Alesha Dixon is writing a young teen series with author Katy Birchall, with the first book out with Scholastic in March. Editorial director Lauren Fortune acquired world rights to Star Switch, about a pop star who swaps bodies with her number one fan, in a two-book deal with Lauren Gardner of Bell Lomax Moreton. Dixon was also behind Scholastic’s Lightning Girl series, which has sold more than 65,000 copies, according to the publisher. The fourth book in that series, Lightning Girl: Superpower Showdown, is out today (Thursday 4th July). “We’re delighted to be publishing a brand new series from Alesha after her Lightning Girl has taken the children’s books world by storm over the past year,” said Fortune. “She is a dream to work with: hugely talented, creative and passionate about getting young people reading. It has been so wonderful seeing readers’ reactions to her books, which are a warm, entertaining celebration of diversity, courage and teamwork.”