Anna Parsons and Rebecca Kuss at Simon Pulse have acquired The Beautiful Heir and The Wild Heir, the first two books in the Heirs of Westemere series by Vanessa Montalban. Bridgerton meets Succession in this series of YA romantic fantasy novels as the heirs to the kingdom of Westemere navigate their love lives while competing for control of their ancestral throne. Publication is set for summer 2027; Danielle Burby at Mad Woman Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Nancy Siscoe at Knopf has bought North American English rights for Rainsong by Lila Riesen. In this speculative YA thriller, a teen with a secret power moves to a small seaside town haunted by unsolved disappearances and must unravel a dark mystery—before she becomes the next victim. Publication is scheduled for summer 2026; Mollie Glick at CAA represented the author.
Carolina Mancheno Ortiz at HarperCollins/Avon A has acquired world rights to Should Have Bens by Elle Gonzalez Rose. The YA romance follows a girl who has sworn off love, as she revisits missed connections with different boys in her past, all sharing the same first name of Ben, to find her way back to her very first "should-have-Ben." Publication is planned for winter 2027; Uwe Stender at Triada US brokered the deal.
Andrea Davis Pinkney at Scholastic has bought, in a preempt, world rights to Max Fischer's debut YA novel in verse. The Unpoetic Life of August Grey tells the story of August, a 17-year-old trans boy, as he grapples with issues of identity, loss, and the terrible cost of keeping secrets—even from yourself. Ammi-Joan Paquette while at Erin Murphy Literary Agency did the deal, for publication in summer 2026.
Rachel Diebel at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Audrey Meeker's (Swing; Last One Picked) first YA graphic novel, Home Ground, featuring Quinn, who is back home in rural Ohio after a disastrous first year of college and an even worse internship, working at the same coffee shop she worked at in high school and wondering whether this gap year is just a small blip in her plans or if she can carve out a space of her own in a town she's always rejected. Publication is slated for fall 2028; Jessica Mileo at InkWell Mangement handled the deal for world rights.
Jordan Blanco at Random House Graphic has bought Our Aimless Nights, a Japanese YA romance graphic novel duology by Koumori. Peppy girl Chika and quiet boy Waya seem like they have nothing in common. However, they share a secret—they've been meeting in the evenings after school at a local corner store, and slowly, beneath the fluorescent lights, something blooms between them. Publication of the first volume is set for summer 2026; Evan Minto at KiraKira Media Inc./Azuki represented the Japanese licensor Futabasha for world English rights.
Deeba Zargarpur at Simon & Schuster has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The Blind Prince by Cozycroww. In this YA romantic fantasy graphic novel based on the hit webtoon, a girl cursed to sprout talons and feathers is banished to a land of dark magic, where she encounters a prince blinded by a curse of his own. Publication is scheduled for 2027; Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management sold world English rights in the two-book deal.
Joshua Dean Perry at Tiny Ghost Press has bought Zachary Sergi's urban fantasy So Superb It's Killing Me. An elite athlete at a school for teens with magical abilities (called Superbs), Sam is one of the most promising students in the Superb Battle League, a new sport in which Superbs face off in magic-fueled arena battles. He dreams of going pro but recurring nightmares haunt him in the arena, plus he fears that his wish to express his gender fluidity publicly could hamper his chances of winning. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Moe Ferrera at Triada US did the deal for world English rights while at BookEnds.
Maya Marlette at Scholastic has acquired North American rights to The Missing Magic of Sparrow Xia, an illustrated debut middle grade novel by Leia Ham, in which a young mage faces up to society's high expectations when she joins the highly competitive Zenith Academy, a school for gifted children in a world where magic diminishes with age and some people will go to terrifying lengths to keep it. Publication is slated for summer 2026; Becca Langton at Darley Anderson Children's Books negotiated the three-book deal.
