Krista Marino at Delacorte has acquired two standalone YA titles by Kara Thomas. The first novel, as yet untitled, revolves around a rural town preparing for the 10th anniversary of the deaths of five cheerleaders who were killed in three separate, horrific accidents, while two very different 16-year-old girls uncover long-buried truths about what really happened. Publication is scheduled for summer 2018; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media brokered the deal for world English rights.
Alvina Ling at Little, Brown has bought at auction Emily X.R. Pan's debut YA novel The Astonishing Color of After, plus an a second untitled standalone YA novel. In the first, a girl is convinced that her mother has transformed into a bird after committing suicide, and attempts to find her in Taiwan. Publication is planned for spring 2018 with Orion publishing in the U.K.; Michael Bourret of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management negotiated the deal for world English rights.
T.S. Ferguson at Harlequin Teen has acquired two novels from author Anna Jarzab. The first book Red Dirt, is about a proud country girl from small-town Oklahoma trying to hold her life together while trying to find her ex-con father, who has gone missing. Publication is slated for September 2017; Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary brokered the deal for North American rights.
Karen Wojtyla at Margaret K. McElderry Books has bought debut author Margaret Rogerson's The Green Well, about a talented artist who paints portraits for a dangerous clientele: the fair folk. When a portrait angers a fairy prince she undertakes a journey that will lead to her death or the loss of her art, unless she can use her talent in way the fair folk have never seen before. Publication is set for 2017; Sara Megibow of KT Literary did the deal for North American English rights.
Christine Krones at HMH has acquired the first four books in a fictional series of young chapter books called Survivor Diaries by Terry Lynn Johnson. Each book will feature a different survival story about kids who get lost in the wilderness and are able to survive using their knowledge and skills in climates ranging from snowy Wyoming backcountry to tropical Costa Rican rainforest. Publication of the first title, Overboard, is scheduled for spring 2017; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Neal Porter, for his eponymous imprint at Roaring Brook Press, has bought two picture books by author-illustrator Antoinette Portis. InHey! Water! a girl gets up close and personal with the many forms that water takes. Publication is set for spring 2019. Best Frints at Skrool, a sequel to Best Frints in the Whole Universe, will release in spring 2018. Deborah Warren of East/West Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Andrea Spooner at Little, Brown has acquired Caldecott Honor artist Patrick McDonnell's The Little Red Cat, an alphabet story about a pet who runs away and learns his ABCs the hard way. Publication is slated for fall 2017; Henry Dunow at Dunow, Carlson and Lerner negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kate O'Sullivan at HMH has bought at auction David Goodner's (l.) two first picture books,Ginny Goblin Is Not Allowed to Open This Box and Ginny Goblin Cannot Have a Monster for a Pet, illustrated by Louis Thomas. The stories present a lead character who goes to great lengths to get what she wants. They are set to publish in spring 2018 and spring 2019, respectively; Stephen Barr at Writers House represented the author and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Orli Zuravicky at Scholastic has acquired world rights to the picture book Misunderstood Sharkand a sequel by author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Scott Magoon. Everyone (particularly this book's narrator) assumes that Shark's about to chomp, but Shark has an explanation for each misunderstanding. The first book will publish in 2018, with the second to follow in 2019. Scott Treimel at Scott Treimel NY represented the author and Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has bought Carole Boston Weatherford's In Your Hands, to be illustrated by Brian Pinkney, a picture book prayer that speaks of a black mother's hopes for her son. Publication is planned for fall 2017; Rubin Pfeffer of Rubin Pfeffer Content represented the author and Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the artist in the deal for world rights.
Sylvie Frank at S&S/Paula Wiseman Books has acquired Oddities, a wordless picture book conceptualized by Lisa Mantchev, to be illustrated by David Litchfield, in which a boy meets an orphaned mermaid and invites her to join the circus. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights on behalf of Mantchev, and Anne Moore Armstrong represented Litchfield.
Rebecca Davis at Boyds Mills Press has bought Jane Yolen's (l.) Thunder Underground, illustrated by Josée Masse, a collection of poems that shines a light on the variety of creatures and things that are hidden underground. Publication is slated for spring 2017. Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown Ltd. negotiated the deal for North American English-language rights on behalf of the author. Lori Nowicki at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has acquired world rights to a picture book by Dana Walrath (l.), to be illustrated by Jaime Kim. I Am a Bird is told in a series of interconnected words and images that weave together a story of the bond between parent and child, overlaid with the connectivity of the world around them. Publication is set for summer 2018; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author and Claire Easton at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Julia Maguire at Knopf has bought world rights to Potato King by Tonya Bolden, illustrated by Don Tate, a picture book about the life of Junius George Groves, a former slave who started a potato empire. Publication is scheduled for spring 2018; Jennifer Lyons at Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency represented the author and Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the artist.
Kelsey Skea at Amazon/Two Lions has acquired Todd Tarpley's picture book Naughty Ninja Takes a Bath, about the escapades that ensue during bathtime. Publication is planned for spring 2018; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency did the deal for world rights.
