Christy Ottaviano at Henry Holt's Christy Ottaviano Books has bought Enter a Glossy Web and an untitled sequel by debut author McKenna Ruebush. In this fantasy novel, pitched as The Penderwicks meets Alice in Wonderland, a girl named George is sent off by her eccentric aunt on a quest to find her missing uncle, armed with raincoats, a pile of sandwiches, a talking map, and two boys she meets along the way in a graveyard. Publication is scheduled for spring 2016; Robert Wilson at Wilson Media brokered the deal for world rights.
Emily Easton at Crown has acquired world English rights to a YA novel by Fracture author Megan Miranda. Her new book, Consumed tells the story of Kelsey, a girl raised in fear by her mother, who was the victim of an abduction many years before. When her mother disappears, Kelsey finds herself questioning the version of events she's grown up with and realizes she has set something sinister in motion. It will publish in summer 2016; Sarah Davies at the Greenhouse Literary Agency did the deal. The author recently sold her debut adult novel,Disappear, to Simon & Schuster.
Liesa Abrams at Simon Pulse has bought North American rights to Christa Desir's third YA novel. In Twelve, 17-year-old Natalie Spencer is two days out of rehab and two months post-DUI. Her only respite is her new comradeship with fellow AA members, including 30-something Joe. But the lines of addiction and love become quickly blurred as Natalie realizes her feelings for Joe go beyond friendship. It’s slated for January 2016; Jonathan Lyons at Curtis Brown brokered the deal.
Alison Weiss at Egmont has acquired Incognita, the sequel to Kristen Lippert-Martin's debut YA thriller Tabula Rasa, and an untitled third novel. Tabula Rasa publishes this month from Egmont; publication for Incognita is set for spring 2016. Molly Jaffa at Folio Literary Management/Folio Jr. brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.
Nancy Inteli at HarperCollins has bought three picture books in the Toad on the Road series by author-illustrator Stephen Shaskan. Toad on the Road is a cautionary tale about an eager toad who never looks where he's going, which leads to a messy pileup. Publication is tentatively planned for fall 2016; Teresa Kietlinski of Prospect Agency sold world rights.
Nancy Inteli at HarperCollins has also acquired world rights, in a preempt, to No More Bows! by debut author-illustrator Samantha Cotterill. The picture book stars a dog so exasperated by his owner that he takes to the streets. It's scheduled for fall 2016 publication; Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions did the deal.
Sylvie Frank at Simon & Schuster’s Paula Wiseman Books has bought world rights to Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Hunt, text by Carrie Clickard (l.), to be illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. The book features Thomas Jefferson's quest to make the young United States of America home to the biggest and best. Publication is slatedg for fall 2017; Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author and the illustrator represented herself.
Kelly Delaney at Knopf has bought a picture book by Roman Milisic (l.) and A. Richard Allen, called Apes a Go Go. In the story, a motley crew of well-meaning but clumsy apes try their best to help out the mayor of the Tidiest Town. Publication is set for fall 2015; Carla Alonzi at HarperCollins U.K. sold North American rights.
Anne Schwartz at Schwartz & Wade Books has bought world rights to Hank's Big Day, a picture book by Evan Kuhlman, illustrated by Chuck Groenink, about a pill bug's daily adventures. It's slated for publication in fall 2016. Stephen Barr at Writers House represented the illustrator; the author represented himself.
Mara Anastas and Karen Nagel at Simon & Schuster's Aladdin Books have acquired world rights to actress and animal activist Beth O. Stern's debut picture book, Yoda: The Story of a Cat and His Kitten, illustrated by Devin Crane. The story is based on Stern's own rescued cat, Yoda, whose health was in serious decline until he was given the chance to take care of foster kittens. It will publish in fall 2014; CAA represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Justin Chanda of Simon & Schuster has acquired a middle-grade novel by Printz Honor author Kenneth Oppel (l.) and Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen. In The Nest, Steve's summer is plagued by worries about his sick baby brother and his parents who are struggling to cope with the challenges ahead. When mysterious figures appear in Steve's dreams offering to fix the baby, it seems like all Steve has to do is say yes, but a nagging suspicion tells him it might not be that simple. The author and illustrator are longtime friends, though this is their first collaboration. It's set for fall 2015; Steven Malk of Writers House brokered the deal for North American rights.
Lisa Yoskowitz at Little, Brown has bought a YA novel by Monica Hesse, a writer at the Washington Post, in a pre-empt. Set in 1943 Amsterdam, All the Hidden Places follows a young woman who finds and sells black market goods as she is drawn into a web of mysteries and stunning revelations following a customer's desperate plea to find the Jewish teenager she had been hiding. It will publish in spring 2016; Ginger Clark at Curtis Brown did the deal for North American rights. The author also recently sold an adult nonfiction proposal to W.W. Norton called American Fire, based on an article from the Post.