Della Farrell at Holiday House has bought, in an exclusive submission, Sly Foxes: Tales of Cunning, Curiosity, and Courage by Dana Alison Levy. This illustrated middle grade book provides a nonfiction overview of the science, folklore, and pop culture obsession with these clever canids. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Kathleen Keenan at Kids Can Press has acquired world rights to Pluffy & Borb Catch a Friend by Deborah Kerbel (l.), illustrated by Naomi Fong. The graphic novel for young readers celebrates the portmanteau with an unlikely animal friendship between one very fluffy puppy (Pluffy) and an orb-shaped bird (Borb). Publication is set for fall 2027; Emelie Burl at Susan Schulman Literary Agency represented the author, and Essie White at Storm Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Calista Brill at First Second has bought Nut & Hop, Shelley Hampe's young reader graphic novel about the adventures of Nut and Hop, a squirrel and rabbit duo, as they explore idioms and other features of language. Ari Yarwood will also edit; publication is planned for 2028. Elizabeth Rudnick at Gillian MacKenzie Agency sold North American English rights excluding the Philippines.
Jessica Garrison at Dial has acquired, at auction, the first two books in the Do You Really Know picture book series, starting with Do You Really Know Flamingos? by Brandon Todd (Tou-Can't!). Frank E. Armadillo is proud to share everything he knows about flamingos (a.k.a. "pretty princess birds") until he meets a real flamingo, whose raucous honk promises to set the record straight. It turns out that the animal kingdom is even weirder and more wonderful than imagined—and that it's okay to be wrong sometimes. Publication will begin in summer 2026; Rebecca Sherman at Writers House did the deal for world rights.
Farrin Jacobs at Random House Studio has bought, in a preempt, Lisa Chow's debut author-illustrated picture book Bear Wakes Up, about a bear who awakes early from hibernation, sees a world that looks nothing like the one he knows, and does what anyone does when confronted with a new and shocking situation: he panics. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Jessica Levine at Little, Brown has acquired Braaains! by author-illustrator Kimberly Shrack (Spooky Scouts), in which a young zombie causes a misunderstanding among his human neighbors while searching for his missing dog, Brains, delivering a lesson about community and first impressions. Publication is set for summer 2027; Laurel Symonds at KT Literary handled the deal for world rights.
Claire Tattersfield at Viking has bought Skunk in Love by Ashley Quach, a picture book about a skunk who falls head-over-heels in love with a chocolate bunny on display in Mr. Giancarlo's chocolate shop window, and goes to extreme lengths to prove his love. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Hannah Mann at Writers House sold world rights.
Kendra Levin at Simon & Schuster has acquired world rights to the first two books in the Puppet & George picture book series by Dev Petty (l.), The All Nite Diner and The Magic Show, featuring two bored alligators who use logs as decoys to escape the zoo and embark on exciting adventures. Andrea Tsurumi will illustrate; publication is slated for fall 2027 and fall 2028, respectively. Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Stephen Barr at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Mabel Hsu at Sourcebooks/Stonefruit Studio has bought, in a preempt, Will There Be Cake?, a picture book by Michelle Sumovich (l.), illustrated by Jess Hannigan, about the chaos that unfolds after a child's birthday party invitation is accidentally dropped into an octopus's tank at the aquarium. Publication is planned for summer 2027; Hannah Mann at Writers House represented the author and illustrator for world rights.
Danielle Collins at Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane Books has acquired world rights to How to Befriend a Vampire by Rose Marie Walano (l.), illustrated by Leanne Hatch. A girl thinks the only explanation for the odd behavior of her classmate is that he must be a vampire, so she sets out to plan the perfect fang-friendly playdate. Publication is set for summer 2028; Christie Megill at the CAT Agency represented the author, and Janine Le at Janine Le Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Tamar Brazis at Viking has bought world rights to Beautiful You, a picture book by debut author Tara Baldridge (l.), illustrated by Talia Skyles, a poetic ode to the beauty and nuance of skin tones across cultures and the many stories they contain. Publication is scheduled for summer 2027; Celeste Fine and Charlotte Sunderland at Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management represented the author, and Shadra Strickland at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Eileen Robinson while at Charlesbridge acquired world rights to Baby Hair by Alliah L. Agostini (l.), and Diane Earley has acquired world rights for illustration by Sawyer Cloud. From "no hair to 'fro hair to just got my first-haircut-hair," it is an inclusive and rhythmic celebration of babies and their ever-evolving hair. Publication is planned for spring 2026. The author, now represented by Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, was represented by Miranda Paul while at Erin Murphy Literary Agency, and the illustrator was represented by Vickie Savanella at Advocate Art.
