Andrew Karre at Carolrhoda Lab has acquired Ali Lewis's 2011 debut YA novel, Timber Creek Station (titled Everybody Jam in the U.K.) from Andersen Press. In his review for the Guardian, Mal Peet called the novel, which is set at a remote cattle station in Australia, “an engrossing, edgy, fast-paced book and an extremely promising debut.” Publication is slated for fall 2015; Sarah Pakenham at Andersen Press did the deal for North American rights.
Andrew Karre also bought a second YA novel by 2014 debut author Sashi Kaufman (The Other Way Around). Kaufman's second book, currently called Wireman, focuses on the complicated and longstanding friendship between two teenage boys, one of whom is hearing-impaired. Publication is scheduled for 2016; Lauren MacLeod from the Strothman Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Laura Schreiber has acquired Zero Day, a YA debut by Jan Gangsei. In the story, the daughter of a rising politician goes missing; eight years later, with her father now President of the United States, the teenager reappears. What happened to her over the past eight years, and where do her loyalties lie? Publication is scheduled for spring 2015; Sarah Davies at the Greenhouse Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Jordan Hamessley at Egmont USA has bought a debut YA novel by Ellen Goodlett titled The Quiet Ones, a reimagining of a Hawaiian myth. It features a narcoleptic teenager trying to reconstruct the events that occurred during one of her blackouts in order to solve her ex-girlfriend's murder. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016; Bridget Smith of Dunham Literary sold North American rights.
Mary Lee Donovan at Candlewick Press has acquired two picture books from two-time NAACP Image Award Nominee Kwame Alexander. The first, Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets, in which heroes and heroines of poetry from diverse eras and cultures are celebrated through original poems, will publish in spring 2016. The second, Good Morning, Sunshine – pitched in the vein of Honey, I Love and Spin a Soft Black Song – is a collection of poems focusing on a girl's loving relationship with her father, will publish in spring 2017. Deborah Warren of East/West Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Michelle Frey at Knopf has bought in an exclusive submission a new picture book from Icelandic author-illustrator Birgitta Sif, whose debut, Oliver, was shortlisted for this year's Kate Greenaway Medal. The book, Where Our Feet Go, catalogues the adventures of a single day, step by adventurous step, and is scheduled for spring 2016. Stephen Barr at Writers House negotiated the deal for world rights, excluding U.K./Commonwealth, which his colleague, Angharad Kowal, sold to Charlie Sheppard at Andersen Press.
Jenna Pocius at Little Bee Books has acquired a picture book and two board books from Douglas Florian. The still-untitled picture book, about a day in the life of a young rabbit, is set to publish in spring 2016. The two board books, Once I Was a Pollywog and Leap, Frog, Leap!, will follow in summer 2016. Rubin Pfeffer of Rubin Pfeffer Content did the deal for world rights.
Liz Bicknell at Candlewick has bought Toby, a picture book by Hazel Mitchell, Bank Street Book Award winner for 1, 2, 3... by the Sea. In the story, a boy and his family take in an abandoned pup who is looking for his forever home. It's slated for publication in fall 2016; Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown did the deal for world English rights.
Louise May at Lee & Low has bought world English and Spanish rights to Mamá the Alien, a picture book by René Colato Laínez (l.), to be illustrated by Laura Lacámara. The bilingual story features a girl who sees her mother's old Resident Alien card and lets her imagination run wild, convincing herself that her mother is an alien from outer space. Publication is scheduled for spring 2016; Stefanie Von Borstel of Full Circle Literary represented the author and Michelle Humphrey of the Martha Kaplan Agency represented the illustrator.
Kate O'Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has acquired world rights to Cat Wishes by Calista Brill (l.), illustrated by Kenard Pak. It tells the story of a cat who professes not to believe in wishes when he is granted three of them, but makes them nonetheless. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Abby Ranger at HarperCollins has signed Cinda Williams Chima, author of the bestselling fantasy series Seven Realms, to a four-book deal for a currently untitled new series. Set 20 years later in the Seven Realms, it introduces a new generation of teen characters who grapple with old enemies, new betrayals, and magical threats. Book 1 is slated for fall 2015; Christopher Schelling of Selectric Artists brokered the deal for world English rights.
Jennifer Klonsky and Emilia Rhodes at HarperTeen have bought a YA fantasy trilogy by Amy Tintera (Reboot and Rebel) in a three-book, six-figure deal. The series follows two teens, on opposing sides of a war, as they rise to become leaders in their respective kingdoms while falling in love with each other. The first installment, Ruined, is set for summer 2016; Emmanuelle Morgen at Stonesong sold North American rights.
Hilary Van Dusen at Candlewick has acquired Sons and Fathers, a collection of seven short stories for middle-graders written by Avi, a companion to Avi's What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything? The new book explores different aspects of the father/son relationship dynamic, including active grandfathers and absentee fathers. It's slated for publication in fall 2016; Gail Hochman of Brandt and Hochman did the deal for North American rights.
Martha Mihalick at Greenwillow has bought two novels from Poisoned Apples author Christine Heppermann. In the first, a verse novel titled Spirit Week, a high school junior at an all-girls Catholic school renews a friendship that may just help her figure out who she wants to be, when – after an unwanted pregnancy – she realizes she can no longer pretend to be who she once was. It's scheduled for 2016; Tina Wexler at ICM sold North American rights.
Alison Weiss at Egmont has acquired Oblivion author Sasha Dawn's next YA thriller,Tightrope, about a girl who suspects that she was the true target of a kidnapping-gone-awry, and must learn the truth behind her mother's near-fatal car accident before the kidnapper strikes again. Publication is set for spring 2016; Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger negotiated the deal for world rights.
Rotem Moscovich at Disney-Hyperion has acquired world rights to We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song author Debbie Levy's new picture book, Soldier Song, to be illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Soldier Song tells a true Civil War story about Union and Confederate troops who were camped on opposite sides of the river after the Battle of Fredericksburg, each side making music, sometimes in a battle of the bands, until one song, “Home Sweet Home,” joined them together. It's scheduled for fall 2016; Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author and Steve Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Margaret Anastas at HarperCollins has bought author-illustrator team Pete Oswald (l.) and Justin K. Thompson's debut picture book, Mingo the Flamingo. The story, set to publish in spring 2016, centers on a lost flamingo who is trying to find his way home. Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions negotiated the deal for world rights.
