Jennie Conway while at Wednesday Books acquired, in an exclusive submission, Our Cursed Love by Julie Abe (The Charmed List); Tiffany Shelton will edit. In this YA contemporary fantasy pitched as a magical Love and Gelato meets 50 First Dates, Remy and Cam are two childhood best friends who are totally "just friends"—at least, until a love potion goes wrong and Cam forgets Remy completely. To unravel their past and rewrite the future, they must travel through a wintry Tokyo for an antidote—and maybe even fall in love all over again. Publication is set for fall 2023; Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord Literistic did the deal for world rights.
Tamara Grasty at Page Street has bought The Unboxing of a Black Girl by Angela Shanté, a memoir/cultural criticism of Black girlhood, a collection of short stories/vignettes and poetry inspired by the author's life. Publication is slated for spring 2024; Stephanie Hansen at Metamorphosis Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kristie Choi at Atheneum has acquired The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang, an upper middle grade graphic novel by debut author-illustrator Stan Yan, pitched as Turning Red meets Goosebumps. Eugenia's party has never been celebrated on her actual birthday, April 4, because of Mom's belief in the Chinese superstition that four is an unlucky number, which Eugenia thinks is ridiculous. But when she starts getting visions through her comic artwork of impending doom on 4/4, she may do something truly horrifying—admit Mom is right. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Ann Rose while at Prospect Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Liz Kossnar at Little, Brown has bought Which Way to Anywhere and a second book in a new series from Cressida Cowell, bestselling author of the How to Train Your Dragon and Wizard of Once series, about a family with a magical secret and a boy with a powerful gift. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Caroline Walsh at David Higham Associates sold U.S. rights.
Maya Marlette at Scholastic has acquired Sylvia Liu's middle grade novel, Near and Deer, in which a girl secretly cares for an orphaned fawn befriended by her dog, distracting her from helping to save her family's inn. Publication is slated for summer 2024; Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Grace Scheipeter at Oni Press has bought Goat Magic, a graphic novel by Washington Post and The Nib cartoonist Kate Wheeler, pitched for fans of Wolfwalkers and Mooncakes, about two girls on an adventure—one a reluctant goatherd, the other a goat who happens to be an enchanted princess—and how their friendship blossoms into something more amid treachery against the throne. Publication is set for spring 2025; Jennifer Mattson at Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold North American English rights.
Mora Couch at Holiday House has acquired debut author Melinda Nichols Wendell's Light and Air, a middle-grade historical novel in which an isolated girl with a difficult father finds hope and healing in the closed world of a tuberculosis hospital in the 1930s. Publication is planned for spring 2024; Michelle Hauck at Storm Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Siobhan Ciminera at Simon Spotlight has bought, in a three-book deal, Geisel Honor winner Jonathan Fenske's Try a Bite, Trilobite!, kicking off a new early reader series, in which Bug tries to get picky eater Trilobite to try a new snack. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Carrie Hannigan at HG Literary sold world rights.
Renee Kelly at Penguin Workshop has acquired world rights to two books in a new illustrated chapter book series, Puggleton Park, from Please Don't Read This Book! author Deanna Kizis (l.), illustrated by Hannah Peck. The series follows Penelope the pug as she navigates Regency-era London after losing her Lady; Penelope dreams of finding a new Lady and a forever home, but how to keep herself from chasing squirrels and making a mess, ruining all hopes and dreams of tea parties and elegant balls? Publication of books one and two is set for spring 2024; Faye Bender at the Book Group represented the author, and Susan Penny at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Namrata Tripathi at Kokila has bought, at auction, world rights to Angie Kang's debut picture book, Our Lake, the story of two brothers who return to a lake that they have visited many times before, but this time after losing their father, which explores themes of healing after loss and the power of memory, reflection, and having a sibling to lean on through times of grief. Publication is slated for spring 2025; Anjali Singh at Ayesha Pande Literary brokered the two-book, six-figure deal.
