Anica Rissi at HarperCollins imprint Katherine Tegen Books has bought a middle-grade trilogy from author Lauren Myracle. The trilogy, which begins with The Wishing Day, tells of three sisters who live in a town where on the third day of the third month of her 13th year, every kid makes three wishes: an impossible wish, a wish that she can make come true herself, and the deepest wish of her secret heart. Each sister's wishes come true, with beautiful and terrible consequences. The first title is scheduled for summer 2016. Barry Goldblatt of Barry Goldblatt Literary did the deal for world rights.
Martha Mihalick at Greenwillow has bought two picture book texts by Colleen AF Venable, author of the Eisner-nominated Guinea Pig Pet Shop Private Eye series. The first, Mervin the Sloth Is About to Do the Best Thing in the World, is the story of a sloth and the chaos that results as his friends excitedly await his performance of the Best Thing Ever; the second is still untitled. Publication of Mervin the Sloth is scheduled for 2016; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Susan Van Metre of Abrams has acquired the as-yet-untitled sixth book in the Origami Yoda series by Tom Angleberger, for the Amulet Books imprint. The book, which will be published September 16, 2014, is the last case file about the eighth-grade class of McQuarrie Middle School. It will follow Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue!, due out March 4, 2014. Caryn Wiseman of Andrea Brown Literary Agency was the agent.
Victoria Rock at Chronicle has bought world rights to two original works by debut author-illustrator Chris Turnham. The Mysterious Island, which presents a foreign world as discovered by a curious boy, is due out in fall 2015; 51 Reasons to Love Rain, celebrating rain as a source for all kinds of wonderful things, is a spring 2016 title. Kirsten Hall at the Bright Agency did the deal.
Ruta Rimas and Justin Chanda at S&S/McElderry have bought The Last True Love Story by Brendan Kiely (The Gospel of Winter). The forthcoming novel centers on a beautiful, depressed boy; his grandfather, who is slipping into dementia; and the boy's elusive crush: the cynical, love-weary girl next door. Together, they take a stolen-car road trip from their tiny California town to NYC to track down his father's mistress, learn the truth about his death, and salvage the hope of impossible love. Rob Weisbach at Rob Weisbach Creative Management negotiated for North American rights.
Michele Burke at Knopf has acquired Denise Vega's If Your Monster Won’t Go to Bed, a picture book offering advice for kids whose restless monsters just won't go to sleep, for publication in fall 2015. Lara Perkins at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Michele Burke at Knopf has also bought I Won a What? by Brothers at Bat author Audrey Vernick. The book features a boy who wins a whale in a carnival game and begins a lasting and unusual friendship. It's scheduled for fall 2015; Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency negotiated for world rights.
David Gale at S&S has acquired Stand-Off, the sequel to Andrew Smith's Winger, the story of a boy on his boarding school's rugby team that was published last year to three starred reviews. Stand-Off will focus on Ryan Dean's senior year, in which he becomes captain of the rugby team. Michael Bourret from Dystel & Goderich Literary Management did the deal for world English rights.
Kat Brzozowski at Thomas Dunne Books has bought a debut novel by Anna-Marie McLemore, The Weight of Feathers, in which two teenagers from rival families of traveling performers fall in love despite impossible odds. Publication is set for 2015; Taylor Martindale at Full Circle Literary brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.
Anica Rissi at HarperCollins has bought Rules for Stealing Stars, a middle-grade debut from OCD Love Story and Life by Committee author Corey Ann Haydu. It's pitched as "a sister story in the vein of Coraline, with complicated family secrets and a twist of magic both dark and lovely." Victoria Marini at Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency did the two-book deal for world rights.
Liz Bicknell at Candlewick has acquired Over and Under the Snow illustrator Christopher Silas Neal's debut as both author and artist, Everyone. The picture book, which combines simple text with abstract visual metaphors, discusses how we feel what we feel, and how everything and everyone around us feels it, too. A late 2015 publication is planned, with a second picture book concerning the surprising eating habits of animals to follow. Stephen Barr at Writers House held the auction for world rights.
Maria Modugno at Random House has acquired world rights to Poppy Louise Is Not Afraid of Anything by Jenna McCarthy, illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Molly Idle, in a two-book deal. The first book is scheduled for publication for fall 2015. Laurie Abkemeier at DeFiore and Company negotiated on behalf of McCarthy, and Lori Nowicki at Painted Words represented Idle.
Susan Kochan at Putnam has acquired Victoria J. Coe's debut middle-grade novel, Fenway & Hattie. Told from the perspective of Fenway, Hattie's dog, the story focuses on the pair's adjustments to the changes that come with their move from the city to the suburbs. The novel is scheduled for winter 2016; Marietta B. Zacker of the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Wendy Loggia at Delacorte has acquired Arrows by debut author Melissa Gorzelanczyk. In the novel, pitched as “Greek mythology meets MTV's Teen Mom, a cupid-in-training from Olympus shoots a ballet prodigy with an arrow, realizing too late the other arrow in his pack is useless, causing a tragically one-sided enchantment. It's scheduled for fall 2015; Carrie Howland at Donadio & Olson did the deal for world rights.
