Lisa Yoskowitz at Little, Brown has preempted Wade Albert White's debut The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes and its sequel, The Adventurer's Guide to Dragons (and Why They Keep Biting Me), set in a world where fantasy meets science fiction, a subversive narrator lurks behind every page, and intrepid heroine Anne must triumph over time, destiny, and heretofore unknown levels of bureaucracy to uncover the truth of her quest. Publication will start in fall 2016; Elizabeth Kaplan at the Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.

Kristen Pettit at HarperCollins has acquired two YA novels by Shelley Sackier. The first book, The Freemason's Daughter, follows the perilous smuggling exploits of 16-year-old Jenna and the six Scottish men who have raised her as they fight to restore James Stuart to the British monarchy in 1715. Publication is scheduled for winter 2017, with the second title to follow in winter 2018; Jennifer Unter of the Unter Agency brokered the deal for world rights.

Kate Farrell at Henry Holt has bought the next two YA novels by Emma Mills. In This Adventure Ends, a teenage girl decides to track down her new friends' late mother's last painting, but finds the quest more complicated than she anticipated – especially when love gets in the way. Publication is slated for winter 2017; Bridget Smith at Dunham Literary did the two-book deal for world rights.

Annie Nybo at S&S's Margaret K. McElderry Books has acquired Mary Taranta's YA debut,Until Our Blood Runs Clean. Set in a world where magic is poisoned and using it can be torturous – or dangerously addictive – Faris is tricked into a plot to overthrow a tyrannical king and must find her own power to survive. Publication is planned for summer 2017; Josh Adams at Adams Literary negotiated the two-book deal for North American rights.

Julie Bliven at Charlesbridge has bought Kat Greene Comes Clean, a debut middle-grade novel by Melissa Roske. The novel is told from the perspective of Kat, a 12-year-old navigating friendships, the school play, and first crushes as she notices her mother's OCD escalate when her mom joins a competitive-cleaning TV game show. Publication is set for 2017; Kathleen Rushall at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.

Alyson Heller at S&S/Aladdin has acquired Mari Mancusi's If The Shoe Fits, in which 12-year-old Hailey and her friends form a babysitting group called Pirates and Princesses, Inc. to try and earn enough money to see their hometown hero-turned YouTube sensation Collin Reed perform at Comicpalooza. Publication is scheduled for summer 2017; Mandy Hubbard at D4EO Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.

Kaylan Adair at Candlewick has acquired two books from author-illustrator Toni Yuly. The first, Thank You Bees, is a picture book that conveys gratitude and awareness of the natural world. The second, The Whole Wide World, is about how little things are part of a whole. Publication is planned for fall 2017 and fall 2018, respectively; Lori Kilkelly at Rodeen Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.

Wesley Adams and Janine O'Malley at FSG have bought world rights to All My Friends Are Fast Asleep, the second picture book from David Weinstone, the Brooklyn kindie rocker and founder of the Music for Aardvarks music classes. The story, to be illustrated by Magali Le Huche, follows a young insomniac on his bedtime journey from mountaintops to sea, as he tries to imitate the peculiar sleeping habits of his many animal friends. Publication is set for fall 2017; Erica Silverman at Sterling Lord Literistic represented the author and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.

Liz Bicknell at Candlewick has acquired four titles from U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera. The titles include Imagine, a poem turned picture book which Herrera wrote shortly after his inauguration in May 2015; two bilingual board books, Close/Cerca and Far/Lejos; and Jabberwalking, a middle-grade book that charts Herrera’s writing process and the act of walking. The first book, Imagine, is tentatively slated to publish in spring 2018; Kendra Marcus of Bookstop Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.

Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins has acquired at auction Natalie C. Parker's anthology Triangles: The Points of Love, which explores the myriad tragic, frustrating, humorous possibilities of the teen love triangle, and features 15 new stories from Renee Ahdieh, Rae Carson, Brandy Colbert, Katie Cotugno, Alaya Dawn Johnson,E.K. Johnston, Tessa Gratton, Julie Murphy, Garth Nix, Cajiuat Posadas, Veronica Roth, Maggie Stiefvater, Sabaa Tahir,Brenna Yovanoff, and Parker herself. Publication is scheduled for 2017; Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary did the deal for North American rights.