Nina Gruener at Cameron Kids has acquired political cartoonist Chris Britt's Books Can Be Trouble, in which things go hilariously from bad to worse as two friends take a leisurely stroll through a book that proves to be a lot of trouble. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Timothy Travaglini at Transatlantic Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Justin Chanda at Simon & Schuster has bought, with Celia Lee editing, I Won't Dream of a Dragon, written by playwright and Pulitzer finalist Sarah Ruhl (l.), illustrated by Sally Deng. Inspired by the early work of Margaret Wise Brown, this is a fantastical and child-centered look at taking charge of bedtime fears as a child dreams of banishing their nightmares. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Dorian Karchmar at WME represented the author, and Tracy Marchini at BookEnds Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Sara Sargent at Random House has acquired world rights to the Always Anjali picture book series by Sheetal Sheth (l.), previously published by Mango and Marigold Press. Jessica Blank (r.) will illustrate the first book, and Lucia Soto will illustrate the second and third books. The books follow heart- and headstrong Indian American girl Anjali as she navigates bullies, prejudice, and gender norms—all while trying to find her own light. Publication for the first book is slated for spring 2023; Jane Startz at Jane Startz Productions represented Sheth, Carrie Hannigan represented Blank, and Soto represented herself.
Elizabeth Lazowski at Chronicle has bought world rights to Too Many Golems by Jane Yolen (l.), illustrated by Maya Shleifer. Abi is not having a good week: he accidentally stole from the deli, some older kids tricked him into saying a bad word, his parents took his comic book collection away. And, perhaps worst, he accidentally summoned some golems from a scroll he stole from his synagogue's basement. He really didn't mean to do that last one, but now that the golems are here, they might prove useful. Publication is set for fall 2024; Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Frances Gilbert at Doubleday has acquired world rights to Miss MacDonald Has a Farm by Kalee Gwarjanski (l.), illustrated by Elizabet Vuković. In this female-forward spin on the traditional children's song, readers meet Miss MacDonald on her vegetable farm. E-I-E-I-GROW! With a "weed-weed" here and a "pick-pick" there, this rhyming picture book celebrates themes of healthy eating, plant-based meals, gardening, seasons, and female farmers. Publication is planned for spring 2024; Jennifer Herrington at Harvey Klinger represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Megan Ilnitzki at HarperCollins has bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to Prince of Stars: The Story of Ulugh Beg by M.O. Yuksel (l.) (In My Mosque, One Wish), illustrated by Zelma Firdauzia, a picture book biography about the legendary Muslim astronomer and mathematician. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024. Jenna Pocius at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Aurora Barlam at Astound US represented the artist.
Hilary Van Dusen at Candlewick/MIT Kids Press has acquired world rights to The Girl Who Tested the Waters by Patricia Daniele (l.), illustrated by Junyi Wu, a picture book biography about Ellen Henrietta Swallow, chemist, ecologist, and first woman at MIT; Kristin Zelazko will edit. Publication is slated for spring 2025; Sarah Stephens at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Alexandra McKenzie at Charlesbridge has bought world rights to Gingerbread Dreidels, a picture book by Jane Zalben (l.), illustrated by Thai Phuong. When Christmas and the first night of Chanukah occur on the same day (which it does in 2024), siblings Sophie and Max must figure out how to celebrate both Jewish and Christian traditions as an interfaith and diverse family. Publication is set for summer 2024; Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Adria Haley at Tommy Nelson has acquired world rights to Wombat & the Family Tree by Marietta Apollonio, a picture book that starts as a family tree assignment, branches out, and connects Wombat to discover family members and ancestors he never knew about, and leads him to the joy—and sometimes frustration—of discovering new talents. Publication is planned for spring 2024; Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
Amy Novesky at Cameron Kids has bought world rights to Every Peach Is a Story by Nikiko Masumoto (l.) and David Mas Masumoto (c.), a picture book about three generations of a Japanese American family and a year on their peach farm through the seasons and senses, illustrated by Lauren Tamaki (r.). Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; the authors represented themselves, and Charlotte Sheedy and Jesseca Salky at Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
