Walden Media will produce a film version of Frank Cottrell Boyce’s novel Cosmic; Boyce will write the movie adapation. In the story, described by Walden as Apollo 13 meets Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, a boy who has gone through an early growth spurt and is frequently mistaken for an adult poses as his best friend’s father in order to win a seat on an experimental spaceship ride. The book, which was shortlisted for the Carnegie Award in the U.K., is the newest release from Walden Pond Press, a joint venture between Walden Media and HarperCollins.
Ben Schrank and Jessica Rothenberg at Razorbill have acquired world English rights to a debut middle-grade novel, Giant Man-Eating Frogs with Hideous Fangs! by Richard Farr. In the book, 10-year-old Oliver Tarquin Postletwickett Postletwickett O’Dreary must save the town of Dirtlefirkin from a plague of grown-ups and evil killer frogs. Stephen Barbara at Foundry Literary + Media did the two-book deal.
Tracy Gates at Viking has bought the next installments in Alane Ferguson's Edgar-nominated forensic mysteries series, The Academy. Small-town forensic prodigy Cameryn is thrust into the bright lights of Hollywood as she becomes embroiled in a high-profile case. Edward Necarsulmer IV at McIntosh & Otis did the two-book deal for world-English rights; the first book comes out in 2011.
