Jennifer Ung at Simon & Schuster has acquired North American rights to The Jump by Brittney Morris (SLAY; The Cost of Knowing), along with another, untitled YA novel. The contemporary YA follows a group of Seattle teens who enter a cryptology contest run by a mysterious entity called The Order, which will offer the winner high-tech resources that the teens plan on using to stop the placement of an oil refinery in their neighborhood. Publication for The Jump is slated for spring 2023, with the other book to follow in 2024; Quressa Robinson at Nelson Literary negotiated the six-figure deal.


Wendy Loggia at Underlined has bought world rights to Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez Wallach; Alison Romig will edit. Pitched as The Conjuring meets The Vow, this #OwnVoices Latinx horror story follows the daughter of demonologists and her crush, who face off against evil forces inspired by both American and Latin American folklore. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Lane Heymont at Tobias Literary brokered the deal.


Emily Meehan at Disney-Hyperion has acquired Britney S. Lewis's YA debut, The Undead Truth of Us, with Britt Rubiano and Christine Collins to edit. Pitched as a mix of Sadie, The Astonishing Color of After, and Warm Bodies, the contemporary novel with a speculative twist follows a young Black dancer who, after her mother's sudden death, has been seeing zombies. But when she meets an undead boy, he helps her unravel the truth about how love can change someone—for good or for dead. Publication is set for summer 2022; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management did the two-book deal for world rights.


Sarah Shumway at Bloomsbury has bought, in an exclusive submission, Don't Call Me a Hurricane by Ellen Hagan (Reckless, Glorious, Girl). The YA novel-in-verse follows 18-year-old Eliza Murphy, an environmental activist especially concerned with protecting her coastal community, who navigates the after-effects of a hurricane that devastated her town, while falling for a boy at the center of a redevelopment that could put their community in serious danger—again. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.


Margaret Raymo at HMH/Versify has acquired, in a preempt, Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk. This YA novel-in-verse features a tumultuous romance between two girls in nonlinear chapters, anchored by a single day where they set a fire and their relationship spirals out of control. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; Beth Phelan at Gallt and Zacker Literary brokered the deal for world rights.


Jerry Pohlen at Chicago Review Press has bought SCOOP: Memoir of a 13-Year-Old Investigative Crime Journalist by Hilde Lysiak (author of the Hilde Cracks the Case series). Lysiak is the real-life inspiration for the new Apple TV+ series, Home Before Dark, and serves as a creative consultant for the show. Publication of the middle grade memoir is slated for 2022; Sharlene Martin at Martin Literary & Media Management handled the deal for world English rights.


Kendra Levin at Simon & Schuster has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Eden's Everdark and an untitled middle grade novel by Karen Strong (Just South of Home). Twelve-year-old Eden Leopold, on a visit to her late mother's birthplace of Safina Island, Ga., discovers a creepy sketchbook that leads her to Everdark—a spirit world ruled by an evil witch who Eden must defeat in order to make it back home. Publication is set for fall 2022; Patrice Caldwell at New Leaf Literary & Media did the two-book deal for world English rights.


Kathleen Merz at Eerdmans has bought world English rights to Borsch by Yevgenia Nayberg, which offers a glimpse into the mind of an immigrant child encountering typical American foods for the first time. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented the author-illustrator.


Luana Kay Horry at HarperCollins has acquired, in a two-book deal, world rights to The McClure Twins, a picture book series written by YouTube influencers Ava McClure (c.) and Alexis McClure (l.), illustrated by Courtney Dawson (r.). In the first book, The McClure Twins: Make It Fashion, the sisters start to wonder if "real" twins can wear mismatched clothing when they don't agree on their fashion show wardrobe; in the end, they learn to embrace their differences. Publication for the first book is slated for summer 2021; Regina Brooks at Serendipity Literary and David Doerrer at A3 Artists Agency represented the authors, and Nicole Tugeau at Tugeau 2 represented the illustrator.


Namrata Tripathi at Kokila has bought world English rights to Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series by Cherokee author Traci Sorell (l.) (We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga and At the Mountain's Base), illustrated by Kickapoo artist Arigon Starr (Super Indian; Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers). This nonfiction picture book profiles Native professional baseball players Charles "Al" Bender (Ojibwe) and John "Jack" Meyers (Cahuilla), who faced significant discrimination and hardship in their journeys to athletic success, culminating in their faceoff at the 1911 World Series. Publication is set for spring 2023. Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt represented the author, and Janet Miner at Wacky Productions Unlimited represented the artist.