Justin Chanda at Simon & Schuster has preempted The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid, a stand-alone YA action-adventure thriller set in space. The book tells the story of a genetically created teenager named Nemesis, called a Diabolic, thought to be a soulless killing machine. Nemesis was created to protect an heiress, but when the Emperor summons this heiress to his court to serve as a hostage and pawn, Nemesis is sent in her stead and discovers she may be more human than she thought. The book will be released in fall 2016; Holly Root of the Waxman Leavell Literary Agency negotiated the six-figure deal for world rights. Jane Griffiths at S&S U.K. bought U.K. and Commonwealth rights, to be published in paperback original, simultaneously with the U.S. publication.

Stacey Barney at Putnam has preempted Krystal Sutherland's debut We Were Never Here. In the book, high school senior Henry Page finds himself falling for Grace Town, the new girl at school, despite her dirty clothes and weird vibe. Though Grace has secrets that keep Henry at arm's length, like why she visits a graveyard every day, Henry is determined to win her over. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.

Katherine Harrison at Knopf has bought A.E. Kaplan's YA novelGrendel's Guide to Love and War, in which teen misfit Tom Grendel seeks to take down the obnoxious jock-next-door, while falling for his enemy's sister and discovering secrets about his own family in the process. Publication is planned for spring 2017; Hannah Bowman at Liza Dawson Associates did the deal for world rights.

Abby Ranger at HarperCollins has signed Elementals by Amie Kaufman, a middle grade fantasy-adventure trilogy. The series features an ancient, ongoing battle between two clans of humans who can shapeshift – ice wolves and scorch dragons – and follows two siblings who combine the powers of the enemy clans. The first book, as yet untitled, pubs in winter 2018, and the next two books will follow annually thereafter. Tracey Adams of Adams Literary negotiated the three-book deal for world rights.

Jordan Brown at HarperCollins/Walden Pond Press has bought two books in the BAT Chronicles, a middle grade series by Elana K. Arnold. In the spirit of Clementine and Ramona, the books follow Bixby Alexander Tam – nicknamed BAT – a third-grader on the autism spectrum, and his funny, unexpected, authentic experiences at home and at school. The first book, A Boy Called BAT, is set to publish in 2017; Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content brokered the deal for world English rights.

Aubrey Poole at Sourcebooks Fire has acquired YA author Cat Clarke's middle grade debut, The Pants Project. The story chronicles a transgender boy's fight to change his school's outdated dress code, gaining a new best friend in the process. Publication is set for early 2017; Allison Hellegers at Rights People sold North American rights on behalf of Julia Churchill at AM Heath in the U.K.

Jessica Garrison at Dial has preempted literary agent Danielle Svetcov's debut middle grade novel, Park, Place. The book, set in San Francisco, is about the unexpected friendship between two kids from very different places – Cal, the ham-fisted, 12-year-old martyr from the plush mansion he shares with his restaurateur mother, and struggling, straightforward Jeanne Ann from the van parked across the street, where she lives with her own mother, a wayward short-order cook – and how they end up saving themselves in the course of saving each other. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Kerry Sparks of Levine Greenberg Rostan brokered the deal for world rights.

Brett Wright at Bloomsbury has bought Jennifer Castle's new chapter book series Butterfly Wishes, about two sisters, their friends, and winged magic. The first two books will be released in fall 2017; Jamie Weiss Chilton at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the four-book deal for world rights.


Liza Baker at Scholastic/Cartwheel has signed author-illustrator Sandra Magsamen to a six-book deal to create an all-new interactive format of books for children ages 0-5. Scholastic will launch the series with two titles, Itsy Bitsy Spider and I'm Wild About You! in summer 2016; Trina Storfer of Mixed Media Group brokered the deal for world rights.

Stephanie Lurie at Disney-Hyperion has acquired author-illustrator Kadir Nelson's Basket Ball, an illustrated nonfiction book about the history of African-Americans in the game, from the early 1900s through the present day. In four sections, or “periods,” Nelson will employ his passion for sports and skill in portraiture to cover the pre-NBA African-American college teams, traveling basketball clubs in Harlem, the formation of the NBA, key figures and rivalries, and the birth of trademark moves like the slam dunk. Publication is set for fall 2018; Steven Malk at Writers House did the deal for world rights.

Jennifer Greene at Clarion has acquired Alastair Heim's picture book, No Tooting at Tea, to be illustrated by Sara Not, in which a perfectly proper tea party goes wrong when someone keeps breaking the no tooting rule. Publication is scheduled for spring 2017; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown represented the author and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.

Janine O'Malley at Farrar, Straus and Giroux bought at auction a new picture book called Flo, written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Jay Fleck. The story introduces a daydreaming panda who operates at her own relaxed pace despite the racing world around her. It's slated for winter 2018; Jackie Kaiser of Westwood Creatives represented the author and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.