Jenny Bak at Viking has acquired, at auction, The Spiral Key by Kelsey Day, a debut YA speculative horror novel in which a queer teen girl receives an invitation to her ex-best friend's birthday—an exclusive overnight virtual reality party that secures everyone's social status each year—but as the party games begin, it becomes clear that the birthday girl has sinister and deadly intentions. Publication is slated for spring 2026; Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary Agency did the deal for North American rights on behalf of Dovetail Fiction/Working Partners and Laura Southern at Wolf Literary Services.


Justin Chanda at Simon & Schuster has bought, in an exclusive submission, The Voices, a YA novel by Seema Yasmin (Unbecoming; What the Fact?!). When Ruby's mother starts hearing voices amid an escalating climate crisis that exacerbates mental illness, Ruby questions if the sounds and apparitions are psychological—or if her mother is haunted by djinn. Publication is planned for 2027; Lilly Ghahremani at Full Circle Literary handled the deal for world rights.


Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books has acquired, in a preempt, the YA gods-and-monsters romantic fantasy The Sleepless by two-time British Fantasy Award winner Jen Williams. When the guardian of a wild forest teeming with monsters comes face-to-face with the one human impervious to her poisonous curse, she finds herself entangled in an alliance—and love triangle—with him and the evil spirit inhabiting his body. Publication is set for fall 2025; North American rights were acquired in a two-book deal from First Ink with Juliet Mushens at Mushens Entertainment.


Holly West at Feiwel and Friends has bought North American rights to The Gifted by Adriana Mather. Dark Academia meets romantasy in this YA novel in which a struggling student finds her future unexpectedly entwined with the most gifted boy in school when a mysterious spell ties their fates together during their graduation exam. The book is scheduled for fall 2026; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal.


Alex Borbolla at Bloomsbury has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Like a Lady by Stonewall Honor author Chatham Greenfield (Time and Time Again; Try Your Worst), pitched as She's the Man meets Dumplin'. This romantic comedy follows Kara, a 16-year-old with PCOS, who is determined to do whatever it takes to show her family that she can be a debutante just like her perfect older sisters—even if it means enlisting her butch lesbian classmate to pose as her fake boyfriend. Publication is slated for winter 2027; Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.


Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has acquired King of the Neuro Verse by Idris Goodwin, BreakBeat poet and author of the picture book Your House Is Not Just a House. The YA novel in verse follows Pernell, a bright and creative teen navigating the challenges of ADHD while stuck in summer school, and fighting to become the reigning champion of lunchtime rap battles. The novel is loosely based on the author's own misadventures as a youth in the '90s when awareness of ADHD in Black households was fairly nonexistent. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Brandi Bowles at United Talent Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.


Joshua Dean Perry at Tiny Ghost Press has bought Amy B. Scher's queer YA debut, The Nowhere in Between, a coming-of-age-while-dead story. After her murder, college hopeful Salon Rose arrives at the Nowhere in Between, a waystation between life and death taking the form of a high school auditorium, where a group of fellow deceased teens are all working toward one goal—moving on. Publication is scheduled for winter 2026.


Rachel Stark at Disney-Hyperion has acquired Jan M. Flynn's Griffinspeaker and Griffinrider, the first two books in the author's debut middle grade fantasy series. Pitched as Impossible Creatures meets The Giver, the series follows 12-year-old Rain, a girl from the lowest tier of her strictly ranked society, who forms a forbidden bond with a wild griffin that allows her to change her destiny. But her rise to a higher class threatens the realm's oppressive social order—and those at the top will stop at nothing see her fail. Publication for book one is slated for May 2026, with book two to follow a year later; Helen Adams at Zimmermann Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.


Sarah Ketchersid at Candlewick Press has bought North American rights for The Thing About Giants by Christopher Galvin, a middle-grade debut set in a world where giants exist outside the boundary walls of a human city. They are seen as wild, violent, senseless creatures and the humans who hunt them are local heroes, but the truth soon proves to be much more complicated when Jacq Dyer, daughter of renowned giant hunters, meets Corman, a young giant—and they set out to bring their separate worlds together. Simultaneous publication with Walker Books UK is set for summer 2026.


Arthur A. Levine at Levine Querido has acquired The Teacher of Nomad Land, a middle grade novel by Daniel Nayeri (Everything Sad Is Untrue). Set in Iran in 1941, the story follows a clever orphan named Babak and his sister as they seek safety from hunger, Nazi spies, and the war machines of the German, Soviet, and British armies, raging across their "neutral" country. Publication is planned for August 2025; Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media handled the deal for world English rights.


Calista Brill at First Second has bought world rights to Limits of the Human Body by Jim Ottaviani (l.) and Dale DeForest, a nonfiction middle grade graphic novel about both the physiology and mental journey of athletes to push the limits of the performance of the human body. Shawna Gore will also edit; publication is scheduled for 2026. Judy Hansen at Hansen Literary Management represented Ottaviani, and DeForest was unagented.


Amy Fitzgerald at Lerner/Carolrhoda has acquired A Boy Called Hero, a middle grade novel by Marie Miranda Cruz (Everlasting Nora). Twelve-year-old Hero, a recent transplant to the Philippines from the U.S., is thrown back in time to 1892, when his ancestors are distributing a banned book as part of the fight for their country's freedom. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Paula Munier at Talcott Notch brokered the deal for world rights.


