Alex Borbolla at Bloomsbury has acquired The Girl You Know by Elle Gonzalez Rose, a dark academia YA thriller that follows Luna to Kingswood Academy, where she must pose as her late twin sister in order to uncover Kingswood's secrets and find her sister's killer. Publication is scheduled for winter 2025; Uwe Stender at Triada US handled the deal for world rights.
Andrea Colvin at Little, Brown Ink has bought Unreal, a debut YA graphic novel by Ellen Walker. This memoir-inspired story follows Frances Ward in her adolescent years as she and her sister, Annabelle, use the power of their imaginations to help them navigate neurodivergence, social stigma, and coming of age. Publication is planned for 2026; Alex Slater at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates negotiated world rights.
Meriam Metoui at Viking has acquired, at auction, I Am the Swarm, a debut YA novel-in-verse by Hayley Chewins. Set in Cape Town, South Africa, the book follows a family of women who each have an irrational and unpredictable magical power. When 15-year-old Nell's emotions begin to manifest as insects—including swarms of terrifying wasps—she must learn to accept her own strange and complicated magic. Publication is set for spring 2025; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency sold North American rights.
Tamara Grasty at Page Street has bought Liar's Kingdom by Christine Calella (The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray), a dark Cinderella retelling in the vein of Into the Woods in which the wrong girl fits the glass slipper and marries the prince to save herself from her cruel stepfamily, but finds she is now princess of a kingdom on the brink of a war against magic. Publication is slated for winter 2025; Laurel Symonds at KT Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
David Saylor at Scholastic/Graphix has preempted rights to the manga series Unico: Awakening by Samuel Sattin (Buzzing) and illustrated by the Eisner Award-winning team Gurihiru. A reimagining of the Osamu Tezuka manga, the books follow a young unicorn as he travels across time and space after being banished, while spreading messages of kindness and hope. Publication will begin in August 2024; Dara Hyde at Hill Nadell Literary Agency did the six-book deal for world rights deal except Japan, with Aki Yanagi representing the artists.
Kelsey Horton at Delacorte has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Not Another Banned Book by Dana Alison Levy (It Wasn't Me). This ripped from the headlines middle grade novel follows eighth grader Molly and her friends as they fight back against banned books at their school to save their club and their world as they know it. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency sold North American rights.
Aimee Friedman at Scholastic Press has bought an untitled middle grade novel by Tiffany D. Jackson (White Smoke), a thriller in which a girl visiting family friends for the summer on Martha's Vineyard uncovers a sinister secret as she tries to help solve a shocking murder on the beach. Publication is scheduled for 2025; Jenny Bent at the Bent Agency sold world rights.
Sally Morgridge at Holiday House has acquired world rights to The Tontine Caper by Dianne K. Salerni (l.) (The Carrefour Curse), illustrated by Matt Schu. A middle grade comedy/mystery pitched as Knives Out meets Greenglass House, it stars Nico, an 11-year-old orphan who turns to petty crime to escape the unscrupulous innkeeper who has indentured him at a remote mountain inn, while a bevy of eccentric guests connive to win a fortune that goes to the last one alive. Publication is set for spring 2025; Sara Crowe at Sara Crowe Literary represented the author, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Alex Borbolla while at Atheneum bought world rights to Speaking of America: United States Presidents and the Words That Changed History, the debut children's book by Jared Cohen (Accidental Presidents) (l.), illustrated by Vivian Shih; Feather Flores will edit. This nonfiction collection in the vein of Herstory unpacks the meaning and historical significance of quotes from all 45 U.S. presidents. Publication is slated for late summer 2024; Andrew Wylie at the Wylie Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Katherine Harrison at Knopf has acquired world rights to The Great What If by Karla Arenas Valenti (l.) (Loteria), illustrated by Victo Ngai. The picture book follows young Paolo and his dog, Dragon, on their epic adventure to uncover the origins of a mysterious object that has washed up on the shore of their home, while pondering one of life's deepest questions. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Gail Gaynin at Morgan Gaynin Agency represented the illustrator.
Kat Brzozowski at Feiwel and Friends has bought world rights to Shivi's Big Leap, a picture book by Kritika H. Rao (l.), illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, in which a boy who strives to be like the monkey god Hanuman must tackle his fear and uncertainty to scale a daunting climbing wall. Publication is scheduled for winter 2025; Naomi Davis at BookEnds represented the author, and Alice Sutherland-Hawes at ASH Literary represented the artist.
Leonard Marcus, while at Astra Books for Young Readers, acquired world rights to Clear and Bright: The Ching Ming Festival by APALA Award-winner Teresa Robeson (l.), illustrated by William Low; Susan Dobinick will edit. Two Chinese American children gather with their family to celebrate Ching Ming, where they honor and give thanks to their ancestors for the immigration journeys that blended their heritage and adopted cultures to make them the family they are today. The book is set to publish in spring 2025; Tracy Marchini at BookEnds represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Frances Gilbert at Doubleday has bought world rights to Eight Sweet Nights, A Festival of Lights by Charlotte Offsay (l.), illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt, a Hanukkah-themed picture book about the joys of coming together to celebrate with family and food. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has acquired world rights to Stokes: The Brief Career of the NBA's First Black Superstar by Ty Chapman (l.) (Looking for Happy) and John Coy (c.) (Where We Come From), illustrated by Lonnie Olivierre (r.) (A Door Made for Me), a picture book biography of a remarkable basketball player and how the NBA community rallied around him after a life-changing injury. Publication is planned for October 2024; Savannah Brooks while at Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency represented Chapman, Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency represented Coy, and Tamara Shannon at Shannon Associates represented Ollivierre.