Maria Russo at Union Square Kids has bought world rights to Fox Sees Rabbit by Kristen Tracy (l.) (I Quit!), illustrated by debut illustrator Andy Malpica, a picture book exploring the dual points of view of a predator and its prey during a chase through the forest, introducing the concept of perspective and how there are two sides to every story. Publication is slated for summer 2027; Carrie Hannigan at HG Literary represented the author, and Jessica Saint Jean at Root Literary represented the illustrator.
Andrea Walker at inbetween books has acquired Into the Small Kitchen by Suhasini Gupta (l.), illustrated by Pranami Bora, a picture book inspired by the author's family in India, following a big family in their small kitchen, where a symphony of crackles, sizzles, and laughter fills the air, until chaos erupts and even more family members arrive, leaving them to wonder how their small kitchen can hold them all. Publication is set for fall 2026; the author was unagented, and Imogen Holmes at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Alexandra McKenzie at Charlesbridge has bought world rights to the board book Sebastian Needs a Stage by Ellen Mayer (l.), and Kristen Nobles has acquired world rights for illustration by Udayana Lugo. Sebastian needs a stage for his performance, but things keep getting in his way, so he makes changes to his room to allow himself the space he needs for a show-stopping performance. Publication is scheduled for summer 2027 as part of Steamworks; Mary Cummings at Great River Literary represented the author, and Nicole Tugeau at Tugeau 2 represented the illustrator.
Kristie Choi at Atheneum has acquired The Queen of the Spirit Woods and a sequel, a YA debut by Sharon Choe, pitched as The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea meets The Cruel Prince. In this epic YA romantic fantasy inspired by Korean history, a girl who has faked her way into becoming a royal kitchen maid is embroiled in palace intrigue and forbidden love after stumbling into the mysterious Spirit Woods and unwittingly becoming a vessel for 10,000 nature spirits. Publication is set for fall 2026; Laura Crockett at Triada US handled the deal for world rights.
Madison Pelletier at Mischief Books has bought world rights to Betty Chang's debut Frankie Lu's Summer of No Regrets, pitched as Better Than the Movies meets Loveboat, Taipei. It features a teen girl whose summer famcation helping out at her grandparents' bao store in Taipei takes an unexpected turn when she's forced to ask her annoying childhood rival to help her catch the eye of her lifelong crush. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Emily Sylvan Kim at Prospect Agency did the two-book deal.
Jonah Heller at Peachtree Teen has acquired Mournsoul by Caitlin Rose Foley, a YA romantic fantasy that follows 18-year-old Lua who is blessed by the Godqueen to reincarnate alongside her Guardian and protect the realm from evil. But when Lua doesn't die alongside her companion, she must partner with Valrian, a handsome demigod, in order to restore balance and save her friend's soul. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Lauren Bieker at FinePrint Literary Management and Mara Hollander at Azantian Literary Agency while at FinePrint Literary sold world rights, excluding British Commonwealth.
Emily Seife at Scholastic has bought Whatever Happened to Prudence Kaufman? by Schneider Family Book Award Honor winner Meg Eden Kuyatt, a dual POV YA novel with two neurodivergent protagonists, in which a girl discovers her best friend is sexually assaulted and jumps online to seek justice, only to make things much worse. Publication is scheduled for 2027; Lauren Spieller at Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Jordan Blanco at Random House Graphic has acquired I Shall Master This Family, the manhwa by Kim Roah, Mon, and ANTStudio, a Korean YA courtly intrigue and royal romance graphic novel series. Firentia has been forced to watch as her noble family is led to ruin by her nefarious relatives. However, she's given a second chance after she wakes up as her six-year-old self, following what should've been a fatal accident. To save her house from its downfall, she'll need to climb the social ranks and become the master of her family. The first volume is set for fall 2026; Nim Kook at D&C Media sold world English rights.
Mabel Hsu at Sourcebooks/Stonefruit Studios has bought, at auction, Cosplay Famous by Asia Miller, a debut middle grade graphic novel about an anime-obsessed eighth grader who is bent on making it big in the cosplay world. Her journey to cosplay fame takes a turn when she discovers a classmate's secret social media page with a massive online following. Publication is slated for fall 2027, with an untitled middle grade graphic novel to follow; Wendi Gu at HG Literary brokered the deal for North American rights.
