Krista Marino at Delacorte has acquired world rights to Liz Lawson's (The Lucky Ones) second YA novel. In Silent Seas We Drown is the story of three teens whose lives are sent into a tailspin when one overdoses at another's home and her parents decide to press charges. Told in dual POVs, the novel is about addiction, the ripple effects it causes, and the secrets we all have. Publication is scheduled for 2021; Andrea Morrison at Writers House brokered the deal.
Alexandra Cooper at HarperCollins has bought a new YA novel from Printz Honor winner Jessie Ann Foley, You Know I'm No Good. It tells the story of Mia Dempsey, a high school junior whose out-of-control behavior lands her at a boarding school for troubled teenage girls in the middle of the Minnesota wilderness. With her phone, her friends, and her freedom taken away, Mia is forced to reckon with her painful past—until a spilled family secret sends her once again down a path of self-destruction. Publication is set for spring 2021; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Kristin Pettit at HarperCollins has acquired world rights to #PitchWars alum Deborah Falaye's YA fantasy Blood Scion. Inspired by Africa's child soldier crisis and set in a West African fantasy world, the novel follows a young Scion—the all but extinct descendants of the ancient Orisha gods—who is drafted into the very military that has hunted her kind for centuries. Stealing the opportunity to uncover what happened the night her mother disappeared, she will do anything to learn the truth—even if it means becoming the killer the army demands. Publication is tentatively slated for winter 2021; Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman Literary Agency did the deal.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has bought Girls Like Us author Randi Pink's Angel of Greenwood, a historical YA novel set in the Tulsa neighborhood of Greenwood, affectionately known as Black Wall Street, in which two teenagers, surrounded by idyllic beauty, passionate intellectualism, and black excellence, fall in love for the first time. Ultimately, they find themselves in the midst of one of the worst atrocities in U.S. history: the Greenwood Massacre of 1921. Publication is scheduled for winter 2021; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Jocelyn Davies at Disney-Hyperion has signed Livia Blackburne to write the second book in The Queen's Council, a YA historical fantasy series that reimagines the Disney Princesses as rulers coming into power, aided by a mysterious force that weaves between their individual stories. Blackburne will twist the story of Mulan: named Empress of a people who do not want her, forbidden from marrying the man she loves, and facing a potential coup, she brings mysticism to the battlefield to fight for her right to rule. Publication is set for fall 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal for world rights.
Simon Boughton at Norton Young Readers has acquired world English rights to Michi Changes History by Ken Mochizuki (Baseball Saved Us), a middle grade biography of Michi Nishiura Weglyn, a California farm girl who endured the Japanese internment camps during World War II, became a renowned costume/wardrobe designer, then walked away from her glamorous life to research and write a book on the real reasons for the camps, leading to a national movement that changed history. Publication is slated for spring 2021; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal.
Melanie Cordova at Candlewick Press has bought, at auction, world rights to Calling the Moon, edited by Aida Salazar (l.) and Yamile Saied Méndez. The anthology collects short stories and poems about menstruation written by contributors of color, including Méndez, Salazar, Hilda Burgus, Veeda Bybee, Margarita Engle, Saadia Faruqi, Nikki Grimes, Leah Henderson, Erin Entrada Kelly, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Elise McMullen-Ciotti, Mason J., Emma Otheguy, Naheed Hasnat Senzai, Christina Soontornvat, and Ibi Zoboi. Calling the Moon will feature contemporary fictional middle grade stories that reflect a range of emotions, experiences, cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender expressions. The book is planned for spring 2022; Marietta B. Zacker and Linda Camacho, both at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency, represented Salazar and Méndez, respectively.
Taylor Norman at Chronicle has acquired, at auction, Death & Sparkles, the graphic novel debut of author-illustrator Rob Justus. Pitched as Adventure Time meets The Good Place, it's a middle grade buddy comedy about the unlikely friendship between Death, a grim reaper who's never had a friend, and Sparkles, The Last Unicorn, a celebrity influencer who is somehow immune to Death's touch. The first book is scheduled for fall 2021; Molly O'Neill at Root Literary did the two-book deal for world English rights.
Sally Morgridge at Holiday House has bought Clayton Stone series author Ena Jones's Six Feet Below Zero. In this middle-grade novel, 12-year-old Rosie and her younger brother Baker must honor their great-grandmother's final wishes by hiding her body in the basement freezer and pretending she's still alive. The clock counts down as they search for their Aunt Tilly, the only person who can save them and their home from the horrible Grim Hesper. Publication is set for spring 2021; Ginger Knowlton at Curtis Brown negotiated the deal for North American rights.
John Morgan at Macmillan/Imprint has acquired world rights for Complete the Quest from Brian McLachlan. Complete the Quest is a middle-grade graphic novel that's also a role-playing game, allowing readers to pick their heroes and send them on a series of adventures throughout the book. Publication is planned for late spring 2021; Kelly Sonnack at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal.
Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has bought, at auction, world rights to Dragonboy, as well as two untitled picture books, by debut artist Fabio Napoleoni, best known in the fine art world for his depictions of the rag doll character Marcenivo. In the tradition of Where the Wild Things Are and Winnie the Pooh, Dragonboy is the story of an imaginative and observant boy, his group of misfit companions, and their backyard adventures. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Albert Lee at United Talent Agency did the deal.
Kristen Mohn at Capstone has acquired world rights to People of Pride, a photo biography collection of 25 LGBTQ+ heroes, by medical student and debut author Chase Clemesha. Eliza Leahy will edit. Profiles include American artists, scientists, activists, athletes, and more from history and today. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; the author was unagented.