Donna Bray at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired world rights to Small Places, Close to Home by Deborah Hopkinson (l.), with illustrations by Kate Gardiner. The picture book is inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that Eleanor Roosevelt helped draft after WWII—and which served as the first bill of human rights in history. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023, the 75th anniversary of the declaration's adoption by the U.N.; Steven Malk at Writers House did the deal for both author and illustrator.


Mary Lee Donovan at Candlewick has bought world rights to We Are One: How the World Adds Up by E.B. White Award Honoree Susan Hood (l.), an exploration of the concept that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, using the numbers 1–10 to illuminate. Fine artist Linda Yan will illustrate. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Brenda Bowen at the Book Group represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.


Elizabeth Lazowski at Chronicle has acquired, at auction, world rights to Valerie Bolling's (l.) Together We Ride and a sequel, Together We Swim. Both stories follow a pair of siblings as they learn to bike or swim on their own, with the help and support of their parents. Kaylani Juanita will illustrate; publication is scheduled for spring 2022 and spring 2023, respectively. James McGowan at BookEnds Literary represented the author, and Charlotte Sheedy at Charlotte Sheedy Literary represented the illustrator.


Joy Bean at Boyds Mills & Kane has bought world rights to Before the Wright Brothers: Otto Lilienthal, the World's First Pilot by Mike Downs (l.), illustrated by David Hohn. This picture book biography follows Lilienthal's attempts at flight, becoming the first person to fly by building a glider and inspiring the Wright Brothers, who used Lilienthal's method before attempting the first powered flight. Publication is set for fall 2022. Tracy Marchini at BookEnds represented the author; Natascha Morris, when she was at BookEnds, and James McGowan at BookEnds represented the illustrator.


Carolyn Yoder at Calkins Creek has acquired world rights to picture book Dazzlin' Dolly: Songwriter, Singer, and Guitar Picker, written by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. The book will follow the path of Dolly Parton at the start of her remarkable musical career. Publication is slated for fall 2022; the author and illustrator were unagented.


Jordan Nielsen at POW! Kids has bought world rights to I Am Today, a picture book by Matt Forrest Esenwine. Told in rhyming verse, the story follows a girl who, when encountering an injustice, realizes that she doesn't have to wait to grow up in order to fight for what's right. Patricia Pessoa will illustrate; publication is planned for fall 2021. The author represented himself, and Atlanta Japp at Advocate Art represented the illustrator.


Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has acquired North American rights, in a preempt, to Spin by Rebecca Caprara, a feminist reimagining of Ovid's myth of Arachne. Pitched as Blood Water Paint meets Circe, this YA novel-in-verse follows a young weaver learning to find her place in the world, while also seeking to amplify the voices of other women, even if it means defying the gods. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; Allison Hellegers at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal.


Sara Schonfeld at HarperCollins/Tegen has bought world English rights at auction to How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez. Pitched as Fangirl set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this debut YA novel is about a college student who (surprise!) finds out her boyfriend is a superhero and must find the time and energy—while managing her schedule, her relationship, and her anxiety—to prepare for inevitable attacks from supervillains. Publication is set for summer 2022; Abigail Frank at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates negotiated the deal.


Justin Chanda at Simon & Schuster has acquired The Firefly Summer by bestselling YA author Morgan Matson (Save the Date). Her debut middle grade novel centers on 12-year-old Ryanna, who leaves her L.A. life behind to spend a life-changing summer at a lake house in the Poconos. There, adventure and revelations abound as she connects with her late mother's family, including a passel of cousins she's never met before. Publication is slated for spring 2022; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management did the deal for North American rights.


Grace Kendall at FSG has bought, in an exclusive submission, Five Second Violation, the debut middle grade novel by George M. Johnson (All Boys Aren't Blue), which follows two Black boys who are the star players on their school's basketball team, and the aftermath of their friendship when one of them outs the other as gay. Publication is planned for winter 2023; Patrice Caldwell at New Leaf Literary & Media brokered the six-figure deal for world English rights.


Tiffany Colón at Scholastic Press has acquired world rights to You Know the Drill by House Arrest author K.A. Holt. This middle-grade novel, told entirely in texts and message board postings, follows three best friends across one school day as they realize that an unplanned lockdown is not a drill and use the much-maligned school app to join forces with other students, discovering the true meaning of teamwork and bravery. Publication is set for winter 2022; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency handled the deal.


