Brian Geffen at Henry Holt has acquired, at auction, She Dies at Dawn, a YA crossover romantasy duology by debut author Roxane de Rouen about a young thief and the last of the Deathless, a people with 11 lives, who wakes up with no memory of supposedly killing the emperor. She must reluctantly team up with an infuriatingly handsome prince—who ordered her execution—to find the real murderer and prevent a coup. Publication is set for spring 2027; Lizzie Bishop at Faber UK did the six-figure, two-book deal for North American rights.
Bria Ragin, David Yoon, and Nicola Yoon at Joy Revolution have bought The Immortal Undoing by Angela Montoya, a YA romantasy in which a beautiful and stubborn young woman teams up with a handsome god to save not only her village but all of humanity from destruction by the serpent goddess Xochiquetzal. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Larissa Melo Pienkowski at Azantian Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Kate Meltzer at Roaring Brook Press has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Kalyn Josephson's A Dragonslayer's Guide to Love, Valor, and Other Myths. This cozy YA fantasy centers on a young woman who, together with her dragon-in-crime, pretends to be a dragonslayer to collect reward money, only to find herself tasked by a handsome prince to slay an actual dragon that may be more than it seems. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Carrie Pestritto at Laura Dail Literary Agency sold world rights.
Hannah Hill at Delacorte Romance has bought I Put a Spell on You by Bridget Morrissey (Everything She Does Is Magic), a YA sapphic romance set in the holiday-obsessed town of Fableview, which follows two teen girls jaded by love and magic who fall for each other while exchanging anonymous hate-to-love letters during their town's Valentine's Day festivities. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary sold world English rights.
Alessandra Preziosi at Clarion Books has acquired two-time Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry's Building 903, a story about censorship, comfort, complicity, and the radical power of books to open portals and unlock our humanity through our most powerful tool: the imagination. Publication is scheduled for September 2026; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management sold world rights.
Katie Scott at Kids Can Press has bought The Ghost of Fairbell Bay by Sarah Van Goethem (The Witch of the Dark Wood), a middle grade gothic novel in which a 12-year-old girl's seaside vacation goes from sleepy to creepy when a treasure hunt results in an encounter with a ghost from a legendary shipwreck. Publication is set for fall 2028; Emelie Burl at Susan Schulman Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Emily Daluga at Chronicle Books has acquired Out of Bounds by Jenn Bishop, a middle grade novel about an eighth-grade volleyball player contending with a new middle school team, the fallout from a friend's reckless action, and the changing body that doesn't even feel like her own anymore. Publication is planned for spring 2028; Katie Grimm at Curtis Brown Ltd. negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Patti Ann Harris at Scholastic has bought, in a two-book deal, Scott Magoon's Muck & Mudd, which follows bulldozer Muck and careful excavator Mudd as they work together to fix the racetrack in their sandbox before the big race; to avoid repeating their past failed ventures, they ask their friends for some help. Publication is slated for fall 2027, and book two will publish in fall 2028; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management did the deal for world rights.
Farrin Jacobs at Random House Studio has acquired Yes, a Dress!, Stephanie Watson's debut as an author-illustrator, in which two birds who go on an adventure misidentify everyday objects to humorous ends. Publication is scheduled for spring 2028; Carrie Hannigan at HG Literary sold world rights.
Courtney Code at Abrams has bought world rights to A Dragon for Santa, a picture book by Vincent X. Kirsch (O.K. Is Gay; From Archie to Zack), about Santa's greatest Christmas wish and the elves who help it come true. Publication is planned for fall 2027; the author represented himself.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired world rights to See Marcus Bloom by "Garden Marcus" media personality Marcus Bridgewater (l.), illustrated by Reggie Brown, a picture book celebrating a child gaining confidence while exploring the treehouse and wildlife in Grandma's garden. Publication is set for spring 2029; Amy Thrall Flynn at Aevitas Creative Management represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the artist.
Andrea Welch at S&S/Beach Lane has bought world rights to All the Living Things, a nonfiction picture book by Carrie Kruck (l.) and illustrated by Danielle Ridolfi, a poetic and scientific exploration of what it means to be "a living thing" and what we all have in common, both in life and in death. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Ammi-Joan Paquette represented the author and illustrator.
Lily Hawkes at Post Wave has acquired world rights to four picture books from Ireland's current Laureate na nÓg, Patricia Forde (l.). The first, Una the Witch Who Wanted a Friend, a story of magic, friendship and learning that sometimes what you want most is right under your nose, will be illustrated by Alison Brown with world rights acquired by Emma Blackburn. Publication is planned for fall 2027; Anne Clark at the Anne Clark Literary Agency represented the author, and Hannah Whitty at the Plum Agency represented the illustrator.
