Mary Cash at Holiday House has acquired, at auction, North American rights to The Virgin Charge by Virginia Schwartz. Pitched as Sarah Waters for the YA set, and inspired by the true story of Charles Dickens's home for "fallen girls," the mystery depicts the sights and smells of 19th-century London, entwined with the story of a girl finding her voice and discovering the grave wrong inflicted in her past. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Fiona Kenshole at Transatlantic Agency brokered the deal.
Christian Trimmer at Henry Holt has acquired two contemporary middle-grade novels by The Honest Truth author Dan Gemeinhart. Coyote follows the titular character, who has lived with her father on a school bus, driving around the country, ever since her mother and sisters died five years prior. When Coyote learns that the park near her former home is going to be demolished—along with a treasured family memory—she, her father, her new kitten, and a group of fellow drifters must race across the country to save it. Publication is scheduled for winter 2019; the untitled second book will follow a year later. Pam Victorio and Bob Diforio at D4EO Literary Agency did the six-figure deal for world rights.
Nancy Mercado at Scholastic has bought Paul Acampora's novel Confusion Is Nothing New. The book stars 15-year-old Ellie Magari, who learns that the mother she never met is now dead, and sets out to uncover the secret history of a missing mom, and to salvage the father-daughter relationship that has defined—and maybe confined—Ellie's life so far. Publication is set for summer 2018; Susan Hawk at Upstart Crow Literary negotiated the deal for world English rights while at the Bent Agency.
Elise Howard at Algonquin Young Readers has bought Jackaby author William Ritter's middle grade debut, Changeling, and a second novel. The new novel is an adoption allegory, in which two identical brothers grow up aware that one of them is a changeling, mistakenly left behind by a mischievous goblin, but no one is sure which brother it might be. On their 12th birthday, the goblin beckons them both on a journey that will settle the question once and for all. A pub date has not yet been set; Lucy Carson at the Friedrich Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Russ Busse at Little, Brown has acquired the first book in the middle grade graphic novel series Mister's Misadventures in Middle School by debut author-illustrator and National Cartoonists Society member Jason Platt. In the first book, a boy attempts to avoid summer school by participating in a talent show—despite having no idea what his talent is. Publication is planned for spring 2019, followed by an untitled graphic novel in spring 2020. Jill Corcoran and Jodell Sadler at Jill Corcoran Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Phoebe Yeh at Crown Books has bought, in a multi-house auction, picture book author Jennifer Swender's debut novel, Solving for M. The book tells the story of Mika and how her illustrated math journal helps her cope with the challenges of middle school, math, and her mother's melanoma. Publication is scheduled for summer 2019; Jennifer Weltz at JVNLA did the deal for North American rights.
Susan Chang at Starscape has acquired, at auction, world English rights to author Jenny Esplin's debut middle grade novel, Days of Darkness. The book follows two brothers as they must walk 90 miles across the Nevada desert to get help after a blackout while their father is away from home. Publication is slated for 2019, with a second, untitled novel to follow; Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger brokered the deal.
Ariel Richardson at Chronicle has bought Sarah O'Leary Burningham's Truth & Daring, a guided book inspired by the "truth or dare" game that encourages journalers to be bold and find their truth. Publication is set for 2019; Stefanie Von Borstel at Full Circle Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Mark Siegel at First Second has acquired world rights to a graphic novel from Caldecott Honor author Peter McCarty, titled Five Wolves. The fantasy features five wolves and a number of other creatures and humans, including a princess, a dragon, and multiple cats. Publication is planned for 2020; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties handled the deal.
Georgia McBride at Month9Books has bought Kids from GHoST, by author, voice actor, and radio personality Andrew Nance. Pitched as Ghostbusters meets Scooby Doo, Kids from GHoST is the house's first graphic novel. Former DreamWorks Animation designer and animator Kevin Vassey will illustrate; publication is set for 2019. Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency negotiated the deal for world rights on behalf of the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Heidi Kilgras at Random House has acquired, in a two-book deal, Erica Perl's Truth or Lie, kicking off a nonfiction Step into Reading series with a quiz format that challenges kids to tell fact from fiction on various natural science topics. Publication is scheduled for 2018; Carrie Hannigan at Hannigan Salky Getzler sold world rights.
