Benjamin Rosenthal at HarperCollins's Katherine Tegen Books has bought The Whitecoat's Daughter, a YA novel by Olivia Cole, in a two-book deal at auction. The author won a contest sponsored by agent Regina Brooks granting representation to an author who submitted the best opening excerpt from an unpublished manuscript. The book is an SF/fantasy work set on a planet called Faloiv, where a small community lives despite the fact that the place was never intended to support human life. When the heroine discovers her ability to communicate with the planet's creatures, she realizes that this gift may expose the dangerous conflict brewing between the leaders of her compound and the planet's indigenous peoples, which sets in motion a chain of events that could lead to humanity's destruction. The second book in the deal will be a sequel. Publication is set for winter 2018; Brooks, at Serendipity Literary Agency, sold North American rights.

Ari Yarwood at Oni Press has bought world rights to the YA graphic novel Fabiola & Ylini by Juliet Kahn (l.) and Amanda Scurti. The story follows nerdy Latina teen Fabiola who meets a loudmouthed mermaid named Ylini. Love is quick to blossom, but the romance must withstand adolescent insecurity, traditionalist families, and last-minute cosplay prep. Publication is slated for spring 2019; the authors were unagented.

Anna Roberto at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Kirsty Eagar's Summer Skin, about a modern-day riot grrl and an alpha male jock who explore love, trust, and double standards against the backdrop of today's college hookup culture. Publication is planned for spring 2018; Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management negotiated the deal for U.S and Canadian rights.

Rotem Moscovich at Disney-Hyperion has bought Sanity & Tallulah, a middle grade graphic novel series by Molly Brooks, in a mid-six-figure, multi-house auction. The series follows two science-minded girls living on Wilnick, a dilapidated space station at the edge of the solar system. Projected publication for the first book is fall 2018; Heather Alexander at Pippin Properties did the three-book deal for North American rights.

Jill Santopolo at Philomel has acquired a standalone middle grade novel by author and agent Ammi-Joan Paquette. The Train of Lost Thingstells of a boy who goes in search of a mystical train in hopes of saving his father, only to find that the train is missing a conductor and malfunctioning, and only the boy and the friends he has found along the way can set it right. Publication is scheduled for summer 2018; Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.

Erica Sussman at HarperCollins has bought teacher Lindsey Stoddard's debut middle-grade novel, Just Like Jackie, after a six-house auction. In the novel, feisty tomboy Robinson Hart is a whiz at fixing cars and tapping the maple trees in her backyard but when she clashes with the school bully she has to practice peaceful ways to deal with her anger, and be more like her namesake and baseball hero Jackie Robinson. It's planned for publication in winter 2018; Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management negotiated the two-book deal for North American rights.

Miriam Newman at Candlewick has acquired Hayley Chewins's debut novel The Turnaway Girls. The middle grade fantasy novel follows a 12-year-old girl born in a city where no girls are allowed to make music and the cloistered girls are instead trained to spin boys' songs into gold; when Delphernia begins to sing her own songs in secret, she discovers a new kind of magic that will change everything. Publication is set for fall 2018; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.

Julia Maguire at Knopf has bought Annie's Book of Lists by Kristin Mahoney, a middle grade novel about Annie, a girl who feels responsible for her family's recent move from Brooklyn to a small town in upstate New York, told entirely in Annie's lists. Publication is slated for summer 2018; Sarah Burnes at the Gernert Company brokered the two-book deal for world rights.

Mark Siegel at First Second Books has acquired world rights to a new middle-grade graphic novel by Mike Cavallaro, called Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop. The book tells the story of two kids (and a unicorn) who work at the corner store for Earth's pantheon of deities from cultures around the world. Publication is scheduled for 2018; Cavallaro is unagented.

Ari Yarwood at Oni Press has bought world rights to the middle grade graphic novel The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill. The story follows the young blacksmith Greta who is introduced to the Tea Dragon Society, a group of friends who practice the lost art of tea dragon husbandry, where she befriends Minette, an employee at a tea shop. Greta teaches Minette to be more confident, and Minette teaches Greta how to care for others. Publication is planned for fall 2017; the author was unagented.

Jenne Abramowitz at Scholastic has acquired author-illustrator Jay Cooper's debut chapter book series, The Spy Next Door, in a two-book deal that will launch in 2017. The first book introduces Dexter, an unsuspecting skateboarding spy, who must save his school from a King Kong-sized rodent. Teresa Kietlinski of Bookmark Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.

Hilary Van Dusen at Candlewick has bought world rights to Susannah Buhrman-Deever's picture book Predator and Prey, a blend of poetry and nonfiction illuminating the ways predators and prey communicate in their quest to survive and raise young. Bert Kitchen will illustrate; publication is scheduled for spring 2019. The author is unagented; Tracey Adams at Adams Literary represented the illustrator on behalf of Caroline Walsh at David Higham Associates, London.

Sonali Fry at Little Bee has acquired world rights to The Great Pasta Escape, written by Trainbots author Miranda Paul, to be illustrated by Javier Joaquin. The picture book features a factory of fresh noodles who must break tradition and work together to change their dastardly fate. It's slated for late 2017; Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Lorraine Owen of the Organisation represented the illustrator.

Jennifer Brown at Knopf has bought world rights to How Do YOU Take a Bath? , a picture book about how various animals bathe, ending with a human child, by Kate McMullan (l.), illustrated by Sydney Hanson. Publication is set for fall 2018. Heather Alexander at Pippin Properties represented the author and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the artist.

Jeffrey Salane at Little Simon has acquired world rights to Susanna L. Hill's (l.) The Road That Trucks Built, a rhyming picture book about the machines that work together to build new roads.Erica Sirotich will illustrate; publication is scheduled for summer 2017. Liza Voges at Eden Street represented the author, and Jennifer Laughran of Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.