Universal has picked up Lunch Lady, a new graphic novel series by Jarrett Krosoczka (Knopf), with Amy Poehler attached to star. The series centers on a mild-mannered school cafeteria server who secretly dishes out helpings of justice as she and her assistant investigate wrongdoings. Click here to read our Q&A with the author.
Barbara Lalicki at HarperCollins acquired world English rights to Cinderella Smith by Stephanie Barden. The novel stars a young, witty and strong heroine reminiscent of Beverly Cleary's Ramona; it’s slated for a winter 2011 release. The debut author was signed by the late Craig Virden from the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency; Nancy Gallt finalized the deal.
Framelight Productions and producer David Uslan have bought rights to Ian Beck’s Tom Trueheart trilogy (Greenwillow), and will make them into a series of live-action feature films. Production on the first film is targeted to start in mid-2010, with a planned $60 million budget.
Sony Pictures Animation has acquired feature film rights and HarperCollins Children’s Books has bought North American publishing rights to The Familiars, a fantasy book series by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Epstein and Jacobson will adapt the book for the big screen.
Kate O’Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin has bought Under the Light, sequel to the award-winning supernatural YA novel A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb. Under the Light is a love story about what happened to Billy’s and Jenny’s souls after their bodies were occupied in the first book. Publication is scheduled for spring 2011. Ann Rittenberg of the Ann Rittenberg Literary Agency was the agent.