Renee Kelly at Penguin Workshop has bought two-time Geisel Honor winning author-illustrator Jonathan Fenske's Dream Dog, a portrait of the changing relationship between a girl and her dream dog as he ages. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Carrie Hannigan at HG Literary sold world rights.


Mabel Hsu at Sourcebooks/Stonefruit Studio has acquired debut author-illustrator Isa Beniston's Cowgirl, a picture book about a dog who shakes up what a dog is supposed to be: she's funky, she talks with a twang, is a connoisseur of the highest fashions, a reader, a bath avoider, and always: a very good dog. Cowgirl is based on Beniston's real-life rescue dog and star of her retail line, Gentle Thrills. Publication is tentatively set for winter 2027; Kristin Ostby at Greenhouse Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.


Alessandra Balzer at Macmillan/Balzer + Bray has bought, at auction, Beware the Sock Monkeys, the latest collaboration between Jonathan Stutzman (l.) and Heather Fox, a picture book in which a doubting father refuses to believe his children that sock monkeys do indeed exist—until he falls prey to them himself. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Elena Giovinazzo sold world English rights in her first deal at Heirloom Literary.


Mark Podesta at Henry Holt has acquired world rights to Vicious Cycle, a picture book by Newbery Award Honor and NBA finalist Kyle Lukoff (l.), illustrated by Priscilla Tey. The book is about the ruts we dig ourselves into, how friends can show up for us, and how the choice to heal ourselves is ours alone. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch Literary Services represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.


Sydnee Monday at Kokila has bought world rights to Main Street: A Story of Redlining by Britt Hawthorne (l.) and Tiffany Jewell (c.), illustrated by David Wilkerson (r.). In this intergenerational picture book, a Black girl learns how the history of redlining has affected her neighborhood—and about her community's decades-long resilience in the face of racism. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Serene Hakim and Ayesha Pande at Ayesha Pande Literary represented the authors, and Emily Fernandez at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.


Jenne Abramowitz at Sourcebooks has acquired, in a preempt, world rights to the first four books in Heather Alexander (l.) and Josh Fisher's (c.) preschool picture book series, Welcome to Critter City, illustrated by Bill Ledger (r.), about civic awareness and working together to build a community that works for everyone. The first two books will be published in summer 2026 and fall 2026 respectively; Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic Agency represented the authors, and Nancy Moore at Mendola Artists represented the illustrator.


Esther Cajahuaringa at Knopf has bought world rights to Fishin' by David Elliott (l.), illustrated by Raúl Colón, a picture book about two people who set out on an afternoon journey to catch a fish and end up discovering more. Publication is set for summer 2027; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Brenda Bowen at the Book Group represented the illustrator.


Janine O'Malley at FSG has acquired, in an exclusive submission, world rights to If Trucks Said I Love You by Ann Whitford Paul (l.), illustrated by David Walker, a picture book in which various vehicles show love from breakfast to bedtime in their unique, truck-style ways. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Lori Steel at SteelWorks Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.


Katie Heit at Scholastic has bought world rights to The Genius Next Door, a picture book about how Albert Einstein taught a young neighbor to love math, by Dean Robbins (l.), illustrated by Sean Rubin, creators of The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency represented the author and artist.


Paula Wiseman acquired, and Catherine Laudone will edit, Breathe by Gabi Snyder (l.), illustrated by Paige Keiser, for S&S/Beach Lane Books. This picture book follows a child with big emotions as they explore the beach and use mindful breathing to work through their feelings. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Natalie Lakosil at Looking Glass Literary & Media represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.


Nancy Paulsen and Caitlin Tutterow at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books have bought world rights to Me Too! by Bea Birdsong (l.), illustrated by John Ledda, a picture book inspired by a popular call-and-response classroom game employed by teachers in the beginning of the school year to render connections among students. Publication is scheduled for summer 2027; Melissa Edwards at Stonesong represented the author, and Ana Crespo at East West Literary Agency represented the illustrator.


Anna Sargeant at Sourcebooks eXplore has acquired world rights to 10 Things You Should Never Do the First Week of School, a picture book by Dana Edwards (l.), illustrated by Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn, in which a well-meaning but unsuccessful child warns the kids in the next grade how to stay out of trouble their first week back to school. Publication is set for 2027; Stacey Graham at 3 Seas Literary represented the author, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.


Tracy Mack at Scholastic Press has bought, in a preempt, North American rights to Messi's Magic: How Lionel Messi Became the G.O.A.T. by Caroline L. Perry (l.) (The Corgi and the Queen), illustrated by Luciano Lozano, a picture book biography celebrating Lionel Messi, the Argentine sports icon who, as a child, overcame loss, loneliness, and serious health challenges to become the greatest soccer player of all time. Publication is slated for fall 2025; Allison Remcheck at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.


Stacey Barney at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired world rights to The Memory March by Amanda Davis (l.), illustrated by Sarthak Sinha. Told through a series of memories, this picture book biography highlights the lives of conservationist Lawrence Anthony and a herd of wild elephants that he rescued. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Jennifer Unter at the Unter Agency represented the author, and Aliza R. Hoover at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.


Eileen Robinson at Charlesbridge has bought world rights to Baby Driver by Lori Alexander (l.), illustrated by Nancy Goulet, a board book that gives a playful look into how exciting a day in the life of a baby can be. Publication is scheduled for spring 2026; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Jes Trudel at the Rights Factory represented the illustrator.