Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends has acquired, in an exclusive submission, This Wretched Beauty by debut author Elle Grenier. This transfeminine YA remix of The Picture of Dorian Gray sees Dorian moved to jealousy towards her own portrait not only by vanity, but also a sudden awareness of the young man she's expected to become, leading her through a dark web of obsession, paranoia, and terror as her portrait starts to change in her place. Publication is slated for winter 2026; Alexandra Levick at Writers House did the deal for world rights.


Julie Matysik at Running Press Kids has bought world rights to Take Up Space, Y'all: Your Bold & Bright Guide to Self-Love by plus-size supermodel and body positive activist Tess Holliday (l.) and author Kelly Coon. This wellness book for tweens and teens explores what it means to love oneself from the inside out, especially in the social media era, and includes advice, anecdotes, writing prompts, and quizzes. Publication is planned for August 2025; Olivia Peeke at Intention represented Holliday, and Kari Sutherland at KT Literary represented Coon.


Catherine Laudone at S&S/Beach Lane Books has acquired world rights to Stifled by Jennifer Gennari, a contemporary middle grade novel about a girl named Madge who must rediscover her voice and confidence while navigating family secrets, friendship growing pains, book banning at her school library, and the stress of playing in a competitive band ensemble. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency negotiated the deal.


Alexandra Merkel at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Mummy Man and Waffles: The Dire Deeds of Doctor Gargo by Steve Behling (l.), illustrated by Robb Mommaerts. In this spooky, goofy middle grade novel, 11-year-old Waffles and his friends Tanya, Mummy Man, Frank, and Medusa road trip from Shriekport, Maine to Hollywood to confront the evil villain who unleashed reanimated monsters from a prop man's basement upon the country. Publication is set for summer 2025; Kathryn Green at Kathryn Green Literary Agency represented the author, and Jessica Saint Jean at Root Literary represented the illustrator while at Jill Grinberg Literary Management.


Yolanda Scott at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to The Golden Necklace: A Darjeeling Tea Mystery by Mitali Perkins (l.), and Ellie Erhart has acquired world rights for illustrations by Maithili Joshi. This contemporary chapter-book mystery set on a tea plantation in Darjeeling, India, follows the adventures of a 12-year-old Nepali girl who sets out to solve the disappearance of her Bengali friend's missing golden necklace before her beloved brother is accused of the theft. Publication is slated for October 2025; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.


Siobhan Ciminera at Simon Spotlight has bought world rights to two original Ready-to-Reads by Terri Farley (l.), set in the world of her classic The Phantom Stallion series: The Stallion and Feather, the Foal, illustrated by Kirbi Fagan; Destiny Reyes will edit. Publication for the first book is planned for spring 2026; Timothy Travaglini at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and Kayla Cichello at Upstart Crow Literary represented the illustrator.


Lee Wade at Random House Studio has acquired world rights to A Spectacular Thing by Randall de Sève (l.), illustrated by Julie Morstad, a celebration of play, kindness, and inclusion, centered around a fort-making and soon-to-be spectacular thing. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Steven Malk at Writers House represented the author, and Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the illustrator.


Melissa Manlove at Sourcebooks Jabberwocky has bought Always Room for One More by Jacqueline Lindsey. One child's impulsive playground invitation turns a family Thanksgiving into a celebration of both the chaos and the joy of the holiday. As unexpected guests pile in and creative seating arrangements abound, this story reminds readers that sometimes the best celebrations are the ones we never saw coming. Publication is set for fall 2026; Katie Monson at SBR Media sold world rights.


Chris Ayala-Kronos at Clarion Books has acquired The Night Before Christmas by Lauren Semmer (The ABCs of Black History), a modern take on the classic Christmas poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Publication is slated for fall 2025; Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.


Lynne Marie at The Little Press has bought world rights to Good Luck, Puck by Donna Marx (l.), illustrated by Daniel Sulzberg, a picture book about a hockey puck's journey to find the Olympic sport where he can really shine. Publication is planned for fall 2025; the author was unagented, and Dan Cramer at Page Turner Literary Agency represented the illustrator.


Sarah Barley at S&S/Sarah Barley Books has acquired, in a seven-imprint auction, Salt Water Blood by We Need Diverse Books mentee and Pacific Islanders in Publishing co-founder Manuia Heinrich. Pitched for fans of Firekeeper's Daughter and Moana, Salt Water Blood is a speculative YA thriller following an older sister who is able to hear the sea's prophetic thoughts and must race against time to clear her brother's name before he's blamed for his girlfriend's disappearance and eventual murder. The mystery is set against the backdrop of mounting tension over the impact of France's nuclear testing on the people of Mā'ohi Nui (French Polynesia). Publication is set for spring/summer 2026; Marin Takikawa at the Friedrich Agency sold North American rights in the two-book deal.


