Katherine Tegen at HarperCollins has acquired, in a six-book deal, North American rights to Outliers, a new three-book middle grade series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The adventure series follows three children—Finn, Emma, and Chess Greystone—and the mystery that unravels when their mother leaves them for an unexpected business trip. The siblings begin to wonder why she has left them and discover a series of bizarre texts, secret messages in code, and a hidden room that just might be a portal into an alternate world. The first book is set to publish in winter 2019, with the subsequent books publishing in winter 2020 and winter 2021. An additional three untitled books, beyond the Outliers series, have also been signed. Tracey Adams at Adams Literary handled the deal.


Sarah Shumway at Bloomsbury has bought U.S. rights to five titles from author Renée Watson. Watson's as-yet-untitled middle grade novel tells the story of a West Coast girl who visits Harlem to meet her father's family for the first time. Publication is planned for January 2019. Her YA novel collaboration with poet and debut novelist Ellen Hagan, Write like a Girl, is a dual-narrative about best friends, one black and one white, who are classmates at a progressive New York City high school. The two start a school club blog with feminist essays, poems, and performances about social issues that goes viral. The book is due out in spring 2019. A standalone YA novel will publish in winter 2020, and two titles in a new middle grade series will publish in spring 2020 and spring 2021 respectively. Rosemary Stimola at the Stimola Literary Studio represented Watson, and Cindy Uh at the Thompson Literary Agency represented Hagan.


Kat Brzozowski at Swoon Reads has acquired, in a two-book deal, Jennifer Honeybourn's contemporary YA novel, Just My Luck, about a teen hotel maid in Maui, whose efforts to fix her terrible luck by returning items she's stolen from guests are thwarted when her luck-stealing past catches up with her. Publication is planned for summer 2019, followed by a yet to be determined second novel; Hannah Fergesen at KT Literary brokered the deal for world rights.


Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire has bought, in a two-book deal, rights to Helene Dunbar's YA novel, Prelude for Lost Souls, a story of two boys—one longing to leave, and one yearning to stay—in the spiritualist town of St. Hilaire, where most make their living by talking to the dead. When a grief-stricken young pianist arrives on a mysterious quest, it sets a chain of events in motion that no one could have anticipated. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019, with an untitled sequel to follow in 2020. Lauren MacLeod at the Strothman Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.


Ben Schrank at Razorbill has acquired, at auction, Let It Burn, a YA thriller by Jennifer Donaldson. The novel follows Gabe and Elyse, who, the publisher are drawn into irresistible romances that quickly turn obsessive and dangerous, and their paths intertwine with deadly consequences. Publication is slated for summer 2018; Lanie Davikats at Alloy Entertainment represented Donaldson in the two-book deal for world English rights.


Dayna Anderson at Amberjack has bought Sophie Gonzales's debut novel, Law of Inertia, pitched as an LGBT Gone Girl, about the mysterious death of a teen boy and his still-grieving boyfriend as he searches for answers. Publication is set for October 2018; Moe Ferrara at BookEnds Literary did the deal for North American English rights.


Nancy Siscoe at Knopf has acquired Sauerkraut by Kelly Jones, a middle grade comedy about a boy haunted by the ghost of his great-great grandmother and an old family recipe. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Mandy Hubbard at Emerald City negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.


Amy Fitzgerald at Carolrhoda has bought Joshua Levy's debut novel, Seventh Grade vs. the Galaxy. The story follows three friends who accidentally catapult their rickety old public schoolship light-years away from home, into the clutches of the first aliens humans have ever seen. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Elana Roth Parker at Laura Dail Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.


Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins has acquired an untitled middle-grade nonfiction book by Winifred Conkling. The collection of biographical stories will explore the contributions of courageous women throughout history who have served in different branches of the U.S. military. Publication is slated for 2019; Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.


Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has bought, in a six-house auction, Greenglass House illustrator Jaime Zollars's debut picture book, The Truth About Dragons, and a second book. The book depicts a frightening first day of school full of prowling dragons, which aren't quite what they seem. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019 and fall 2020 respectively; Stephen Barr at Writers House handled the deal for world rights.


Phoebe Yeh at Crown has acquired in a preempt, and will co-publish with Tara Walker at Tundra Books, Ashley Spires's Fairy Science and an untitled sequel. The picture book duology stars Esther, a fairy who doesn't believe in magic, but does believe in science—which might be exactly what's needed to save the day. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Claire Easton at Painted Words negotiated the deal for world rights.


Kelly Loughman at Holiday House has bought world rights to Lois Barr's When Numbers Met Letters, a picture book about letters and numbers whose competitive sides come out when they encounter each other for the first time. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Mary Cummings at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises brokered the deal.


Sonali Fry at Little Bee has acquired world rights to Diane C. Ohanesian's (l.) Snuggle Down Deep, a picture book set in a quiet winter landscape, revealing familiar animals snuggled up, rolled up, curled up, and cuddled up in nature's cozy sleeping places. Emily Bornoff will illustrate. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and James Burns at Bright USA represented the illustrator.


Charlotte Wenger at Page Street Kids has bought world rights to This Book Is Spineless, a debut picture book by Lindsay Leslie (l.), illustrated by Alice Brereton, in which a wary and unadventurous book uses its different parts to try and get a sense of what kind of story might be in its pages. Publication is slated for winter 2019; Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Alison Berson at Astound Illustration Agency represented the illustrator.


Charlie Ilgunas at Little Bee has acquired world rights to Dee Romito's (l.) Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott, illustrated by Laura Freeman. The picture book tells the story of a hidden figure of history who played a critical role in the civil rights movement and used her passion for baking to fund the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Brent Taylor at the Triada US Literary Agency represented the author on behalf of Uwe Stender, and the illustrator represented herself.


Nina Gruener at Cameron Kids has bought world rights to Owl Love You by Matthew Heroux, illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan, a husband-and-wife team. The picture book shows a mama owl introducing her little one to the nocturnal world around them. Publication is set for fall 2018; Nicole Tugeau at Tugeau 2 represented both the author and the illustrator.