Neal Porter of Roaring Brook's Neal Porter Books has acquired The Only Fish in the Sea by Philip C. Stead (l.), author of the Caldecott-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee, and illustrated by Matthew Cordell. The Only Fish in Sea, a companion to their Special Delivery, features the plucky heroine, Sadie, in another adventure – this time joining her friend Sherman in a mission to rescue an imperiled goldfish. It's scheduled for spring 2017; Emily van Beek of Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated on behalf of the author and Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio on behalf of the artist.
Abby Ranger at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Chicken in Space by Adam Lehrhaupt, illustrated by Shahar Kober, a picture book introducing Zoey, a chicken who's always up for adventure and Sam, her right-hand pig, in a six-book deal. It launches in summer 2016; Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary did the deal for Lehrhaupt and Shannon Associates did the deal for Kober.
Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has acquired two books in a new series by comedian David O'Doherty (l.), illustrated by Chris Judge. The first book, Danger Is Everywhere, is a handbook compiled by the fictional Dr. Noel Zone for avoiding all kinds of danger – from snakes posing as toothbrushes, to sharks hiding in toilets, to robots disguised as kindly grandmothers. It will pub in October 2014; Zosia Knopp at Penguin U.K. did the deal for North American rights excluding Canada.
Erin Clarke at Knopf has acquired A Most Magical Girl, a middle-grade novel by Karen Foxlee, author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy and The Midnight Dress. Set in London during the Industrial Revolution, it features a girl who never believed she could be more than pretty and graceful and who, when she is thrust into a world of subterranean rivers, broomsticks, and nature gone wild, learns to trust herself and her destiny. It's set for spring 2016 publication; Catherine Drayton of InkWell Management brokered the deal for U.S. and Canadian rights.
Elizabeth Tingue at Razorbill has bought debut author Willa Strayhorn's The Way We Bared Our Souls, a YA novel. In the story, a teenage girl from Santa Fe facing a life-changing diagnosis convinces four friends to participate in a totem-swapping ceremony that causes them to swap problems and walk in each other's shoes. Publication is slated for January 2015; Gloria Loomis at Watkins/Loomis Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Pam Gruber at Little, Brown's Poppy imprint has acquired Eric Lindstrom's debut novel Not If I See You First, in which a blind 16-year-old girl with a take-no-prisoners attitude navigates friendships, romantic relationships, and her high school's track field, in a two-book deal. Publication is scheduled for fall 2015; Jennifer Weltz at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency held the auction for North American and audio rights.
Cassandra Pelham at Scholastic’s Graphix imprint has bought world rights to two books in a debut middle-grade graphic novel series called NewsPrints by Ru Xu, creator of a webcomic titled Saint for Rent. The story follows a newsboy named Blue (a girl, actually) who, during a war, befriends a reclusive inventor as well as one of his inventions – a boy who is the prototype for a flying metal soldier. Blue must figure out how to save them both from the government that wants to reclaim them. Book one is projected for 2016, with book two to be released a year later; the author represented herself.
Alvina Ling at Little Brown bought U.S. rights to Dawn Kurtagich's debut YA novel, The Dead House, in a two-book deal; it was simultaneously acquired in the U.K. by Jenny Glencross at Indigo. The psychological thriller, which is set for fall 2015, is about the discovery of a diary in the ruins of a high school that burned down 25 years earlier. The diary was written by the twin sister of a student who disappeared in the fire. Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary Agency negotiated the U.S. sale, while Polly Nolan handled the U.K. one.
Kristin Daly Rens at HarperCollins imprint Balzer + Bray has acquired North American rights to Jeff Garvin's Symptoms of Being Human, a debut novel about Riley, a 16-year-old gender fluid teen who starts an anonymous blog to deal with hostility from classmates and tension at home. But when the blog goes viral, a storm of media attention threatens Riley's anonymity. Winter 2016 is the projected pub date; Rachel Ekstrom at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency negotiated the pre-empt for two books.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Nemesis, a YA fantasy by Anna Banks, in a two-book deal. In the story, a princess who possesses the power to create energy escapes her father, who wishes to weaponize it, only to be captured by another kingdom where she discovers that her powers could be used to fight a terrible plague. Publication is planned for spring 2016; Lucy Carson of the Friedrich Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Anne Hoppe at Clarion Books has acquired YA author Sarah Beth Durst's debut middle-grade novel, The Girl Who Could Not Dream. The book tells of a girl whose family owns a secret store where they buy, bottle, and sell dreams, but who can't have any of her own, and the adventure that she and her pet monster go on when someone starts kidnapping dreamers. Publication is planned for fall 2015; Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger negotiated the deal for world rights.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Toya, a YA novel by debut author Randi Pink. Sixteen-year-old Latoya Williams, who is black, attends a mostly white high school in the Bible Belt. In a moment of desperation, she prays for the power to change her race and wakes up white. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016; Marietta B. Zacker at the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency did the deal for North American rights.
Sharyn Rosart at POW! has bought Marc Rosenthal's (I Must Have Bobo) interactive Big Bot, Small Bot concept series, featuring a group of retro-futuristic robots who demonstrate opposites, colors, shapes, and counting (sometimes losing their heads as they do so), using lift-the-flap gatefolds that transform each illustration into something unexpected. Publication is set for spring 2015; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties did the four-book deal for world English rights.
Melissa Manlove at Chronicle Books has acquired a picture book biography by Manfish and On a Beam of Light author Jennifer Berne. On Wings of Words: A Story of Emily Dickinson tells the story of the poet's life, and deals with the power of words and of writing to create, explore, find truths, and even heal. Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Taylor Norman at Chronicle has bought the picture book text of Everything You Need for a Treehouse by Carter Higgins, children's librarian and creator/blogger of DesignofthePictureBook.com. It's a celebration of the creativity and timeless adventure of building a treehouse. Publication is scheduled for spring 2017; Rubin Pfeffer, RP Content sold world rights.
Ken Geist and David Saylor at Orchard Books have acquired world rights to Such a Little Mouse by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Stephanie Yue in her picture book debut. It's a picture book about the surprises the world holds for a small mouse who ventures out of his hole in the ground. Fall 2015 is the projected pub date; Schertle was unagented, and Yue's deal was brokered by Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary LLC.
Christian Trimmer at Simon & Schuster has bought world rights to Oh No, Astro!, the debut picture book by Candlewick Press cover designer Matt Roeser, illustrated by Brad Woodard. The story centers on Astro, a grumpy asteroid, and the unlikely adventure he takes when he's knocked out of his orbit. Publication is scheduled for spring 2016; Brenda Bowen at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates represented the author; the illustrator represented himself.