Reka Simonsen at S&S/Atheneum has acquired world rights to Lulu, a YA novel co-written by director and producer Adam Shankman and children's and YA author Laura L. Sullivan. Inspired by the crime-solving duo of Nick and Nora Charles, protagonists of the Thin Man films and the Dashiell Hammett novel, the book is set in Hollywood's Golden Age. Lulu is a once-poor teen from New York City who finds herself working as a starlet in Los Angeles as a starlet; her partner and love interest, Freddie van der Waals, winds up out West after leaving his wealthy family. Lulu and Freddie meet and, after Lulu is hit with a bogus murder charge, team up to clear her name, and reluctantly fall in love. It's scheduled for summer 2016; Jason Anthony at Lippincott Massie McQuilkin did the six-figure, two-book deal.
Alexandra Cooper at HarperTeen has bought a new fantasy series by Kendare Blake (Anna Dressed in Blood) in a two-book deal. Book one,Three Dark Crowns, tells the story of triplet sisters on a remote island ruled by powerful magic and ancient family lineages. Separated at birth, one of the sisters will grow up to be queen, but in order to ascend to the throne she must hone her magic for a dark purpose: assassinating her other two sisters before they kill her first. Book one is scheduled for release in fall 2016; Adriann Ranta at Wolf Literary Services negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Justin Chanda of Simon & Schuster has acquired North American rights to Life Is Funny and America author E.R. Frank's Dime, for the Atheneum imprint. It is Frank's first novel in 10 years. Set in Newark, N.J., it tells the story of Dime, a 14-year-old girl stuck in the foster care system, who finds herself drawn into the world of prostitution. As her pimp turns more dangerous, Dime must find the strength to break free of the life she's become entangled in. It’s scheduled for summer 2015; Heather Schroder of Compass Talent Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Andrea Spooner at Little, Brown has bought Printz Honor author A.S. King's I Crawl Through It, a surrealist novel about four teens who find unconventional ways to escape standardized tests and their perilous world – and discover that the only escape from reality is to face it. Fall 2015 is the pub date; Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich brokered the deal for world English rights.
Liesa Abrams at S&S/Aladdin, with Martha Sharpe at Simon and Schuster Canada, has acquired at auction against seven other publishers a debut novel by Kevin Sands, called Blackthorn, set in 1663 London. It tells of 14-year-old Christopher, apprenticed to a master apothecary and learning the secrets of transforming simple ingredients into powerful medicines and weapons. Along with his best friend, Christopher must uncover the truth behind a mysterious cult, following a trail of puzzles, codes, pranks, and danger toward an unearthly secret with the power to tear the world apart. Publication is planned for fall 2015; Daniel Lazar at Writers House negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Rosemary Brosnan at HarperTeen has bought a debut YA novel, Dreamland, by Robert Luis Anderson. It centers on the thin line between our world and the world of dreams and nightmares, and on 17-year-old Dea Donahue, who discovers what happens when the two worlds collide. Publication is scheduled for fall 2015; Stephen Barbara at Foundry Literary + Media did the deal for North American rights.
Pam Gruber at Little, Brown's Poppy imprint has acquired a new YA novel by Amy Spalding, author of Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys). In Jules, the New Guy, and Other Senior Year Distractions, a neurotic overachiever's plans for her perfect senior year are derailed by a relationship – and then a rivalry – with a cute boy at school. It's set for spring 2016 publication; Kate Schafer Testerman at kt literary sold world English rights.
Margaret Anastas at HarperCollins has bought Psst! I Have a Secret by Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant at auction, topping four bidders in a six-figure deal. In the picture book, the first of two books in a series, a frog named Monty tells readers his dark secret (that he's afraid of swimming). Publication is scheduled for summer 2016; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties sold North American rights.
Kendra Levin at Viking has acquired two picture books from Blue Chicken and The Story of Fish and Snail author-illustrator Deborah Freedman. In the first title, Shy, the eponymous protagonist is nearly too bashful to appear in his own book, let alone confront the object of his affection. Publication is scheduled for spring 2016, with a second, untitled book to follow in summer 2017. Stephen Barr at Writers House negotiated the deal for world rights.
Anne Schwartz at Random House's Schwartz & Wade Books has bought author-illustrator Emily Arnold McCully's Clara, based on a true story about a rhinoceros who toured Europe in the mid-18th century and became a sensation. It's scheduled for fall 2016; Susan Cohen at Writers House sold world rights.
Lisa Cheng at Running Press Kids has acquired Dear Santasaurusauthor Stacy McAnulty's Beautiful, in a two-book pre-empt. The picture book text, pitched as inspired by her own daughters and the #LikeAGirl movement, re-imagines societal ideals of what it means for a girl to be beautiful. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Lori Kilkelly at Rodeen Literary Management did the deal for world rights.
