Darren Shan.

Kate Sullivan and Cindy Eagan at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers have bought The Thin Executioner, a standalone fantasy novel by Darren Shan, author of the Cirque Du Freak and Demonata series; inspired by Huckleberry Finn, it is scheduled for spring 2010. They also acquired a new four-book vampire series by Shan, set to start in fall 2010. Romily Must and Christopher Little at the Christopher Little Literary Agency did the deal for U.S. rights.

HarperCollins Children’s Books has acquired world rights to 13 children’s books based on John Grogan’s dog Marley. Editorial director Maria Modugno did the deal with Laurie Abkemeier at DeFiore and Company. The new titles will include several I Can Read! books and three additional picture books, including Marley Goes to School; the first book will be published this summer. “John Grogan has such an endless supply of stories inspired by the original Marley that we knew we’d need an extended program to be able to tell them all,” Modugno said.


Shane W. Evans (l.)
and Taye Diggs.

Jean Feiwel and Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends have acquired Chocolate Me, a picture book by Taye Diggs, illustrated by Shane W. Evans. Actor Diggs, in his picture book debut, and illustrator Evans have been friends for more than 20 years, and Chocolate Me started as a collaboration when the two were in college. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with Feiwel and Friends,” Diggs said. “I’m also very excited to continue the creative relationship with one of my best friends and hope that kids from all over will be affected by this piece in a positive way.” Chocolate Me is scheduled for fall 2011 publication. The agents were Kate Lee of ICM for Diggs, and Rebecca Sherman of Writers House, for Evans.

Shana Corey at Random House Children's Books bought rights to two books by YA debut author Kimberly Marcus in a pre-empt. The first novel, Exposed, features a 16-year-old high school senior whose loyalties are turned upside down when her brother is accused of raping her best friend. It pubs in spring 2011; the second book will follow in spring 2012. Tracey Adams at Adams Literary was the agent.

The Disney Channel has acquired film rights to Shrinking Violet, Danielle Joseph’s debut YA novel at MTV Books. The deal was made by Stephen Moore at the Paul Kohner Agency, on behalf of Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.

Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has bought world rights to two novels by Andrew Smith (Ghost Medicine). Winger and The Marbury Lens are respectively slated for fall 2010 and fall 2011. In the supernaturally tinged Winger, a boy at a prep school struggles with conformity; and in The Marbury Lens, a teen who is pulled into an apocalyptic alternate universe tries to get back home. Laura Rennert of the Andrea Brown Agency did the deal.

Michelle Frey at Knopf acquired world rights in a pre-empt to Sonia Gensler's debut, The Revenant, a Victorian ghost story set at a Cherokee girls’ school in the old West. The deal is for two books, with the first slated for 2011. Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Agency was the agent.