Nancy Inteli at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World, a picture book by Susan Hood, illustrated by Selina Alko, Sophie Blackall, Lisa Brown, Hadley Hooper, Emily Winfield Martin, Oge Mora, Julie Morstad, Sara Palacios, LeUyen Pham, Erin Robinson, Isabel Roxas, Shadra Strickland, and Melissa Sweet. The book is a celebration of 14 revolutionary young women who sparked change in the world, exploring the lives and achievements of Ruby Bridges, Frida Kahlo, Malala Yousafzai, Pura Belpré, and Nellie Bly, among others. Publication is slated for winter 2018; Brenda Bowen at Sanford J. Greenburger represented the author, and the illustrators are represented by various agents.
Erica Finkel at Abrams has bought world rights to American Gothic and Esquivel! author Susan Wood's Nevertheless, She Persisted: Elizabeth Warren’s Fight for Fairness. The picture book biography explores how Sen. Elizabeth Warren learned to speak up for her beliefs and fight for those who need her help, especially as she became aware of the economic challenges facing the middle class. Dorothea Lange illustrator Sarah Green will illustrate; publication is planned for fall 2018. Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Tamar Brazis at Abrams Books for Young Readers has acquired world rights to Chicago author Suzanne Slade's Exquisite, a picture book biography about Gwendolyn Brooks, the influential poet and the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize. Cozbi A. Cabrera will illustrate; publication is scheduled for spring 2019. Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Kandace Coston at Lee & Low has acquired world rights to Sumo Joe, a picture book by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Nat Iwata. A boy who practices sumo wrestling discovers the ultimate opponent in his little sister, who practices Akido. Publication is set for spring 2019. The author was unagented; Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Josalyn Moran at Seagrass Press has bought world rights to Pluto Is Peeved! by Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by Dave Roman. In the graphic novel-style picture book, Pluto—freshly demoted from planet status—wanders a museum searching for answers about scientists and the scientific method. Publication is slated for June 2018; Maura Kye-Casella at the Don Congdon Agency brokered the deal.
Karen Lotz at Candlewick has acquired the eighth novel by two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo, an untitled companion novel to 2016's Raymie Nightingale, which will tell the story of Raymie's friend and beloved ranchero, Louisiana Elefante. Andrea Tompa will edit; publication is set for October 2018. Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties sold world rights.
Sarah Barley at Flatiron Books has bought Girls Made of Snow and Glass author Melissa Bashardoust's next untitled YA novel, a fairy tale that takes inspiration from ancient Persian/Zoroastrian mythology, “Sleeping Beauty,” and “Rappacini’s Daughter.” In the tale, a princess is cursed to be poisonous to the touch and explores what inherent power might lie in such a curse. It’s tentatively slated for fall 2019; Meredith Kaffel Simonoff at DeFiore and Company brokered the deal for world rights.
Ben Rosenthal at HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen has acquired Allegedly author Tiffany D. Jackson's next two novels, starting with Let Me Hear a Rhyme, set in Brooklyn in 1998 about two teenage boys who plot to turn their murdered friend into a major rap star by pretending he is still alive, all while dealing with the fallout of the truth behind his death. Publication of the first book is tentatively scheduled for spring 2019; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Alessandra Balzer at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought debut author Ben Phillipe's The Field Guide to the North American Teenager, in a preempt. It follows curmudgeonly, clever Norris Kaplan as he moves from his native Montreal to Austin, Texas. Norris is a Black French Canadian who knows that, “based on sitcom jokes alone, Americans were predisposed to dislike all three of those things,” and who must adjust to his new life in Texas. Publication is planned for winter 2018; Joelle Hobeika, Josh Bank, and Sara Shandler at Alloy Entertainment brokered the two-book deal for world English rights; Leslie York of Fredrica S. Friedman & Co. represented the author.
