest hope is that all children will read this and then educate the grown-ups.”

Hayley and John Rocco are ambassadors for the rewilding charity Wild Tomorrow based in South Africa, and they hope the book will inspire a new generation of wildlife lovers. They said: “It is an absolute honour to publish Wild Planet: The Inspiring Life and Wisdom of Sir David Attenborough with Rock the Boat in the UK, which celebrates the ’voice of nature’ himself and calls us to care for the natural world we all rely on for survival.”