Anne Hoppe at Clarion has bought Punycorn plus an untitled sequel by Andi Watson (Kerry and the Knight of the Forest). This middle grade graphic novel features an athletically challenged but pure of heart unicorn and his oddball allies—including a dragon who can't breathe fire and a dung elemental—who must save the kingdom from a sulky super-villain and his devious little sister. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023 and spring 2024; Janna Morishima at Janna Co. negotiated the deal for world English rights.


Emily Seife at Scholastic has acquired, at auction, Witchlings by Claribel Ortega. This middle grade novel follows a 12-year-old witch who is sorted into a coven of unwanted spare witches with her bully and the new witch in town; they must now band together to defeat the fearsome Nightbeast or risk being turned into a trio of toads. Publication is planned for 2022; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media brokered the deal for world English rights.


Rebecca Kuss at Inkyard Press has bought, in an exclusive submission, The Supernatural Society by Rex Ogle. This middle grade series starter follows Latinx, biracial Will Hunter who is forced to move to a small town in Massachusetts where monsters and magical creatures live alongside everyone else—but only Will has the power to see them. When pets all over town (including Will's dog) go missing, it's up to Will and his new friends to save the animals and the town. Publication is slated for winter 2022; Brent Taylor at Triada US did the three-book deal for world English rights.


Megan Peace and David Saylor at Scholastic Graphix have acquired, in an exclusive submission, world English rights to Mimi & Penelope, an early reader graphic novel series by author-illustrator Shauna J. Grant. Mimi and her magical toy dog, Penelope, live in a bustling apartment in the city, and through their interactions with neighbors and a little sprinkling of magic, Mimi learns a number of life lessons, including the importance of being herself. Publication for the series is set for 2022; Janna Morishima at Janna Co. brokered the deal.


Emily Feinberg at Roaring Brook has bought, at auction, Out of Step by Sarah Jacoby, a picture book about a free-spirited horse named Doris, who, with the help of an unexpected friend, learns to stay true to herself. Publication is scheduled for winter 2023. Steven Malk at Writers House negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.


Cecily Kaiser and Gabriella DeGennaro at Rise x Penguin Workshop have acquired How to Say Hello to a Worm: A Very First Guide to Gardening by author-illustrator Kari Percival. The picture book debut is a nonfiction gardening book for young children that encourages them to connect with nature. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary handled the deal for world rights.


Tamar Mays at HarperCollins has bought world rights to A Pandemic Is Worldwide by Sarah Thompson (l.), illustrated by Taia Morley, an introduction to epidemiology: how infection spreads and what we can do to stop it. Publication is slated for 2021; Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt Agency represented the author, and Nicole Tugeau at Tugeau 2 represented the illustrator.


Christina Pulles at Albert Whitman has acquired world rights to Delphine Denise and the Mardi Gras Prize by debut author Brittany Mazique (l.), illustrated by Sawyer Cloud. Set in New Orleans at Mardi Gras, this picture book follows a girl who will stop at nothing to win the dazzling prize for Best Float in this year's parade. Publication is set for January 2022; James McGowan at BookEnds Literary represented the author, and Sam Groff at Advocate Art represented the illustrator.


Hanna Lang at NordSüd Verlag and Beth Terrill at NorthSouth have bought world rights to Broken Beauty by Susan B. Katz (l.), a picture book that illuminates the life and work of mosaic artist and architect Antonio Gaudí, illustrated by Linda Schwalbe. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Karen Kilpatrick at East West Literary represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.


Mary Lee Donovan of Candlewick has acquired world rights to Birth of a Bicycle: A Brief History of the Bicycle in America by Sarah Nelson, a picture book history of the bicycle's journey from Europe to North America and the impact it had on society. Iacopo Bruno will illustrate. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Marietta Zacker at Gallt & Zacker represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.


Carolyn Yoder at Calkins Creek has bought world rights to Shining Star by Suzanne Slade (l.), illustrated by Susan Reagan. This biographical picture book about Vera Rubin tells how she overcame gender barriers to become an accomplished astronomer, proved that dark matter exists, and helped women obtain equal opportunities in science fields, Publication is slated for fall 2023; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the illustrator.