Ardyce Alspatch at Union Square Kids has bought, in a preempt, Blood Sick, a YA horror novel by Adam Cesare, author of the Stoker Award-winning Clown in a Cornfield franchise. When an evil creature awakens from a 300-year hibernation, bringing a plague to a working-class Massachusetts town, the high school’s most notorious party house becomes ground zero for a deadly string of events. Publication is projected for spring 2026; Alec Shane at Writers House brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.


Alexandra Cooper at Quill Tree Books has acquired North American rights to two graphic novels by Wendy Xu, one middle grade and one YA. Yarrow and the Burning Mountain, due out in 2027, is about a young goblin who, to protect her way of life, takes on her evil estranged cousin who is attempting to mass produce her village's special pottery. A Ghost Is a Wish, due in 2028, features a teen who sees the ghost of a classmate's sister and starts to hang out with an annoying boy and his ghost-hunting friends to escape life with her controlling mother. Linda Camacho at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency did the deal.


Joy Peskin at FSG has bought, in a preempt, Such Great Heights by New Yorker cartoonist Ali Solomon (I Love(ish) NYC; I Am 'Why Do I Need Venmo?' Years Old), a middle grade graphic novel about a girl battling her fear of heights after suffering a traumatic accident, set during her final summer vacation with her cousins/former BFFs. Publication is expected in spring 2028; Rebecca Strauss at DeFiore and Company handled the deal for world rights.


Jessica Smith at Aladdin has acquired Erik Jon Slangerup's Intergalactics, a middle grade sci-fi adventure pitched as Lost meets X-Men, in which a group of genetically modified teens raised to fight against one another must put aside their differences when they find themselves stranded on a hostile planet after their spaceship crashes. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Elizabeth Rudnick at Gillian MacKenzie Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.


Chris Duffy and Emily Duffy at Union Square Kids have bought Huck 'N' Hairball and the Litterbox Time Machine, a middle grade buddy-comedy-adventure-science-fiction graphic novel series by Rich Moyer (Ham Helsing: Vampire Hunter), in which the bumbling cat Huck and his brainy friend (and hairball) Hairball invent a time machine and accidentally break the universe. Publication of the first volume is planned for fall 2026; Timothy Travaglini at Transatlantic Agency did the two-book deal for world rights.


Amy Fitzgerald at Lerner/Carolrhoda has acquired world English rights to Patrick Ochieng's middle grade novel Displaced. After fleeing his comfortable home in suburban Kenya due to post-election violence, 14-year-old Kimathi must adjust to life—and look for hope—in an internally displaced persons camp. Publication is slated for fall 2025; Ruth Logan at Accord Literary brokered the deal.


Jeffrey West at Scholastic has bought, and Emily Seife will edit, The Bloodstone Thief by Sabina Khan, a debut middle grade fantasy novel about 12-year-old Laila Habib navigating her newfound identity and burgeoning powers as the daughter of a powerful jinn king who must fight against a ruthless jinn queen to save her father's threatened kingdom. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Hillary Jacobson at CAA sold North American rights.


Katherine Jacobs at Zonderkidz has acquired world English rights to Ly-Lan and the New Class Mix-Up by Hà Dinh, first in the new Ly-Lan Finds a Way chapter book series. The series follows an eight-year-old Vietnamese American girl as she navigates a new school year, friendships old and new, and unexpected changes at home. In book one, when her prayers for a perfect school year go unanswered, Ly-Lan must learn to trust in God’s plans and discover the joy of new friendships. Publication is set for summer 2025, with books two and three due in 2026; Hannah VanVels Ausbury at Belcastro Agency did the three-book deal.


Justin Chanda at Simon & Schuster has bought, in an exclusive submission, Snow Kid, Jessie Sima's 10th author-illustrated picture book, about a newly built snow kid whose sense of self is disrupted when they lose their very fine hat, sets out intending to return things to the way they were, but instead finds that change can snowball in exciting and unexpected ways. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency sold world English rights.


Alessandra Balzer, while at HarperCollins, acquired, in an exclusive submission, Caldecott Honoree David Ezra Stein's Wake Up, Grouchy Bear! A grouchy, hibernating Bear's friends zhuzh up his cave and give him a makeover while they wait for him to wake up and play with them; Kate O'Sullivan will edit. Publication is slated for winter 2026; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties negotiated the deal for North American English rights.


