Wendy Lamb at Random House has acquired U.S. rights, at auction, to We Are All Made of Molecules and an untitled YA novel by Susin Nielsen, winner of Canada's Governor General's Award. The story is told by brilliant but socially challenged Stewart, 13, and Ashley, mean queen of the ninth grade. Stewart's mother died two years ago, and he has just moved into the home of his father's new girlfriend and her daughter – Ashley. Publication is scheduled for spring 2015; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists was the agent.
Sarah Ketchersid at Candlewick has bought world rights to Kara LaReau's The Infamous Ratsos and an untitled sequel. The young chapter book is about two rodent brothers who are determined to prove to the world just how tough they really are, only to discover that toughness isn't exactly what they thought. Publication is set for spring 2016; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary brokered the deal.
Sarah Dotts Barley at HarperCollins has bought Printz-Honor winner Garret Freymann-Weyr's first foray into middle-grade fiction, The Poet's Daughter. It tells the story of a young girl and an old dragon who meet in a hotel bar in Vienna and develop an instant camaraderie – and together learn how to live in the space between how the world is and how we wish it would be. Publication is scheduled for 2015; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties did the two-book deal for North American rights.
Stacey Barney at Putnam has acquired North American rights to Tansy Summer, YA author Amber Kizer's first foray into middle grade. After she is sent away from her home, Tansy, a selective mute, gains the confidence to speak again through a friend, her loving aunt and uncle, and a project raising free-range chickens. Publication is set for summer 2015. Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the two-book deal.
Alison Weiss at Egmont USA has bought debut author Jessica Taylor's YA novel, Invincible Wild. In the story, a teenage girl from a family of Wanderers must choose between the rambling way of life she's always known and the townie boy she falls. Publication is set for fall 2015; Sarah LaPolla of Bradford Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Lisa Cheng at Running Press Kids has bought author-illustrator Julie-Anne Graham's The Perfect Percival Priggs, a picture book about a boy who is perfect in every possible way, but when his aunt comes to town, she uncovers what is hidden behind his perfect smile, It's pitched as a young Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory meets Tim Burton; publication is set for spring 2015. Kathleen Ortiz at New Leaf Literary & Media did the deal.
Nick Eliopulos at Scholastic has acquired A Better Kind of Truth and a second, untitled middle-grade novel from debut author Dan Gemeinhart. When Mark discovers that his childhood illness has returned, he runs away with his dog rather than go back into treatment. Only after turning his back on everything he knows does he find the will to live and the strength to fight - but is it too late? Publication is planned for spring 2015. Pam van Hylckama Vlieg at Foreword Literary did the deal for world rights; Foreword retains film and TV rights, which are being managed by Brandy Rivers of the Gersh Agency.
Jessica Garrison at Dial has acquired world rights to author Michelle Robinson's (What to Do If an Elephant Stands on Your Foot) next picture book, still untitled, featuring a kid-knight with a secret history, and a surprise ending. It will be illustrator Fred Blunt's American picture book debut, and will be published in winter/spring 2016. Kirsten Hall of the Bright Agency was the agent.
Jessica Garrison at Dial bought world rights at auction to a YA horror anthology, Slasher Girls & Monster Boys. The collection features a large number of authors, including April Tucholke, Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Kami Garcia, Carrie Ryan, Nova Ren Suma, A.G. Howard, Cat Winters, Stefan Bachman, Jay Kristoff, Kendare Blake, McCormick Templeman, and Megan Shepherd, and tells tales of gritty girls fighting back, seeking revenge, and claiming their victims. Publication is planned for fall 2015; Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media brokered the deal for world rights.
Wendy Lamb at Random House has acquired The Smell of Other People’s Houses, a debut YA novel of interlocking stories set in 1970s Alaska by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock, a third-generation Alaskan and journalist for Alaska Public Radio. Cassie misses her father, lost in a plane crash. Her sister Ruth has a secret. Hank and his brothers have stowed away on a ferry that will put them all in danger. And Dumpling Moses is missing, but no one will find Dumpling until these teens – and others – put their stories together. Publication is scheduled for fall 2015. Molly Ker Hawn of the Bent Agency did the deal for USCPOM rights.
Margaret Raymo at HMH has bought North American rights to a new YA novel by Anne Heltzel, a former editor at Razorbill. Charlie, Presumed Dead is the story of two teenage girls who meet at the funeral of Charlie Pryce, presumed dead after an explosion on a college campus. When the girls realize they both thought they were Charlie's one true love, the secrets of his double life are unraveled – and it's possible they’ve walked into a trap he's laid for them. Publication is scheduled for spring 2015; Stephen Barbara at Foundry Literary + Media did the deal.
Catherine Onder at Bloomsbury U.S. and Ellen Holgate at Bloomsbury U.K. have acquired world English rights in a combined six-figure pre-empt to Simon Thorn, an action-adventure middle-grade fantasy series by Aimee Carter, author of YA novel The Goddess Test. Simon Thorn is a bullied 12-year-old boy who discovers he is part of a secret race of humans born with the ability to turn into animals, and who may be the key to peace among five warring animal kingdoms. The first title, Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den, is scheduled for a simultaneous U.S./U.K. publication in fall 2015. The three-book deal was brokered by Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio in the U.S., and Alex Webb of Rights People in the U.K. on behalf of Stimola.
Jill Davis at HarperCollins's Katherine Tegen Books preempted North American rights to two books by debut novelist Jackie Lea Sommers, in a six-figure deal. The first novel, Truest, will be published in 2016 and tells the story of Westlin, a pastor's daughter, and her complicated relationships with Silas, a young writer new to town, and Laurel, his mysterious twin sister. It's billed as a novel of "summer love, small-town secrets, and the darker side of philosophy." Steven Chudney from the Chudney Agency brokered the deal.
Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow has bought world English rights to the debut picture book and a second picture book by Katherine Hannigan, author of Ida B, The first, scheduled for summer 2015 and tentatively titled Do You Mean...?, is a comedic romp with a set of alligator siblings. The second, Dirt + Water = Mud, is planned for winter 2016 and celebrates the possibilities of imaginary play between a girl and her dog. This is the first deal for Victoria Wells Arms at Wells Arms Literary, who will handle translation with Rebecca Mancini at RightsMix.
Heidi Kilgras at Random House has acquired world rights to Kate Klimo's Dr. Seuss: the Great Doodler, a Step into Reading biography of Ted Geisel. It profiles the beloved author-illustrator, who taught children to read while teaching them to enjoy it, too. The project is unagented, and is scheduled for publication in spring 2015.
Alison Weiss at Egmont has acquired dotwav, a YA sci-fi thriller by Mike A. Lancaster (Human.4 and The Future We Left Behind). In the book, a female hacker joins forces with a member of a secret teen government agency to uncover a sound embedded in music that's being used to control fans. Publication is scheduled for fall 2015; Becky Bagnell at Lindsay Literary negotiated the deal for North American rights.