Mary Kate Castellani and Kei Nakatsuka at Bloomsbury have bought, at auction, The Kids Came Back Wrong, edited by Wen-yi Lee (The Dark We Know), a YA horror anthology for fans of Weapons and Stranger Things. which follows a group of teens who disappeared in the woods on a school trip as kids and came back changed in ways they can't describe, featuring interconnected stories from Kylie Lee Baker, H.E. Edgmon, Tigest Girma, Ana Hurtado, Wen-yi Lee, P.H. Low, Zoe Hana Mikuta, Mark Oshiro, Aden Polydoros, Allison Saft, Trang Thanh Tran, Joelle Wellington, and Andrew Joseph White. Kei Nakatsuka will edit; publication is set for fall 2027. Isabel Kaufman at Fox Literary did the deal for world rights.
Madison Pelletier at Mischief Books has acquired Cave Jumpers by Ellie Owens, a debut dystopian fantasy about a teen girl who blackmails her way into the elite corps that protects her society from deadly beasts; Lydia Sharp will edit. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Juliana McBride at Rebecca Friedman Literary negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Joy Peskin at FSG has bought, in an exclusive submission, The Boy Who Lived to Tell It: A True Story of Survival, an upper middle grade memoir-in-verse co-written by Peter Mutabazi (l.) (Now I Am Known), former Ugandan street kid, author, foster child advocate, and foster and adoptive parent, and PB Rising Stars Mentorship Program co-founder Ebony Lynn Mudd (Just Like Tina). The book follows Peter as he flees an abusive home as a boy and finds himself among street children in Kampala, navigating hunger, danger, and a world he never chose, until a life-changing encounter with a stranger shifts his path. Publication is slated for spring 2028; Erin Murphy at Aevitas Creative Management did the deal for world English rights.
Tiffany Colón at Scholastic has acquired My Not So Charmed Life, a Wimpy Kid/Dork Diaries-style coming-of-age middle grade series written and illustrated by Jessica Khoury, about Ryder, a 12-year-old girl finding her voice armed with her StarSigns app, cosmic confidence, and a few special crystals. Book one, How to Follow the Stars, will publish in spring 2027 and two more will follow in fall 2027 and spring 2028; Tracey Adams at Adams Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Matt Phipps at Putnam has bought, at auction in a two-book deal, Aminata Jaiteh's debut, Speak Up, Darla Jean, a middle grade novel about a Black girl adopted into a white family who develops selective mutism after an incident of racially motivated bullying. As she enters a new school and makes friends for the first time with kids who really understand her, Darla Jean gets a chance to start over and find her true voice. Publication is planned for fall 2027; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret sold world rights.
Jalen Garcia-Hall and Maya Marlette at Scholastic have acquired Fireproof by Nikki Shannon Smith, a historical middle grade novel in which a 12-year-old girl must navigate the blazing streets and chaos of the Great Chicago Fire, with her younger brother in tow, to stay alive after getting separated from their parents. Publication is set for fall 2027; Jennifer March Soloway while at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Sarah Ketchersid at Candlewick has bought, in an exclusive submission, Cat Fables and Dog Fables, by Newbery Honor author-illustrator Cece Bell (El Deafo; Animal Albums from A to Z). Each illustrated book is a collection of 10 fables that center on the titular cat and dog, and their interactions with each other (and a mouse). Publication of the first book is scheduled for fall 2027; Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold world rights.
Grace Kendall at FSG has acquired, in a preempt, world rights to Jess Burbank's author-illustrator debut, Moss, a picture book that explores an overlooked and underestimated plant that has survived for millions of years in some of the most unexpected places while playing a vital role in our ecosystem, pitched for fans of Nell Cross Beckerman and Jason Chin. Publication is slated for winter 2028; Ariana Philips at Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency did the two-book deal.
Meredith Mundy at Abrams Appleseed has bought Dad's Beard Disappeared by Julie Koon (Breathe a Rainbow), a picture book about a toddler startled to see her dad without his beard for the first time. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary handled the deal for world rights.
Stacey Barney at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired North American rights to For a Snow Fort by John Coy (l.), illustrated by Kayla Harren, a picture book about a child who needs help building a snow fort and finds it in unexpected and dramatic ways. Publication is set for fall 2027; Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Charlie Ilgunas at Little Bee Books has bought Mava's debut author-illustrated picture book, Ivan and the Crocodile, about Ivan, a boy seeking some peace and quiet from the adults in his life, who is swallowed whole by an enormous crocodile in the park and finds he finally has time to do whatever he likes. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; James Burns at the Bright Agency sold world rights.
Joy Peskin at FSG has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Apples All Around by Rebecca Gardyn Levington (l.) (the Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable book Finding Forgiveness), illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O'Mara. In this poetic ode to fall, a family of four enjoys a fun-filled day of apple picking, making memories that will last a lifetime. Publication is planned for spring 2028; Kaitlyn Sanchez at Bradford Literary Agency represented the author, and Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Want Chyi at Philomel has bought world rights to I Dream of Waffles by Jenny Torres Sanchez (l.), illustrated by Tammy Do. In this picture book, a child practices soothing her runaway imagination and anxiety at bedtime by counting waffles, her favorite breakfast food, instead of sheep. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Kerry Sparks at Levine Greenberg Rostan represented the author, and Karen Kilpatrick at East West Literary represented the illustrator.