John Morgan at Macmillan/Imprint has acquired world rights to The Black Door, a YA fantasy by Shadow Run author AdriAnne Strickland. Kamai Nuala can visit other people's souls, but her own remains a mystery—as does the ominous black door that follows her from soul to soul and hides a dark world of seduction, control, and royal intrigue. Like Kamai, Strickland is on the asexual spectrum, writing from her own experience. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Kirsten Carleton at Prospect Agency brokered the deal.
Sara Sargent at HarperCollins has bought The Confidence Code for Girls: Taking Risks, Messing Up, and Becoming Your Amazingly Imperfect, Totally Powerful Self by Katty Kay (r.) and Claire Shipman. This illustrated how-to is aimed at tween girls who want to embrace and build confidence in all areas of their lives. Publication is set for April 2018; Christy Fletcher and Sylvie Greenberg at Fletcher & Co. did the deal for world rights.
Alyson Heller at Aladdin/Jeter Publishing has acquired North American rights to Jordan Reeves's Born Just Right. The inspirational memoir explores 11-year-old inventor Jordan's experience with limb difference and designing her own glitter-shooting prosthesis, and is penned by Jordan's mother Jen Lee Reeves. Publication is slated for summer 2019. John Cusick and Steve Troha of Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal.
Alessandra Balzer at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought at auction Caldecott Honoree David Ezra Stein's Hush Little Bunny, a papa bunny’s lullaby to his baby, a celebration of unconditional love, told in a watercolor journey through the changing season. Publication is planned for winter 2019; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties did the two-book, six-figure deal for North American rights.
Sarah Ketchersid at Candlewick has acquired world rights to Baby Clown, a picture book from Geisel Honor author Kara LaReau, to be illustrated by Matthew Cordell. It's the story of a clown family that tries everything imaginable to get their new baby to stop crying, including juggling, unicycling, and riding in their tiny car, but it turns out what Baby Clown really needs is an audience. The book is set for spring 2020. Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary represented the author, and Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented the illustrator.
Taylor Norman at Chronicle Books has bought Adam Rex's Unstoppable, a picture book about lakefront creatures who band together to create a being greater than the sum of its parts; Laura Park will illustrate. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020. Steven Malk at Writers House represented both the author and illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Joy Peskin at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has acquired Neymar: A Soccer Dream Come True by Mina Javaherbin, illustrated by Paul Hoppe. This picture book tells the story of international phenom Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, from his origins in Brazil as a boy who loved playing soccer to his current position as a star forward for the French team Paris Saint-Germain. Publication is slated for spring 2018 to coincide with the World Cup. The author represented herself and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights, all languages.
Emma Ledbetter at S&S/Atheneum has bought world rights to Kirsten Hall's (l.) Snow Birds, illustrated by Jenni Desmond. Told through a series of short poems, this picture book follows the brave birds who stick it out through the cold winter months. Publication is set for fall 2019; the author represented herself, and Penny Holroyde of Holroyde Cartey Limited represented the illustrator.
Andrea Welch at S&S/Beach Lane has acquired world rights to An Ordinary Day by Elana K. Arnold (l.), a picture book that explores the extraordinary circle of life on an ordinary day in the neighborhood. Elizabet Vukovic will illustrate; publication is planned for spring 2019. The author was represented by Rubin Pfeffer of Rubin Pfeffer Content and Justin Rucker of Shannon Associates represented the illustrator.
Jonathan Westmark at Albert Whitman has bought world rights to Counting Dinos, a picture book by Eric Pinder, illustrated by Junissa Bianda. The numerical adventure features a rowdy dinosaur cast as they navigate their domain. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author and Emily Coggins at Astound represented the illustrator.
