Chelsea Eberly at Random House has bought debut author Jessica Cluess's A Shadow Bright and Burning at auction in a three-book deal. In the story, pitched as Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell meets Shadow and Bone, a teen girl is selected as the first-ever female sorcerer (the Chosen One who must save the empire) but the glamour of her new life hides enemies who would love to know her dark secret – that she might not be the Chosen One after all. It will pub in fall 2016; Brooks Sherman of the Bent Agency did the deal for north American rights.
Kristin Ostby at Simon & Schuster has acquired the next two middle-grade novels by Jessica Lawson, author of The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher and the forthcomingNooks & Crannies. The first novel, Waiting for Augusta, follows an 11-year-old runaway as he travels from Alabama to Georgia in an attempt to make peace with his dead father. It is slated for summer 2016; Tina Wexler at ICM negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Regina Griffin at Egmont USA has bought world English rights to Joshua C. Cohen's middle-grade novel, Thirteen Dogs. It's the story of two boys whose chance discovery of 13 dead dogs while hiking thrusts them into a dangerous world; they're going to need the help of a kindly hermit and his pack of dogs to survive. Publication is scheduled for summer 2015; Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management did the deal.
Meredith Rich at Bloomsbury Spark has acquired world rights to entertainment journalist Valerie Tejeda's Hollywood Witch Hunter, in which a coven of witches bent on retaining their youth must sacrifice the beautiful, rich women of southern California, while a society of witch hunters tries to protect humans from an evil uprising. It's scheduled for summer 2015; the book was unagented.
Krista Vitola at Delacorte has bought a middle-grade novel, Up a Tree Without a Paddle, by Donna Gephart. Narrated in alternating points of view, the coming-of-age story tells of Lily Jo, born Timothy James, and Norbert, who meet when Norbert transfers to Lily's school. It's scheduled for summer 2016; Tina Wexler at ICM brokered the deal for north American rights.
Kelly Delaney at Knopf acquired world rights to Wally Does Not Want a Haircut by Amanda Driscoll, whose debut picture book, Duncan the Story Dragon, is forthcoming from Knopf in June 2015. In this second tale, a stubborn but lovable little sheep finds that what he has been going to great lengths (literally) to avoid is the very thing that will get him out of a tight spot. Publication is scheduled for March 2016; Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal.
Laura Godwin of Henry Holt has acquired North American rights to the picture book Hedgehugs by Steve Wilson and Lucy Tapper, about hedgehog best friends Hattie and Horace, who are struggling to find a way to hug each other, and a second picture book about the two. The first book is set to publish in fall 2015; Alexandra Devlin at Rights People negotiated the deal on behalf of U.K.-based Maverick Arts.
Christy Ottaviano at Henry Holt's Christy Ottaviano Books imprint has bought the picture bookTough Cookie by author-illustrator Edward Hemingway. In the story, a sugar cookie realizes he is having an identity crisis and discovers his true calling. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016; Paul Rodeen at Rodeen Literary Management negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Hilary van Dusen at Candlewick has bought world rights to Arturo Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library, a collaboration of Carole Boston Weatherford and Eric Velasquez. The picture book explores Puertoriqueño Schomburg's lifelong quest to collect and share the histories of great men and women of the African diaspora. It’s scheduled for spring 2017; Rubin Pfeffer of Rubin Pfeffer Content did the deal on behalf of the author and artist.
Amy Lennex at Sleeping Bear Press has acquired world rights to a picture book text by Willow author Denise Brennan-Nelson (l.), Leopold Is Lost, about an escaped circus lion who gets a little too attached to a life of relaxation and laziness. The book will be the first picture book illustrated by Ellie McDoodle series creator Ruth McNally Barshaw. It will pub in fall 2015; Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the illustrator; the author represented herself.
Cindy Loh at Bloomsbury has acquired world rights for Time Stoppers, the middle-grade debut from YA novelist Carrie Jones. In the first of this three-book series, Annie Nobody is taken away from her neglectful foster family to the magical town of Aurora where she meets a host of incredible characters. But where there's magic, there are also those who want to misuse it and it's up to Annie to protect her new friends and her new home. It pubs in both the U.S. and the U.K. in spring 2016, with the next volume following nine months later. Edward Necarsulmer IV of Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency brokered the deal.
