Jen Besser and Hana Tzou at Henry Holt have acquired, in a preempt, Mariko Turk's YA rom-com, The Museum of Modern Love, and a second untitled book. Hopeless romantic Miki Kawamura plans to confess her love for her best friend Auden on an overnight tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art—the same tour that made her grandparents fall in love in 1965—until Miki's disaster ex-fling shows up and takes Auden's place. Publication is set for fall 2026; Alexandra Levick at Writers House sold North American rights.
Kelsey Murphy at Viking has bought, in a preempt, North American rights for Bright Light on the Horizon by Lindsey Anderson Rios, a YA dystopian novel about two teens on a mission to retrieve a vaccine to save their world from a parasitic fungus, inspired by the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; Catherine Cho at Paper Literary brokered the deal.
Alison Romig at Delacorte Press has acquired The Rom-Com Conundrum by Jessica L. Cozzi (We've Hit Turbulence), a contemporary YA romance about a rom-com enthusiast who's never been in love. When she sets out to write her own romance, she meets a grumpy library page and discovers that real love is far messier and more complicated than her favorite love stories. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Marisa Cleveland and Elisa Houot at Seymour Agency sold world English rights.
Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire has bought North American rights to Sincerely Your Murderer (published in the U.K. as Mondays Are Murder), a YA cozy mystery by Ravena Guron (This Book Kills). When Kay goes back to her hometown, she finds an anonymous letter detailing all the terrible things that will happen to her during the week ahead, ending with her murder on Monday. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Alice Sutherland-Hawes at ASH Literary did the two-book deal.
Lara LeMoal at Greystone Kids has acquired world rights to River Song, a YA graphic novel from Cree–Métis author-illustrator Julie Flett, a spirited coming-of-age story inspired by Flett's father's life experiences. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Steven Malk at Writers House negotiated the deal.
Christy Ottaviano at Little, Brown/Ottaviano has bought The Plume War by National Book Award-winning author Phillip Hoose (Claudette Colvin). This narrative nonfiction YA work uncovers the history of the 50-year struggle to save birds from fashion's exploitation and reveals how this fight sparked animal rights activism worldwide. Publication is set for summer 2027; Jennie Dunham at Dunham Literary sold world English rights.
Elizabeth Lynch at Penguin Workshop has acquired an untitled middle grade adventure series set in the fast-paced world of Formula 1 by Will Taylor (The School for Wicked Witches). Life is already exciting for the lucky kids who travel the F1 circuit with their racing-affiliated families, but 12-year-old Mateo and his friends can't seem to stop uncovering secrets—secrets with the power to flip the sport they love entirely on its head. Book one is slated for spring 2027; Brent Taylor at Triada US did the four-book, six-figure deal for world rights.
Mark Siegel at First Second has bought, at auction, Sir Silly, Gavin Aung Than's three-book young reader graphic novel series about a silly goose who dreams of becoming a knight. Ivan Taurisano will also edit; publication of the first book is planned for 2027. Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary Agency sold world English rights excluding Australia and New Zealand.
Donna Bray at Macmillan/Balzer + Bray has acquired, in a two-book deal, Love Bug by Lucy Ruth Cummins, about an itty bitty Love Bug who loves love and her buggy buddies. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has bought Orla and the Jellyfish by #KidLit4Climate founder Emma Reynolds (Amara and the Bats), a picture book about a girl who loves the misunderstood jellyfish at her local beach and rallies her community to protect the ocean, invest in renewables, and end plastic pollution. Publication is set for spring 2027; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Sylvie Frank at Penguin/Flamingo Books has acquired world rights to four picture books introducing Hugo, a playful, rascally pug, by Jonathan Stutzman (l.), illustrated by Jay Fleck. The first book, Uh-Oh, Hugo!, follows Hugo and his girl on their snafu-filled day, from a snake encounter to a bee sting. Publication is slated for summer 2026, with subsequent titles to follow; Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has bought world rights to The Geyser Sisters by Sara Laux Akin (l.) (Three Scoops and a Fig), illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Micha Archer (Wonder Walkers), a modern folktale about a geyser, the sisters who protect it, and the nearby villagers who take it for granted and throw their trash inside—only for the geyser to throw all the garbage right back. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Amy Thrall Flynn represented the author, and Rubin Pfeffer represented the illustrator, both at Aevitas Creative Management.
Ann Kelley at Random House Studio has acquired National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine's (l.) picture book The Spaces Between, illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Aaron Becker (Journey), about discovering hope, peace, and possibility in the quiet spaces between. Publication is scheduled for spring 2028; Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt Agency negotiated on behalf of the author for world English rights and the illustrator for world rights.
