Jonathan Cape, a member of Vintage at Penguin Random House, has acquired Becky Barnicoat’s Cry When the Baby Cries.
The United Kingdom and Commonwealth Rights Agreement was signed with Rachel Clements of Abner Stein. US rights were sold to Gallery Books by Lindsay Edgecombe of Levine Greenberg Rostan.
Born from a New Yorker article that went viral, Barnicoat’s picture book is a “dark humor” antidote to parenting books.
“Cry When Babies Cry” is scheduled to be published in March 2025.
Bea Hemming, deputy director of publishing at Jonathan Cape, said: Many of us know her for her comic genius and wit, but this book also shows her to be an extraordinary storyteller. Cry When the Baby Cries is moving, relatable, raw (in every sense of the word), and very, very funny. This is a book that every parent wishes they had read sooner and that every parent-to-be wants to have in their hands. It’s also a book about your early years as a parent that, uniquely and wonderfully, doesn’t offer any advice, yet it offers more wisdom, solidarity, and solidarity than an entire shelf of parenting manuals. Contains feelings and insight. ”
Bernicocourt said: “It’s a dream to have my debut memoir published by Jonathan Cape, home of some of my comic book heroes from Posey Simmons to Marjane Satrapi to Raymond Briggs. Births were kept so closely hidden from public view that generations of mothers never knew if they were alone at home crying or getting dirty. I hope my brutally honest (and admittedly a little raw) memoir about having children makes other parents feel seen. I’m delighted to have the wonderful team at Cape taking care of my very personal story.”
Barnicoat is a cartoonist and writer who has drawn for The New Yorker, Guardian, BuzzFeed, and Grazia, and has a weekly cartoon in The New Statesman. She also illustrated Holding the Baby by Nell Frizzell and 101 Tiny Changes to Brighten Your World by Ailbhe Malone. She lives near the sea with her family.
