David Levithan at Scholastic has acquired, in a six-figure deal, Not If I Save You First, Gallagher Girls and Heist Society author Ally Carter's standalone YA debut. Pitched as a gender-swapped YA Romancing the Stone, the action-adventure romance follows the daughter of a Secret Service agent who must save the First Son when he is kidnapped in the Alaskan wilderness—if they don't kill each other first. Publication is set for March 27, 2018; Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Emilia Rhodes at HarperCollins has bought, in a six-figure preempt, North American rights to a YA psychological thriller by Lauren James, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. Romy Silvers is the lone surviving crewmember of a spaceship speeding away from Earth, and her only communication is with J, the commander of a ship light-years away. Alone in space, Romy's friendship with J promises to save her from a lifetime of loneliness, until she begins to suspect the truth about the aim of his mission. Walker is publishing in the U.K. in September, with U.S. publication planned for summer 2018; Claire Wilson at Rogers, Coleridge & White negotiated the deal.
Kelly Barrales-Saylor at Sourcebooks has acquired North American rights to How to Feel Awesome Every Day by Australian YouTube star Elly Awesome. The how-to book encourages teens to turn daily experiences into opportunities for positivity, complete with cures for boredom, journaling pages, recipes, and full-color designs by Astred Hicks. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Allison Hellegers did the deal on behalf of Penguin Random House Australia.
Monica Jean at Delacorte has bought Alyssa Wees's YA novel The Witch of Wishes. In the vein of Pan's Labyrinth meets Catherynne M. Valente, the book stars a girl with horrifying nightmares and a wish-granting witch whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways. Publication is slated for spring 2019; Penelope Burns at Gelfman Schneider/ICM brokered the deal.
Susan Chang at Tor Teen has acquired Andy Fukuda's Dust Boy, Ash Girl, the story of two unlikely teenaged pen pals: a Japanese American boy in Seattle and a French Jewish girl in Paris, at the turn of World War II. Publication is tentatively planned for fall 2019, with a second, untitled book to follow; Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Jillian Manning at Blink has bought Blaze and Real Prom Queens of Westfield High author Laurie Boyle Crompton's new YA novel, Pretty in Punxsutawney. A mashup of Groundhog Day and Pretty in Pink, the book stars a senior who is forced to relive the first day at her new school in an endless loop. Andie is convinced she needs true love's kiss to break the curse, but instead discovers how a high school filled with cliques and misfits can find common ground despite everyone's differences. Publication is set for January 2019; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Krista Vitola at Simon & Schuster has acquired, on exclusive submission, professor of science journalism and cadaver dog handler Cat Warren's What the Dog Knows: The Fascinating World of Working Canines, a young readers' adaptation of her bestselling book of the same name. Part memoir, part narrative science, the book draws from Warren's experiences training and searching for the dead with her German shepherd, Solo, as a launch pad to explore the broader world of working dogs. The anticipated pub date is spring 2019; Gillian MacKenzie at Gillian MacKenzie Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Wendy McClure and Eliza Swift at Albert Whitman have bought, in a three-book deal, a middle grade novel by Amanda Ashby (writing as Catherine Holt), called Midnight Reynolds and the Spectral Transformer. The first of a series, the book stars 12-year-old Midnight, who was born on Halloween and can see spirits, which comes in handy when she takes a job with eccentric old Miss Appleby, battling the ghosts drawn to their town. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Susan Hawk at Upstart Crow Literary negotiated the deal while at the Bent Agency, for world English rights.
Heidi Elston at ABDO has acquired world rights to the chapter book series Zadie Jacobs, CEO by Emma Bland Smith (l.), illustrated by Lissy Marlin. From a pet camp to an outdoor movie theater, nine-year-old Zadie Jacobs can always think up creative ways to save the day, when she's not too busy saving the world. Publication for the set of four books is set for September 2018; Essie White at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and Emily Coggins at Astound represented the illustrator.
Marissa Moss at Creston Books has bought world rights to two picture books by British author-illustrator Carly Allen-Fletcher. Animal Antipodes explores unusual places and animals on our home planet; and Beastly Biomes zooms in on different environments and the animals who live there. Pub dates are slated for fall 2018 and spring 2019 respectively; Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented the author-illustrator.
Namrata Tripathi at Dial has acquired, at auction, debut author Shauna LaVoy Reynolds's (l.) Poetree, about a girl who writes poems for a tree and thinks that the tree is responding, only to discover that another child in her class is actually the one writing back. Shahrzad Maydani will illustrate; publication is planned for spring 2019. Adriana Dominguez at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Sara Sargent at HarperCollins has bought world rights to How to Deal: Tarot for Everyday Life by Sami Main (l.), a how-to guide to tarot readings for beginners. Marisa de la Peña will illustrate; publication is scheduled for summer 2018. Allison Hunter at Janklow & Nesbit did the deal for world rights.
Julie Bliven at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to debut author Debbie Gonzales's (l.) Play Like a Girl: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records, a nonfiction picture book about female athletes and changemakers who pushed for Congress to pass Title IX. Rebecca Gibbon will illustrate; publication is slated for spring 2019. Melissa Nasson at Rubin Pfeffer Content represented the author, and Stacey Endress at Illustration, Ltd. represented the illustrator.
Josalyn Moran at Seagrass Press has bought Joan Holub's (l.) Seed School, in which seeds that will grow to be sunflowers, vegetables, and one odd-looking seed with a cap learn about what is required to grow. Sakshi Mangal will illustrate; publication is set for February 2018. Liza Voges at Eden Street represented the author, and Alli Brydon at Bright USA represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Stephanie Pitts at Putnam has acquired world rights to Karen Jameson's (l.) debut picture book, Moon Babies, illustrated by Amy Hevron. The story in verse features baby moons in a celestial nursery. Publication is scheduled for summer 2019; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