Rachel Lawson at Lerner/Gecko Press has bought world rights to Cass and the Beast by New Zealand author Claire Mabey (l.), illustrated by Scottish artist Jill Calder, a picture book about a girl who chooses not to be afraid, a modern-day heroine in a story about a fearful beast, a courageous girl, and a wild and magical journey. Publication is set for fall 2026; the Annabel Barker Agency represented the author, and Lindsay Fraser at Fraser Ross Associates represented the illustrator.
Emma Ledbetter while at Abrams acquired world rights to I Wore Indian Clothes to School Today by Raakhee Mirchandani (l.) and Supriya Kelkar, illustrated by Kelkar, a picture book inspired by the authors' children wearing Indian clothes to picture day in different states on the same day, a story of kids who express their American and Indian culture with purpose and pride. Sara Sproull will edit; publication is slated for spring 2027. Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency represented Mirchandani, and Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented Kelkar.
Luisa Beguiristaín at Roaring Brook has bought Bear Bear Ever After by Katy Loutzenhiser (l.), illustrated by Xindi Yan. In tones that wink at British costume dramas, a curmudgeonly teddy bear who falls off his human's bed ponders life with and without her. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Jennifer Mattson at Andrea Brown Literary represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Sylvie Frank at Penguin/Flamingo Books has acquired world rights to Jane the Train and the Christmas Storm by Della Ross Ferreri (l.), illustrated by Ag Jatkowska, a picture book about a clever, take-charge train who battles a blizzard while delivering baking supplies to Santa at the North Pole. Publication is scheduled for fall 2028; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the author, and Georgia Tournay-Godfrey at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Megan Abbate while at Bloomsbury bought world rights to Quick, Santa's Coming Tonight! by JaNay Brown-Wood (l.) (Imani's Moon), illustrated by Letícia Moreno. This rhyming onomatopoeic tale follows a family on Christmas Eve as they hastily prepare for the arrival of special holiday guests. Kei Nakatsuka will edit; publication is set for fall 2027. Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Nicole Tugeau at Tugeau 2 represented the illustrator.
Mauricio Velázquez de León at Sourcebooks has acquired world rights to Diwali Alphabet by Anjali Joshi (l.) (Why We Celebrate Diwali), illustrated by Pranami Bora, a picture book that sparks curiosity, celebrates culture, and brings the festival of lights to life. Publication is slated for summer 2027; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and Tina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has bought world English rights to Emily Min-ji Makes Kimchi by Meredith Seung Mee Buse (l.), illustrated by Jenn Kocsmiersky, a picture book in which a girl adopted from Korea makes her own kimchi to connect with herself, her identity, and her culture. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Marisa Cleveland at the Seymour Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Deidra Purvis at Free Spirit has acquired Mabel's Mitzvah, a picture book by Lisa Cloherty (l.), illustrated by Yaara Cellier, in which a girl who sets out to help her elderly neighbor for her school's Mitzvah Day discovers that friendship is the greatest gift of all. Christine Zuchora-Walske and Alison Behnke will edit; publication is set for fall 2026. The author represented herself, and Robbin Brosterman at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Kate Prosswimmer at McElderry Books has acquired Chaos Ensues and two additional books by F.T. Lukens (Love at Second Sight; Spell Bound). Two strangers are charged by the goddess of chaos to fulfill a prophecy and cause turmoil in an otherwise utopian kingdom, but when one of them falls for a royal, they must decide if romance and friendship is worth garnering her wrath. The first book is scheduled for summer 2027; Eva Scalzo at Speilburg Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Marisa DiNovis at Knopf has bought Alexander M. Rigby's YA debut Meet Me at the Creek. Set in rural northwest Pennsylvania in the early 2000s, the novel follows best friends Mark and Brett, who spend their adolescence exploring the creek that runs through their neighborhood, as the two reckon with their sexuality in wildly different ways. Publication is set for spring 2027; Kelly Karczewski and Dan Milaschewski at UTA sold North American rights.
Alison Romig at Delacorte has acquired Stranglehold by Cale Plett (Wavelength), a queer YA horror novel combining the twisted miracle of Midnight Mass with the frozen, cosmic dread of True Detective: Night Country. After two tragic accidents leave a nonbinary teen's best friend and crush both buried, all of the town's suffocated dead come back to life during a snowstorm, revealing secrets about an ancient evil. Publication is planned for fall 2027; Amy Tompkins at Transatlantic Agency handled the deal for world English rights.
