Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown and Molly Powell at Hodder & Stoughton have acquired Elly Blake's new three-book fantasy series. The first installment, Thirstwood, features a sylvan princess and a demon boy whose forbidden friendship causes a war between their kingdoms. Several years later, the friends-turned-enemies must again learn to trust one another to save themselves and everyone they love. It's slated for summer 2023; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary and Media brokered the deal for world English rights.


Allison Cohen at Running Press Kids has bought North American rights to The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad, a YA novel by Natasha Deen, in an exclusive submission. The story follows Tuna Rashad, who is always on the lookout for messages from her Caribbean ancestors who have passed on, as she tries to win over her crush before she leaves for college. Publication is set for summer 2022; Amy Tompkins at the Transatlantic Agency handled the deal.


Nicole Fiorica at S&S/McElderry has acquired The Voice Upstairs, a YA historical fantasy by Laura Weymouth (The Light Between Worlds). Pitched as "Downton Abbey with ghosts," in which a young housemaid's supernatural gifts warn her that an opulent manor house is connected to a string of murders, jeopardizing her secret romance with the wealthy family's youngest son. Publication is set for 2023; Lauren Spieller at TriadaUS Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.


Marilyn Brigham at Amazon Crossing Kids has bought middle-grade memoir Piece by Piece by David Aguilar (c.) and Ferran Aguilar (l.), translated from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel (r.). The memoir tells the story of David Aguilar, who was born with one arm due to a rare disease, and the surprising international fame and success he attained after building himself a prosthetic arm out of Lego pieces. Publication is scheduled for September 2022; Jordi Ribolleda at IMC Agència Literària did the deal for world English rights.


Erin Clarke at Knopf has acquired world rights to Dear Rosie, a debut middle grade graphic novel by Meghan Boehman (l.) and Rachael Briner. Starring a diverse cast of anthropomorphic Maryland wildlife, this semi-autobiographical graphic novel follows four middle-school girls as they confront the loss of their friend, banding together to heal their wounds and honor her memory. Publication is planned for summer 2023; Uwe Stender and Brent Taylor at Triada US brokered the deal.


Sarah Alpert at Algonquin Young Readers has bought, at auction, The Puzzling Fate of Millicent Graves, a middle-grade graphic novel by Dora M. Mitchell (The Haunted Serpent). The story features perfectionist Millicent Graves, who discovers a room of puzzles representing people's lives and starts rearranging pieces to improve her family and friends. Publication is scheduled for 2024; Marie Lamba at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency handled the two-book deal for world rights.


Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to Mascot, a middle-grade novel co-written by Charles Waters (l.) (Can I Touch Your Hair?) and Traci Sorell (We Are Still Here!). Told in multiple voices, the novel in verse follows an eighth-grade English class as they tackle the issue of their school's mascot, the Rye Braves, and the chants and gestures that fans make at every sporting event. Is the mascot racist? Is it tradition? Who gets to decide? A spring 2024 publication is planned; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented Waters, and Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt represented Sorell.


Chris Hernandez at Razorbill has bought The Underdogs, a chapter book mystery series written by Kate Temple (l.) and Jol Temple (c.), illustrated by Shiloh Gordon (r.). In the first book, the bumbling canine investigators of the Underdog Detective Agency are trying to fix their image by catching an elusive cat burglar, so they decide to hire their first-ever cat detective. Publication for the first two books is set for fall 2022; Daniel Lazar at Writers House negotiated the four-book deal for North American rights on behalf of Hardie Grant in Australia.


Heidi Kilgras at Random House has acquired the text for Maxi Wiz and Her Dragon and a second untitled book for the Step into Reading program, written by Michelle Meadows (l.) and illustrated by Sawyer Cloud, about a little African American wizard who does everything to the max and uses her magic to fix problems. Publication is set for spring 2023 and spring 2024; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio sold world English rights and N.A. Spanish translation rights for the author, and Atlanta Japp at Advocate Art sold world rights for the illustrator.