Erica Finkel at Abrams has acquired Half-Court Shot by Game Changer author Tommy Greenwald. This upper middle-grade novel shines a light on mental health, social media, and youth sports, as an anonymous online blogger's attitude towards a star high school basketball player turns sour. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; Amy Thrall Flynn at Aevitas Creative Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Robyn Chapman at First Second has bought Isaac and Pearl, Rachel Elliott's young reader graphic novel series about two cats: level-headed Isaac and his vivacious little sister Pearl. Publication will start in 2027; Susan Hawk at Upstart Crow Literary did the two-book deal for world rights.
Nancy Inteli and Erika DiPasquale at HarperCollins have acquired Kate Feiffer's How to Draw a Dog, a picture book about creativity, friendship, and overcoming obstacles starring a dog named Milo and a world-famous dog artist, based on her father, Jules Feiffer, Pulitzer-Prize winning author of Bark, George. Publication is planned for winter 2029, to celebrate Jules Feiffer's 100th birthday and the 30th anniversary of Bark, George; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for world English rights.
Anne Schwartz at Random House/Anne Schwartz Books has bought world rights for The Secret Dragon, a picture book written and illustrated by Briony May Smith. A young prince must keep his pet dragon a secret from his mother, not an easy feat as the dragon gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Publication is set for fall 2026; Charlie Bowden at Pickled Ink sold world rights.
Wesley Adams at FSG has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Clip and Lulu by Mike Ciccotello (Leonard Grows a Haunted Garden). This picture book consists of five mini stories about a cautious pair of scissors and an adventurous bottle of glue who are best friends. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Jill Davis at Astra/Hippo Park has bought, at auction, The Yakkolades, a picture book by debut author-illustrator Julianna Brion. In this yak-tastic tale, hundreds of yaks parade across the pages in a celebration of individuality. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; Debbie Bibo at Debbie Bibo Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has acquired, in a preempt, world rights to How Fast Can You Read This Book?, which challenges readers to a rhyming reading race through sections of wordplay, obstacles, and funny asides, by Alastair Heim (l.) (How the Grinch Lost Christmas!), illustrated by Heather Fox (Llama Destroys the World). Publication is planned for winter 2027; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary & Media represented the illustrator.
Claire Tattersfield at Flamingo Books has bought world rights to Look at My New Hair! by Lauren Glattly (l.) (Proper Badger Would Never!), illustrated by Erin Kraan (Buffalo Fluffalo), a picture book about a clueless shark who has always wanted lush, beautiful hair, and finally finds the perfect tresses in one terrified octopus. Publication is set for fall 2027; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Luana Kay Horry at HarperCollins has acquired world rights to Little O Wanted to Know by Rhea Sarason (l.), illustrated by Barroux. This inspirational fable stars the letter "o" who is looking for their purpose beyond their place in the alphabet line. Publication is slated for winter 2026; James McGowan at BookEnds Literary represented the author, and Lori Nowicki at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Carolrhoda has bought world rights to The World Game by John Coy (l.), illustrated by Phung Nguyen Quang. Beginning with an early morning soccer game in Chicago, readers follow the game across continents and time zones in an action-packed celebration of the power of sport to unite people everywhere. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and Doreen Thorogood at Good Illustration represented the illustrator.
Della Farrell at Holiday House has acquired world rights to The Lost Dark, a nonfiction picture book about light pollution and its effects on nocturnal lifeforms by Britt-Crow-Miller (l.), illustrated by Rachel Victoria Hillis. Publication is scheduled for summer 2027; Sally M. Kim at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author and illustrator.
Kate DePalma at Barefoot Books has bought world rights to Barefoot Books America's Founding Myths... And What REALLY Happened!, by Christy Mihaly (l.) (Water: A Deep Dive of Discovery), illustrated by Marta Sevilla (The Bard and the Book); Kate DePalma will edit. This large-format picture book developed for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence examines both the larger-than-life stories we've heard about America's founding and the true stories behind them. Publication is set for spring 2026; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink represented the author, and Elisa Leung at Marlena Agency represented the illustrator.
Susan Pi at Rebel Goose Books has acquired world rights to The Way I Win, a picture book by Angela Hollett (l.), illustrated by Ayala Kaganovitch, about a neurodivergent boy who learns that thinking differently is what helps him succeed in his first jiu-jitsu tournament. Publication is slated for fall 2026; the author and artist represented themselves.