Katherine Easter at HarperCollins Blink has bought The Music of Us by debut author Emerald Alexandrea, a contemporary YA rom-com about a cat café barista who reaches out to her ex-best friend, now a famous boy band member, who just might help save her mom's café. Jacque Alberta will edit; publication is slated for summer 2026. Amy Thrall Flynn at Aevitas Creative Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Rob Valois at Penguin Workshop has acquired, at auction, world rights to Vile, Wrecked, & Rotten, a musical middle grade graphic novel about the misadventures of Joanie Rotten, the 11-year-old protégé of two kid-phobic composers who ply their trade in the music-loving metropolis of San Orchestropolis, by Gabe Soria (l.) (The Midnight Arcade); Steve Burns (c.), host of Alive with Steve Burns and star of Blue's Clues; and Jim Campbell (r.), Eisner Award-winning artist of Over the Garden Wall. Publication is set for summer 2027; Charlie Olsen at InkWell Management represented Soria and Campbell, and Chad Kojouri at Range Media Partners represented Burns.
Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has bought There's a Monster in Nocturne Grove, a middle grade graphic novel by Caroline Palmer (Camp Prodigy). When Mi-Young moves to the quiet town of Nocturne Grove, she begins to notice that something is amiss with its residents—could there be a monster behind the town's microaggressions and strange behavior? Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Alex Slater at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates brokered the deal for world rights.
Janine O'Malley at FSG has acquired, in a preempt, Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller and two untitled books by Amelia Tait. This middle grade series is pitched as Judy Blume meets Back to the Future, in a diary of friendship and first love with a unique time slip twist as every New Year's Day Lily wakes in a new century. Publication is planned for spring 2026, spring 2027, and spring 2028; Valentina Fazio at Hachette UK sold North American rights.
Emily Daluga at Chronicle has bought world English rights to On Thin Ice by Lorien Lawrence, a middle grade thriller set at a hockey camp plagued by accidents, but when a counselor goes missing, the campers realize the events weren't accidents at all. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
Margaret Raymo at Little, Brown has acquired Lucía and the Sombra Trees by Darlene Pagán, a middle grade novel in which Lucía discovers a magical oasis when she bravely ventures into a dangerous forest to find a rare, life-saving fruit for her beloved grandmother. Publication is scheduled for summer 2027; Ritu Anand at D4EO Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Lisa Yoskowitz at Little, Brown has bought ADHD: Understanding You, Your Superpowers, and How to Thrive with Neurodiversity by Blue Seat Studios founder Rachel Brian (Consent for Kids; The Worry (Less) Book), an illustrated guide offering explanations and strategies for kids with and without ADHD. Publication is set for fall 2026; Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency sold world rights.
Kristin Allard at Norton Young Readers has acquired, in a three-book deal, Jen White's Ghost and Bat: Guardians of the Garden. This younger graphic novel series follows the titular best friends as they solve mysteries in their garden home, celebrate community, and learn about nature and ecosystems—and that things feel a lot less scary when we can shine a light on the unknown. The first book, The Phantom Pollinator, is slated for fall 2027, with the second two books planned for 2028; Christie Megill at the CAT Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Sylvie Frank at Flamingo Books has bought, in a preempt, two picture books in the Beginner's Guide picture book series by author-illustrator Keith Negley. With deadpan humor, The Beginner's Guide to Being a Wizard is an essential handbook for aspiring wizards and includes tips like the importance of a wand (a stick works too) and a cloak (a towel is fine). Publication is slated for fall 2026, with the second book to follow in fall 2027; Hannah Mann at Writers House brokered the deal for world rights.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired world rights to The River of Caregiving by Jocelyn Chung (l.), illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats Award winner Sarah Gonzales, a picture book about the many ways different generations of a family care for one another. Publication is set for summer 2026; Chris Park at DeFiore & Company represented the author, and Alexandra Levick at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Lois Evans at Random House/Make Me a World has bought world rights to In Case of Las Moscas by Jackie Morera (l.), illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson, in which a tiny misunderstanding snowballs into a zany adventure as a boy attempts to save his grandparents from an attack of flies. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Ashley Reisinger at Triada US represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Millie Von Platen at Astra House has acquired world rights to We Will Not Hide Our Pride by debut author Devyn Douvier (l.), illustrated by Evan Turk, celebrating the diverse achievements of the LGBTQ+ community past and present and affirming all that is possible for children to achieve, even in the face of prejudice. Publication is planned for spring 2028; Stefanie Molina-Santos, now at Looking Glass Literary Agency, represented the author while at Ladderbird Literary Agency, and Brenda Bowen at the Book Group represented the illustrator.
Sylvie Frank at Flamingo Books has bought world rights to the picture book Dentist Kitty by Alice Bradley (l.), illustrated by Heather Fox. Armed with facts, fish-flavored toothpaste, and the occasional bap to the face, Dr. Kitty is determined to get the Ragazzi family on the path to fresh breath and healthy teeth. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the author, and Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary represented the illustrator.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press acquired The Cats of Dogville by Sahtinay Abaza (l.), illustrated by Fanny Liem, a picture book about when cats decide to compete for the title of Man's Best Friend. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; the author represented herself, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