Frances Gilbert at Doubleday has bought world rights to The Teachers I Loved Best in an exclusive submission. Written by poet and educator Taylor Mali (l.) and illustrated by Erica Root, this rhyming picture book ode celebrates the teachers we remember all those years later—the ones who saw us for who we were and encouraged us to think in ways that expanded our horizons. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; the author was unagented, and Susan McCabe at Lilla Rogers Studio represented the illustrator.


Allyn Johnston at S&S/Beach Lane Books has acquired world rights to Becoming Blue by Ellen Tarlow (l.), illustrated by Julien Chung, a picture book about quiet Blue who spends all his time trying to be more like his exciting friend, Red. After some soul-searching, Blue realizes his true strength comes from just being himself, and at last the two are able to enjoy a real friendship, one that sometimes even includes… being purple. Publication is set for fall 2022; Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content represented the author and the illustrator.


Grace Kendall at FSG has preempted world rights to Susan Yoon's (l.) debut picture book, Waiting for Tomorrow, illustrated by Julie Kwon, about two sisters planning a special surprise for their father's return home after a long time away. Publication is set for winter 2023; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Hannah Mann at Writers House represented the illustrator.


Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has bought world rights for Sebastian the Littlest Food Critic by Debbie Rigaud (l.), illustrated by Rachel Más Davidson, featuring a picky eater who rates most meals with "one binky" until he learns his family's secret ingredient, which yields the rave review of "five binkies." Publication is slated for 2024; Laura Dail at Laura Dail Literary Agency represented the author, and Christa Heschke at Mcintosh and Otis represented the artist in the two-book deal.


Patricia Stockland at Kind World has acquired world rights to Viva's Voice by Raquel Donoso (l.), illustrated by Carlos Vélez Aguilera. After learning what a strike is, five-year-old Viva convinces Papi to take her to the picket line. When quiet Papi is too nervous to give his speech, Viva uses her voice to help him find the confidence to use his own. Donoso's childhood experience on the picket line with her father inspired this debut picture book. Publication is set for August 2022; the author represented herself, and Christina Doffing from Astound US represented the illustrator.


Siobhan Ciminera at Simon Spotlight has bought world rights to Doodles by Alethea Kontis (l.), illustrated by Christophe Jacques, a rhyming text with wordplay on the word doodles for the Ready-to-Read line; Lisa Lauria will edit. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Moe Ferrara of BookEnds Literary represented the author and Christy Ewers of the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.


Kelly Barrales-Saylor at Sourcebooks eXplore has preempted world rights to I Am a Force by debut author and former engineer Maria Marianayagam (l.), illustrated by Skylar White. Pitched as I Am Every Good Thing meets Forces, this STEM-based picture book showcases a diverse cast of fierce and powerful girls, each the personification of a force: gravity, buoyancy, magnetism, and more. Publication is scheduled for March 2023; Alice Fugate at the Joy Harris Literary Agency represented the author, and Alex Gehringer at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.


Stephen Hull at the University of New Mexico Press has acquired world rights to UFOoooos!, a nonfiction picture book from married authors Deborah Blumenthal (l.) (Saving Stella: A Dog's Dramatic Escape from War) and former New York Times reporter Ralph Blumenthal (c.) (The Believer: Alien Encounters, Hard Science, and the Passion of John Mack), illustrated by Adam Gustavson (r.) (The Froggies Do NOT Want to Sleep). The book explores the magic and mystery of what is known and not known about Unidentified Flying Objects. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Alec Shane at Writers House represented the authors. The illustrator represented himself.


Gabriella DeGennaro, when at RISE x Penguin Workshop, bought world rights to This Is Music, a board book series written by music educator Rekha S. Rajan (l.), illustrated by Tania Yakunova, in an exclusive submission; DeGennaro and Nicole Fox will edit. The series includes four books: This Is Drums, This Is Strings, This Is Horns, and This Is Voice, and invites readers to expand their definition of what makes music while exploring instruments from around the world. The first book in the series, This Is Drums, will publish in August 2022; Lilly Ghahremani of Full Circle Literary represented the author, and the artist represented herself.


