Connie Hsu at Roaring Brook has acquired at auction The Square Root of Summer by debut author Harriet Reuter Hapgood. The novel follows 17-year-old physics prodigy Gottie Oppenheimer as she navigates a summer of grief and rips in the space-time continuum, all while trying to reconcile heartbreak. Worldwide publication is scheduled for May 2016. Gemma Cooper of the Bent Agency negotiated the two-book deal for North American rights. Rights have also sold in the U.K., Brazil, Italy, Spain (at auction) and France.
Beverly Horowitz and Rebecca Weston at Delacorte have bought Cameron McAllister's middle-grade novel, The Tin Snail, based on a true story, in which a boy's father has an idea for an automobile that helps win WWII. Publication is slated for spring 2016. Maeve Banham at Random House U.K. oversaw the deal for North American and open market rights.
Georgia McBride of Month9Books has acquired Fighter Girl by Kathryn James, the story of a gypsy, who by day is the maid of honor planning her sister's extravagant wedding, and by night is a champion fighter who competes in dangerous matches against older boys. Publication is set for fall 2016. Reiko Davis at Miriam Altshuler Literary Agency brokered the deal for U.S. rights on behalf of Julia Churchill at A.M. Heath.
Mallory Loehr and Maria Modugno at Random House have bought A Babymouse Christmas by Jennifer L. Holm, illus. by Matthew Holm, in which Babymouse celebrates Christmas in a full-color picture book. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016. Jill Grinberg of Grinberg Literary Agency negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Beth Terrill at North-South Books has acquired Jackie Azúa Kramer's (l.) debut picture book,The Green Umbrella, about an elephant walking in the rain who meets a cast of characters each one of whom insists that his green umbrella belongs to them. Maral Sassouni will illustrate; North-South will publish both an English-language and simultaneous German edition in spring 2016. Stephen Fraser of the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency represented the author for world rights; the illustrator was unagented.
Anne Schwartz at Random House's Schwartz & Wade Books has bought world rights to Susan McElroy Montanari's Who's the Grossest of Them All?, to be illustrated by Jake Parker, in which an ogre and a troll argue about who is grosser, until a little girl outgrosses them both. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink represented the author and Judy Hansen at Hansen Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Celia Lee at Scholastic has acquired world rights to Kate Dopirak's (l.) Snuggle Bunny, illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld, a picture book about a young bunny who doesn't want to get out of bed and soon finds himself with a lot of company. Publication is scheduled for 2017; Tracey Adams at Adams Literary represented the author and Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the illustrator.
Melanie Cecka Nolan at Knopf has bought Anik McGrory's The Christmas Fox, a take on the Nativity story, in which a playful fox is hesitant to follow the other animals to visit a newborn in a barn. Publication is set for fall 2016. Victoria Wells Arms at Wells Arms Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Andrea Welch at S&S's Beach Lane Books has acquired Kimberly Gee's Mad, Mad Bear, a picture book about a little bear who learns to cope with his frustrations. Publication is slated for spring 2017. Kelly Sonnack at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Mary Kate Castellani at Bloomsbury has bought Karen Lechelt's What Do You Love About You?, a debut picture book, drawn in chalk, about a girl who asks animals what they love about themselves, which in turn helps her to discover what she loves about herself. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016. Jessica Regel at Foundry Literary + Media did the deal for world rights.
Julie Strauss-Gabel at Dutton has bought two untitled YA novels from Grasshopper Jungle author and Printz Honoree Andrew Smith. The books are scheduled for publication in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management brokered the deal for North American rights.
Rosemary Brosnan at HarperCollins has acquired two YA novels from Faking Normal author Courtney Stevens. The first, entitled Dressing the Part, examines what it means to be feminine while at the same time camouflaged among the people you love; the second is untitled. Publication is set for fall 2016; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Kaylan Adair at Candlewick has bought at auction Anne Nesbet's new middle-grade novel Cloud and Wallfish, about a Cold War-era boy whose ordinary life comes apart when he moves with his parents behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin, where secrets abound and danger mounts ever higher. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
Georgia McBride of Month9Books has bought Andrew Buckley's Hair in All the Wrong Places: The Perils of Growing Up Werewolf. In the story, a boy wonders if he can control of the wolf inside himself and find out what's really going on in his strange town. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group negotiated the deal for North American and audio rights.
Daniel Ehrenhaft at Soho Teen has acquired History Is All You Left Me, a YA novel by Adam Silvera. Told from the perspective of OCD-afflicted 17-year-old Griffin, it chronicles the aftermath of the tragic drowning of his ex-boyfriend and first love, Theo. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016; Brooks Sherman of The Bent Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Julia Richardson at HMH has acquired Coretta Scott King author honoree G. Neri's middle-grade novel, Tru and Nelle, a work of fiction inspired by the friendship between Truman Capote and Harper Lee, forged while growing up together in rural Alabama. Publication is set for spring 2016; Edward Necarsulmer at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Alessandra Balzer at HarperCollins imprint Balzer + Bray has bought Joseph Kuefler's second picture book, The Rules on Conquering in which Louis and Lena look to build their respective empires across the playground, neighborhood, and even an unfortunate birthday party, as well as a another untitled picture book. It's scheduled for fall 2016; Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties brokered the deal for North American rights.
Sarah Shumway at Bloomsbury has acquired at auction Renata Liwska and Mike Kerr'sCrafty Llama. The picture book will be the first collaboration for the husband-and-wife pair, about a llama who knits one-of-a-kind accessories for all her friends, slated to publish in fall 2017. The second book in the deal is slated for fall 2018. Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties negotiated the deal for world rights.
Rotem Moscovich at Disney-Hyperion has bought in a preempt Anica Mrose Rissi's picture book debut, The Teacher's Pet, about a teacher who is so enamored of the new class pet he can't see all the trouble it's causing. Zachariah OHora will illustrate, with publication set for summer 2017. Meredith Kaffel at DeFiore and Co. represented the author and Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency represented the artist.
Cecily Kaiser at Phaidon has acquired Can I Eat That?, a debut picture book by journalist and food critic Joshua David Stein, illustrated by artist and designer Julia Rothman. It's a Q&A about the things we eat, scheduled for spring 2016 publication. Nathaniel Jacks at InkWell Management represented the author and the illustrator represented herself in the deal for world rights.