Michael Strother at S&S/Aladdin has acquired Monica Tesler's debut middle-grade series Bounders, about the Earth Force academy for quantum space travel and its first class of cadets, a group of neurodiverse kids who hold the key to saving the galaxy from an alien threat, in a pre-empt. The first of the titles in the three-book deal will appear in spring 2016. David Dunton at Harvey Klinger, Inc. brokered the deal for world rights.
Maria Barbo of HarperCollins imprint Katherine Tegen Books pre-empted Jonathan Bernstein's Bridget Wilder: Spy-in-Training, a debut middle-grade series about a middle child who receives an invitation to join a super-secret division of the CIA. The first book is set to publish in fall 2015; Tina Wexler at ICM negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Emily Meehan at Disney-Hyperion has bought a debut solo project at auction from Dhonielle Clayton, cofounder of the book development company Cake Literary and coauthor of the forthcoming series Tiny Pretty Things (HarperCollins). The YA fantasy, titled The Belles, focuses on a group of girls who can manipulate beauty, and the dangerous journey of the one belle who uncovers a hidden world of secrets, lies, and cruelty when she is chosen to be the personal belle of the next Queen. The first book will pub in spring/summer 2016; Victoria Marini at Gelfman Schneider did the two-book deal.
Margaret Raymo at HMH has acquired Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side author Beth Fantaskey’s Newsgirl, a middle-grade novel set in Chicago during the Prohibition/Al Capone era. The book features a 10-year-old detective who uses her smarts, old-fashioned shoe leather, and a little help from a famous woman journalist to solve a crime. It's slated for spring 2016; Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary sold world rights.
Adah Nuchi at HMH has bought Elana K. Arnold's second middle-grade novel, A Long Way from Home, in which a girl and her family go on the road together, leaving disasters behind, only to encounter new disasters far from home. It's scheduled for spring 2016; Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content did the deal for world rights.
Elizabeth Bewley at HMH has acquired world rights to Suffer Love by poet and debut novelist Ashley Herring Blake. The book, a modern-day take on Romeo and Juliet. Suffer Love is about two teens brought together by an undeniable attraction only to be torn apart by their parents' choices. It will pub in spring 2016; Rebecca Podos at Rees Literary brokered the deal.
Phoebe Yeh at Crown has bought Eric Kahn Gale's The Wizard's Dog at auction, as well as an additional middle-grade novel. The first book is told from the perspective of Merlin's adopted dog, who longs to wield magic, just like Merlin, and discovers adventure with a boy named Arthur. Gale is the author of The Zoo at the Edge of the World and The Bully Book. Publication is set for fall 2016; Erica Rand Silverman at Sterling Lord Literistic did the deal for USCPOM rights.
Rotem Moscovich at Disney-Hyperion has acquired debut author-illustrator A.N. Kang's The Very Fluffy Kitty Papillon, about a sassy cat who is so fluffy he that he floats. It sold in a four-house auction in a three-book, six-figure deal for North American rights, brokered by Heather Alexander at Pippin Properties, in her first deal as an agent. The projected pub date is fall 2016.
Tamar Brazis at Abrams has bought author-illustrator Jennifer Thermes's Charles Around the World in a preempt. The picture book biography tells of Charles Darwin's adventures on theHMS Beagle, featuring maps illustrating the route of his travels and his discoveries in each location. It is scheduled for fall 2016. Marietta B. Zacker of Nancy Gallt Literary Agency brokered the deal, which includes a second book, for world English rights.
Jennifer Besser at Putnam has acquired world rights to Douglas Todd Jennerich's My Little Half Moon, a debut picture book about a lonely half moon and a child's persistent and sometimes unconventional attempts to cheer it up and make it whole again. Kate Berube will illustrate; publication is set for winter 2016. Gráinne Fox of Fletcher & Company represented the author, and Lori Kilkelly of Rodeen Literary Management represented the artist.
Tamar Brazis at Abrams has acquired world rights to Amy Novesky's (l.) Cloth Lullaby, to be illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. It's a picture book biography about the French-American artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois, slated for fall 2016. Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the artist.
Kristin Ostby at Simon & Schuster has bought world rights to Bring Me a Rock!, Pardon Me!author-illustrator Daniel Miyares's next picture book, about a demanding grasshopper king on a power trip and the little bug who saves the day. It's scheduled for fall 2016; the team at Studio Goodwin Sturges brokered the deal.