Alexandra Cooper at Quill Tree has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera, a prequel to They Both Die at the End. In the story, new star-crossed lovers are put to the test on the first day of Death-Cast's fateful calls. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Jodi Reamer at Writers House sold North American rights in a two-book deal.


Janine O'Malley at FSG has bought, at auction, world English rights to An Improbable Season by Rosalyn Eves, a YA historical romance inspired by Georgette Heyer's Regency romances with appeal for Bridgerton fans. When sisters Thalia and Kalliope and their cousin Charis set off to Regency London for their first season, they each have clear goals—few of which include matrimony. But even the best-laid plans of young ladies can go awry, and with so much at stake, can any of these young women find their increasingly improbable happy ending? Publication is set for winter 2023, followed by a sequel, An Unlikely Proposition, the following year. Josh Adams at Adams Literary did the two-book deal.


Eileen Rothschild at Wednesday Books has acquired, in a preempt, Iris at the Front, the start of a new fantasy duology by Rebecca Ross. The Lovely War meets You've Got Mail, in this World War I-inspired fantasy world where a teenage journalist desperate to find her missing brother writes him letters only for them to be magically delivered to her swoonworthy rival at the newspaper. Together they might be the only ones who can uncover the truth not only about what happened to her brother but about the real causes of the war itself. Publication is planned for winter 2023; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media handled the deal for world English rights.


Bria Ragin at Underlined has bought debut author Sher Lee's Fake Dates and Mooncakes, a contemporary YA rom-com pitched as Crazy Rich Asians meets What If It's Us, in which an aspiring teen chef enters a mooncake-making contest to bring publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout restaurant, but discovers the recipe for love is more complicated when a new customer—the attractive son of a business magnate—asks him to be his fake date for a glitzy wedding. Publication is slated for summer 2023; Jess Regel at Helm Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.


Ben Rosenthal at HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books has acquired Kyrie McCauley's All the Dead Lie Down, a YA Gothic romance pitched as The Turn of the Screw meets Taylor Swift's Ivy, following a teenage girl, who accepts a position as a summertime nanny at a Maine estate, watching two children while their mother, an acclaimed horror writer, finishes her latest novel. But once there, the children grow more feral, the family dog keeps bringing her dead things, and when her charges' compelling older sister returns from boarding school, she learns that Lovelace House possesses a dark secret. Publication is set for summer 2023; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media did the two-book deal for world English rights.


Lydia Gregovic at Delacorte has bought debut author Amy Goldsmith's Ocean Dark, a YA speculative horror novel in which a teen girl attending a semester-at-sea program grows suspicious when her best friend and fellow student disappears their first night on board, leading her to wonder if the ship may contain something sinister at its core. Publication is scheduled for summer 2023; Claire Friedman at Inkwell Literary Management brokered the deal for North American rights.


Amy Fitzgerald at Lerner/Carolrhoda Lab has acquired world rights to Marcia Argueta Mickelson's (Where I Belong) next YA novel, The Weight of Everything. Sarah leaves boarding school to care for her grieving father and younger brother after her mother's death. Finding solace in painting, she researches her mother's Guatemalan and Mexican roots and begins to understand how art is one way to have a voice. Publication is planned for spring 2023; Kathryn Green at Kathryn Green Literary handled the deal.


Brian Geffen at Henry Holt has bought world rights to middle-grade contemporary fantasy graphic novel Ghost Book by Remy Lai, in which 11-year-old July Chen befriends the wandering soul of a boy only to find out that their fates are intertwined, and in order for the boy to live, she has to die. Publication is slated for spring 2023; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal.