Clarissa Wong at Scholastic has bought debut picture book The Remarkable Dragon, written and illustrated by Kathryn Rammell, about Rory, an unusual dragon hatchling who becomes the most popular pupil at Dragon School. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Christie Megill at the CAT Agency sold world rights.
Sonali Fry at Crown has acquired North American rights to debut author-illustrator Camey Yeh's We're Different and It's Totally Cool!, a picture book that celebrates finding joy and connection in our uniqueness, as well as in our similarities. Publication is set for summer 2025; Kristin Ostby at Greenhouse Literary brokered the deal.
Megan Abbate at Bloomsbury has bought We Wish You a Merry Christmas, illustrated by Julianna Swaney, a picture book adaptation of the Christmas song that celebrates the "wishes" that the holiday season inspires. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Anne Moore Armstrong sold world rights.
Kristie Choi at Atheneum has acquired at auction King of Dead Things and its sequel, a YA debut by Nevin Holness, for fans of Legendborn and Neil Gaiman. In this Caribbean contemporary fantasy, a thief with no memory, his found family, and a boy who can raise the dead are sent to track down the fang of the leopard god Osebo in a job that has them racing through the magical underbelly of London facing ancient powers, duppies, and their own demons. Publication is set for spring 2024; Tamara Kawar at DeFiore & Company sold North American rights on behalf of Isobel Gahan at Curtis Brown UK.
Annette Pollert-Morgan at Sourcebooks Fire, in a preempt, has bought world English and audio rights to Michelle Jabès Corpora's The Children of Khetara series, pitched as an ancient Egyptian Game of Thrones for YA readers, where a princess, a priestess, a farmer's daughter, and a tomb robber are united by a forgotten oracle, and the Pharoah's death leaves the throne up for grabs. The first of three books, The Golden Reign, is scheduled for summer 2025, with two books following in summer 2026 and summer 2027; Allison Hellegers at Stimola Literary Studio handled the deal.
Wendy Loggia at Delacorte Press has acquired Asterwood by Jacquelyn Stolos, pitched as a middle grade version of The Hazel Wood by way of Kelly Barnhill. In the novel, a mysterious new friend introduces a motherless girl to a fantastical yet ominous world, where she discovers a group of children who are relying on her to help them, all while learning that her father has not told her the truth about her family. Publication is slated for summer 2025; Alexander Slater at Greenburger Kids sold U.S., Canada, non-exclusive open market and audio rights.
Elizabeth Agyemang at HarperCollins has bought The Other Side of Imani by Lisa Springer, a coming-of-age middle grade novel about 13-year-old Imani, an aspiring designer who creates a virtual avatar to compete for a spot at a prestigious arts school after she discovers that a viral influencer has stolen her designs. Publication is planned for summer 2025; Danielle Burby at Mad Woman Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Susan Kochan at Putnam has acquired world rights to four graphic novels for early readers in the new The Gingerbread Man Is Loose series by Laura Murray (l.), illustrated by Mike Lowery, with school settings and themes of friendship, problem solving, and persistence. Buttons on the Loose and Class Pet on the Loose are set for spring 2024, with Paper Airplanes on the Loose scheduled for fall 2024 and New Friend on the Loose in spring 2025. Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Nancy Inteli at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Flyer McTire by Beth Ferry (l.), illustrated by Matt Myers, about a race car tire named Flyer McTire who finds himself in a dump far from the track, opening Flyer up to a chance encounter with a boy who offers the tire a different, perhaps greater, purpose. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Courtney Code at Abrams has acquired world rights to Susan Yoon's (l.) newest picture book, Gwendolyn and the Light, illustrated by Audrey Helen Weber, a nighttime seagoing fable showing that sometimes you need to lose sight of the land before you come to realize the things that really matter, such as the true meaning of friendship. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Hannah Mann at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Arthur Levine at Levine Querido has bought world rights to The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan by Sandra Nickel (l.), illustrated by paper sculptor Calvin Nicholls. The picture book biography, written in the style of one of Andersen's fairy tales, relates how the author yearned for acceptance and celebrates how he used his creativity and love of stories to find his place in the world. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Victoria Wells Arms at HG Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Jessica Echeverria at Lee & Low has acquired Johnny Tunes and the Gandy Dancers by Pamela M. Tuck (l.) and Joel S. Tuck (c.), illustrated by Jerry Jordan (r.), the story (loosely based on Pamela's grandfather) of an African American boy in the early 1900s growing up in a sharecropping family who, despite his physical limitations, finds a unique way to join his older brothers working on the railroads. Publication is set for spring 2025; the authors represented themselves, and Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Bobbie Bensur at Paw Prints has bought world rights to My Code Word by Lynn Joseph (l.), illustrated by Annalize McLean, a picture book about a mother's gentle solution to allay her anxious son's fears and build resilience. Publication is slated for spring 2024; Linda Camacho at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Michael Green at Marble Press has acquired world English rights to The Dogs Next Door, written and illustrated by Patricia Carlin. When a banjo-playing, river-mud-loving group of dogs moves in next door to her, the book's heroine is smitten, until she learns one of the mutts might be a bad dog. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Daniel Lazar at Writers House brokered the deal.