Emily Easton at Crown has bought Mike Bender's The End Is Only the Beginning, illustrated by Diana Mayo, a picture book about how the end of one thing is actually the start of another. Publication is set for spring 2021; Janine Kamouh at WME handled the deal for U.S., Canadian, and open market rights for the author, and Christine Isteed at Artist Partners Ltd. represented the illustrator.
Yasemin Uçar at Kids Can Press has acquired world rights to When a Tree Grows author Cathy Ballou Mealey's (l.) Pickle Packers, a friendship book celebrating patience, appreciation, ingenuity—and pickles—starring two unlikely friends, with Kelly Collier illustrating. Publication is slated for spring 2021; Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Charlotte Wenger, formerly at Page Street Kids, has bought world rights to If You Ever Meet a Skeleton, written by Rebecca Evans (l.) and illustrated by Katrin Dreiling. Courtney Burke will edit. In this Halloween picture book, a pair of young friends embarks on a romp in which every turn finds them face to face with a skeleton. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Essie White at Storm Literary Agency represented the author and the illustrator.
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has acquired world rights to Nancy Roe Pimm's (l.) Fly, Girl, Fly!: Shaesta Waiz Soars Around the World. This is the first authorized picture book biography about Shaesta Waiz, the youngest woman and first from Afghanistan to fly solo around the world. Alexandra Bye will illustrate. Publication is scheduled for September 2020; the author represented herself, and Kate Kendrick at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Alexandra Cooper at HarperTeen has acquired North American rights to three novels from Kendare Blake, author of the bestselling Three Dark Crowns series. All These Bodies, in the vein of Anna Dressed in Blood, features a 15-year-old girl who is the surviving victim-turned-suspect of a Midwestern murder spree in a standalone that unspools like a speculative YA version of In Cold Blood. The first two books of Blake's untitled fantasy series follow a mystical order of female warriors. Publication for All These Bodies is scheduled for fall 2021; the first fantasy novel is scheduled for fall 2022. Adriann Ranta Zurhellen at Foundry Literary + Media negotiated the deal.
Dana Chidiac at Dial has bought world rights to Navdeep Singh Dhillon's YA debut, Sunny G and a Series of Rash Decisions. When Sunny Gill gets dumped by his prom date, he thinks the night is going to be a disaster—but that's just the beginning. What follows is a 24-hour romp as Sunny chases a pair of mislaid post-prom party tickets and the girl who took them through his hometown of Fresno, Calif., and comes to terms with life after high school. Publication is set for summer 2021; Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman Literary Agency did the deal on behalf of CAKE Literary.
Alexandra Cooper at HarperCollins has acquired, at auction, YA author Sashi Kaufman's middle-grade debut, Sardines, and an untitled second middle-grade book. Sardines follows 11-year-old Lucas and a group of four other kids from disparate social and economic circles as they are forced together each afternoon by the middle school's aftercare program. As the group bonds, they create a game in which the group works together to grant each kid a wish. Publication is slated for summer 2021; Lauren MacLeod at the Strothman Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Howard Reeves at Abrams has bought World Turned Upside Down: The Story of Yorktown by Tim Grove, YALSA Award finalist and author of the forthcoming Star-Spangled. In the middle grade book, the world literally changes when five vastly different stories intersect at Yorktown during the American Revolution. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Alexander Slater at Trident Media Group negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Neal Porter at Holiday House/Porter has acquired We Will Live in This Forest Again by author-illustrator Gianna Marino. Inspired by Marino's experience during the Sonoma, Calif., wildfires of 2017, it depicts the animal residents of a forest during a fire and the aftermath. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; Deborah Warren at East West Literary handled the deal for world rights.
Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has bought, at auction, world rights to Roto & Roy: Helicopter Heroes, first in a two-book deal for the Roto & Roy series by Sherri Duskey Rinker, author of the Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site series. Author-illustrator Don Tate, co-founder of The Brown Bookshelf, will illustrate the story about a heroic helicopter, her pilot, and their daring adventures. Publication is set for spring 2021 and spring 2022; Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary Agency represented the author, and Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the artist.
Tracey Keevan at Disney-Hyperion has acquired world rights to Red Big, a picture book exploration of colors and birds by author and poet David Elliott (l.), illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats Award winner Evan Turk. Publication is slated for spring 2022; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Brenda Bowen at The Book Group represented the illustrator.
Joan Powers at Candlewick has bought world rights to Jamie Michalak's (l.) Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter, a picture book with seek-and-find elements about the secret museum-within-a-museum hidden behind Dakota Crumb's mousehole. The book will be illustrated by Kelly Murphy; publication is planned for March 2021. Victoria Wells Arms at Wells Arms Literary/HG Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Nancy Inteli at HarperCollins has acquired, at auction, world rights to We Move the World, a nonfiction picture book from debut author Kari Lavelle and illustrator Nabigal-Nayagam Haider Ali that introduces readers to stories of big and small ways we can make change through protest, exploration, celebration, and more. Publication is set for winter 2021; Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic Literary Agency represented the author, and James Burns at The Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Allison Cohen at Running Press has bought world rights to Debra Shumaker's (l.) debut picture book, Freaky, Funky Fish, illustrated by Claire Powell. From zapping, stinging, even singing, to playing dead or with a see-through head, fish do some freaky funky things to survive in this nonfiction picture book. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Natascha Morris at BookEnds Literary represented the author, and Clare Wallace at Darley Anderson Children's Book Agency represented the illustrator.
Sailaja Joshi of Bharat Babies has acquired world rights to Monique Chheda's (l.) Bindiya in India, the story of a girl's trip to India for a wedding. Set in the '90s and weaving together Hindi and English, the picture book follows Bindiya as she takes in the sights of India. The book will be illustrated by Singapore-based illustrator Debasmita Dasgupta; publication is planned for fall 2020. The author and illustrator were unagented.
