David Levithan at Scholastic has bought an as-yet untitled middle-grade novel, a collaboration with Sarah Weeks (l.) and first-time author Gita Varadarajan. The story of an unlikely friendship will alternate chapters between two fifth-grade boys – Suraj, newly arrived from Bangalore, India; and Joe, the shy kid who sits behind him in class. It's scheduled for publication in summer 2016; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties brokered the deal for North American rights.
Sara Sargent at Simon Pulse has acquired North American rights to Galgorithm by Lexapros and Cons author Aaron Karo. The book follows the exploits of high school senior Shane Chambliss, who devises a mysterious formula to help guys win over the girls of their dreams, but his attempts to master the art of romance go awry. Publication is scheduled for summer 2015; Peter McGuigan at Foundry Literary + Media was the agent.
Brian Farrey-Latz at Flux has bought The Memory Jar by Elissa Janine Hoole, in which a girl faces secrets, guilt and terrible choices about her pregnancy after a snowmobile accident leaves her boyfriend with a brain injury. Publication is scheduled for winter 2016. Sarah Davies of the Greenhouse Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Pamela Garfinkel at Little, Brown has acquired world English rights to Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham, in which 16-year-old Rowan unearths evidence of a decades-old crime and sets out to solve it. The story weaves together two narrators' perspectives — one a modern-day teen girl, one a 1920s-era teen boy – and centers around the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. Publication is scheduled for winter 2017. Rachel Orr of Prospect Agency brokered the deal.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum bought Stone Mirrors: A Life in Verse of Sculptor Edmonia Lewisby Jeannine Atkins, which follows Edmonia Lewis's brave course to become the first person of color to earn fame in the U.S. and Europe as a sculptor. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016; Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger negotiated the deal for world rights.
Emma Ledbetter at S&S/Atheneum has acquired North American English rights to Stop That Yawn!, a picture book by Caron Levis (l.), to be illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Gabby Wild is a tireless girl whose trip to the City That Never Sleeps is thrown into chaos by her granny's runaway yawn. Publication is scheduled for spring 2018. Emily Mitchell of Wernick & Pratt represented the author, and Linda Pratt of Wernick & Pratt represented the illustrator.
Reka Simonson at Atheneum has bought Halloween Goodnight, a picture book in which some slimy and scary tricksters count down to Halloween, a debut from Rebecca Grabill (l.), to be illustrated by Ella Okstad. Victoria Wells Arms at Wells Arms Literary represented the author and Lorraine Owen at the Organisation Illustration Agency represented the illustrator in the deal for world English rights.
Kristin Ostby at Simon & Schuster has signed Olga Stern to illustrate Edward Gets Messy, a picture book by Rita Meade about a pig whose need for neatness causes him more trouble than good. Publication is slated for summer 2016; the illustrator represented herself.
Emily Seife at Scholastic has bought Daphne Benedis-Grab's Clementine for Christmas, in which three very different middle school students strike up an unlikely friendship when they volunteer to organize a pediatric hospital's annual Christmas festival. Publication is scheduled for fall 2015; Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger, negotiated the deal for world rights.
Zareen Jaffery from Simon & Schuster has acquired Sonya Mukherjee's debut novel, The View from Gemini, a coming-of-age novel about how teen conjoined twins navigate their lives, make decisions about college, and find love. Publication is slated for summer 2016. Steven Chudney from the Chudney Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Andrea Welch at S&S's Beach Lane Books has bought world rights to Feathers and Hair: What Animals Wear by Jennifer Ward (l.), illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong. It's a nonfiction picture book that explores wild outerwear and the animals that sport it; publication is planned for spring 2017. Stefanie Von Borstel at Full Circle Literary represented Ward, and Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content represented Tsong.