Sonali Fry at Crown has bought When We Were Snails by Nan Cao, illustrator of the 2024 South Asian Book Award winner The Carpet, in her author-illustrator debut. This picture book features a woman reflecting on her childhood and her relationship with her mother; no matter where they went or how far apart they were, her mom was her favorite person. Publication is scheduled for spring 2026; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink Literary Studio sold world rights.


Renee Kelly at Penguin Workshop has acquired Steph Lau's debut picture book, The Abominable Snow Dancer, about a Yeti who loves to dance, but every time his moves slip out, things end in disaster, a story about never dulling your shine. Publication is set for fall 2025; Alexandra Levick at Writers House did the deal for world rights.


Jonah Heller at Peachtree has bought Mariyka Foster's You're Still Pretty New Here, a humorous picture book that travels back in time, highlighting families of all types to reassure babies (and their parents) that previous generations also had to figure it out on the fly. Publication is planned for summer 2026; Janine Le at Janine Le Literary Agency sold world rights.


Natalia Vázquez Torres at Charlesbridge has acquired Barrels of Love by Stacey Byer, a picture book that follows the Caribbean tradition of exchanging barrels as care packages between families in the islands and those that have migrated, as a way to maintain connection, share culture, and express their love. Publication is scheduled for summer 2026; Christa Heschke and Daniele Hunter at McIntosh & Otis sold world rights.


Sonali Fry at Little Tiger has bought the Stop That… series by Alastair Heim (l.) illustrated by Migy Blanco; Perry Emerson at Little Tiger will edit. The series features Detective Cluehound, a dog and self-proclaimed ace detective who solves seasonal mysteries. Publication of the first two books, Stop That Witch! and Stop That Santa!, are slated for summer 2025 and fall 2025; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.


Cheryl Eissing at Flamingo has acquired world rights to Braid Day by Tiffany Golden (l.), illustrated by Bea Jackson. In this picture book with back matter on the CROWN Act, King and his sister Queen, two Black children, are sent home from school because their hair braids aren't allowed. The siblings—and their family and friends—band together to stand up for their rights. Publication is set for fall 2027; Christa Heschke and Daniele Hunter at McIntosh and Otis represented the author, and Lori Nowicki at Painted Words represented the illustrator.


Andrea Welch at S&S/Beach Lane Books has bought world rights to Worm Is Dead, Long Live Worm by Abigail Rayner (l.), illustrated by Molly Ruttan. When Worm’s friends learn of his passing they decide to honor him with a grand farewell, and through their reminiscing discover that our loved ones never truly leave us. Publication is planned for summer 2026; Erica Bauman at Aevitas Creative Management represented the author, and Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the illustrator.


Michael Yuen-Killick at Red Comet Press has acquired world rights to In This Classroom by Andrew Hacket (l.) (Hope and the Sea), illustrated by Arthur Lin (This Book Is on Fire!), a picture book that is a classroom manifesto to welcome students to the class and sets the course for the coming year. Publication is slated for spring 2026; Dan Cramer at Page Turner Literary Agency represented the author, and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator.


Celia Lee at S&S/Salaam Reads has bought North American rights, in a preempt, A Ramadan Night, a picture book by Nadine Presley (l.), illustrated by Asma Enayah. On the first night of Ramadan, Sami sets out with his father to answer the question, "What does a Ramadan night feel like?" What follows is an exploration of the spirit of Ramadan with senses that transcend words. Publication is scheduled for spring 2026; Allison Remcheck at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and AJ Zhang at Astound US represented the illustrator.


Yolanda Scott at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to the picture book A Kite for Easter by Kanini Z. Rodney-Phillips (l.), and Kristen Nobles has acquired world rights for illustration by Richy Sánchez Ayala. A girl and her grandfather carefully craft a kite and fly it at the Easter Monday celebration in Guyana. Publication is set for spring 2026; Lisa Amstutz at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and Susan Penny at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.


Aneeka Kalia at Viking has bought world rights to Magnificent Mary: India's Champion Shows the World How to Fight by Jyoti Rajan Gopal (l.), illustrated by Tara Anand, a picture book biography about India's boxing champion, Mary Kom, who battled gender expectations, overcame poverty, and despite being only 5'2", defied all odds to win six World Boxing Championships. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Wendi Gu at HG Literary represented the author, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.