Hannah Milton while at Little, Brown acquired Cookie Monsters by Erika Kendrick (Squad Goals), a contemporary middle grade novel in which 12-year-old Brooklyn goes up against her biggest rival in a cookie-selling competition, while her friends help her deal with grief, learn to accept life's difficulties, and plot her big win for the cookie crown. Caitlyn Averett will edit, with publication scheduled for winter 2023. Marcy Posner at Folio Literary Management brokered the deal for world rights.


Connie Hsu at Roaring Brook has bought, at auction, Ruth Chan's debut middle grade graphic novel Uprooted. This memoir follows eighth grader Ruth as her family moves from Canada to Hong Kong, where Dad has a new job, Mom is closer to family, and Ruth feels lonelier than ever. Amid struggles with rusty Cantonese and hangouts with new friends, Ruth's story is interspersed with the story of her father's miraculous birth in exile during the Sino-Japanese War, weaving a tapestry of perseverance, triumph, and love. Publication is set for fall 2023; Rebecca Sherman at Writers House did the two-book deal for world rights.


Christy Ottaviano at Little, Brown/Ottaviano has acquired, in an exclusive submission, world rights to Abandon Ship!: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in WWII by Michael J. Tougias (l.) and Alison O'Leary (Attacked at Sea). This nonfiction middle grade account explores the Laconia incident, a previously hidden and enigmatic maritime attack off the West African coast during WWII. Publication is planned for winter 2023; the authors represented themselves.


Julia Sooy, while at Godwin Books, bought world rights to Total Garbage by Rebecca Donnelly (l.), illustrated by John Hendrix; Rachel Murray will edit. The middle-grade nonfiction title looks at how we make so much trash and what we can do about it. Publication is expected in fall 2022; Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency represented the author, and Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the illustrator.


Hilary Van Dusen and Olivia Swomley at Candlewick/MIT Kids Press have acquired How to Be a Color Wizard: Secret Recipes, Backyard Magic, and Kitchen Alchemy to Blow Everyone's Mind by Jason S. Logan (Make Ink), founder of the Toronto Ink Company, an illustrated, interactive middle grade guide to foraging and color-making. Publication is slated for spring 2024; Jesseca Salky at Salky Literary Management in association with Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.


Erica Finkel at Abrams has bought, in a two-book deal, The Good Sports League by Tommy Greenwald (Game Changer). This sports-themed illustrated chapter-book series will help young readers remember that it's not whether you win or lose, but how much fun you have while playing the game. Publication of the first book is scheduled for spring 2023; Amy Thrall Flynn of Rubin Pfeffer Content negotiated the deal for world rights.


Sue Tarsky at Albert Whitman has acquired world rights to Jack, the Library Cat by debut author-illustrator Marietta Apollonio. A stray cat, Jack, loves nothing more than to sneak inside for storytime even though cats aren't allowed in the library. But when a new boy moves to town and needs a reading buddy, Jack finds more than a new friendship—he finds a home. Publication is set for spring 2023; Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal.


Nick Thomas at Levine Querido has acquired Dadaji's Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande (l.) and illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane. The picture book follows a boy who uses the love for painting that he and his dadaji shared to explore his grief and continue his grandfather's legacy. Publication is slated for fall 2022; Liz White at Andersen Press brokered the deal for North American English and world Dutch rights.


Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has bought world rights to Toby Tootles, a debut picture book written by Stephanie Gibeault (l.) and illustrated by Mary Sullivan, about a gassy lad who learns self-acceptance, farts and all, by spending a day with his equally flatulent grandmother. Publication is planned for spring 2023; Jacqui Lipton at Raven Quill Literary represented the author, and Tamara Shannon at Shannon Associates represented the artist.


Marilyn Brigham at Amazon Crossing Kids has acquired A Dream of Birds by Shenaz Patel (l.), illustrated by Emmanuelle Tchoukriel (c.), and translated from the French by Edwige-Renée Dro (r.). The picture book tells the story of a Mauritian girl who gets in trouble for releasing the birds from a neighbor's birdhouse. Publication is scheduled for summer 2022; Pauline Clement at Cat on a Book Agency sold world English rights, excluding France and Mauritius.