Andrew Harwell at HarperCollins has acquired world English rights to 4 Wizards, a YA graphic novel series by Nimona author Noelle Stevenson and television writer Todd Casey, illustrated by Stevenson. The series follows four oddball wizards who discover that the only place they truly fit in is with each other, and together they must stop a sinister force from invading their world. Publication is set for 2017; Charlie Olsen of Inkwell Management, representing Stevenson, negotiated the two-book deal on behalf of Jason Dravis of the Dravis Agency for Casey.
Emily Easton at Crown has bought Bethany Wiggins's Transference, a fantasy YA trilogy about the transformation of a sheltered princess who chooses death by dragon instead of a forced marriage to a rival horse lord, and ends up vanquishing the fire-breather, absorbing his power and incurring the wrath of his fellow dragons. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Marlene Stringer at the Stringer Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Pam Gruber at Little, Brown has acquired Jennifer Rush's Rising Three, a contemporary fantasy series about a teenage witch searching for her kidnapped best friend in a dark, dangerous world of black magic, warring families, and deadly motorcycle gangs. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016; Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
David Linker at HarperCollins has bought the first three books in debut novelist Mark Parisi's illustrated middle-grade series Marty Pants. Parisi is the creator of the long-running Off the Mark comic. The first book is slated for winter 2017; Lynn Reznick at Atlantic Features Syndicate did the deal for world rights.
Kieran Viola at Disney-Hyperion has acquired at auction Stephanie Kate Strohm's Prince in Disguise, a romantic comedy in which a Mississippi teen finds herself in front of the cameras as her beauty-queen big sister prepares for a reality-TV wedding to a Scottish aristocrat. Publication is set for fall 2017; Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Ann Kelley at Random House/Schwartz & Wade has bought Ross Welford's debut, Time Traveling with a Hamster, a middle-grade novel about a 12-year-old boy who travels back to 1984 to prevent a go-kart accident and save his father's life, all without losing his pet hamster. Publication is planned for fall 2016; Carla Alonzi at HarperCollins UK negotiated the two-book deal for U.S. rights.
Jocelyn Davies at HarperCollins has acquired One Hundred Spaghetti Strings by Jen Nails. In the middle-grade novel, Steffy's mother has a severe brain trauma, and isn't able to care for Steffy and her moody older sister. When their long estranged father returns to live with them, Steffy hopes that the special recipes she loves to cook will bring her fractured family back together again. Publications is scheduled for winter 2017; Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown brokered the deal for world English rights.
Shannon Delany of Leap Books has bought Denise Jaden's YA novel, Avalanche. When Ellis and Dylan's resort world and all of their hopes crash around them, they must depend on each other to survive. Publication is slated for spring 2016; Michelle Humphrey of the Martha Kaplan Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kate O'Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has acquired at auction Ginny Goblin Is Not Allowed to Open This Box and a follow-up picture book text by debut author David Goodner, to be illustrated by Scott Campbell. The first book tells the story of a box that Ginny is not allowed to open, but she will try. Publication of the first title is scheduled for spring 2018; Stephen Barr at Writers House represented Goodner and Steve Malk at Writers House represented Campbell in the deal for world rights.
Emily Easton at Crown has bought Michael Paraskevas's Mr. Moon, a picture book look at the moon's work shift, as he shines his light for all the creatures of the night to do their work. Publication is planned for fall 2016; Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Jenna Pocius at Little Bee has bought world rights to Ann Marie Stephens's debut picture book, Scuba Dog, illustrated by Jess Golden, about a water-loving pup who makes an unlikely friend. Publication is set for summer 2016; Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt Agency represented the author, and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator.
Emellia Zamani at Scholastic has acquired world rights for The Adventure of the Penguinaut by Marcie Colleen, illustrated by Emma Yarlett, about a penguin who lives at the zoo and dreams of building a spaceship to fly to the moon. Publication is scheduled for 2018; Susan Hawk at the Bent Agency represented the author, and Louise Lamont at LBA Books represented the illustrator.
Shauna Rossano at G.P. Putnam's Sons has acquired Bubbles, a picture book from author-illustrator Kit Chase, in which a young kangaroo and koala challenge each other to a bubble-blowing contest that quickly gets out of control. Publication is slated for 2017; Teresa Kietlinski at Prospect Agency did the deal for world rights.
Lee Wade at Random House/Schwartz & Wade has bought Andrea Pippins's I Love My Hair, a coloring book for young adults and new adults, which features delicate pen-and-ink illustrations, mesmerizing patterns, and intricate details, and celebrates strong, confident women with a passion for style, design, and fashion. Publication is planned for November 2015. The author represented herself in the deal for world rights.
Jessica Almon at Razorbill has bought Aditi Khorana's YA debut Mirror in the Sky and a second untitled YA novel at auction. Mirror follows 16-year-old Tara Krishnan in the wake of a discovery of an alternate earth that transforms her life, particularly her junior year at her Greenwich, Conn., private school. Publication for the first book is set for summer 2016; Jenny Bent at the Bent Agency negotiated the two-book deal for North American rights.
Jordan Hamessley at Adaptive Books has acquired the Darkness of Stars trilogy by Andrew Lane, a reimagining of the characters from the original Robinson Crusoe as they are thrust into a world of espionage, intrigue, and peril at the dawn of the spy age. The first book in the series,Crusoe, is slated for spring 2016 publication. Robert Kirby at United Agents brokered the deal for world rights.
Diane Landolf at Random House has bought Jacob Sager Weinstein's debut middle grade novel City of Secret Rivers, about an American girl transplanted to London who discovers a dark secret lurking beneath its streets, with terrifying repercussions. The book sold at auction in a three-book deal; the first volume will publish in summer 2017. Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Janine O'Malley at FSG has acquired four books in the new Peep & Egg picture book series by Laura Gehl (l.), illustrated by Joyce Wan. The series features siblings Peep and Egg in I'm Not Hatching; I'm Not Trick-or-Treating; I'm Not Taking a Bath; and I'm Not Eating That. The first book is scheduled for spring 2016; Erzsi Deak of Hen&ink Literary Studio represented the author and Teresa Kietlinski of the Prospect Agency represented the illustrator.
Megan Tingley at Little, Brown has bought world rights to a picture book by Patrick McDonnell called Shine!, to be illustrated by Naoko Stoop. The book – the first published by McDonnell that he hasn't illustrated himself – is about a starfish that wishes he could be a star in the sky, until he learns to see the beauty of the ocean around him and finds the shine within himself. Publication is slated for fall 2017; Henry Dunow at Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency represented McDonnell and Brenda Bowen at Sanford J. Greenberger Associates represented Stoop.
Erin Clarke at Knopf has acquired in a pre-empt a picture book by Lisl H. Detlefsen called If You Had a Jet Pack. The book details the many uses of a jet pack, which include giving your principal a ride home from school, flying south to visit Grandma, and helping out the astronauts on the space station. Publication is set for 2017; Jennifer Mattson at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Emily Easton at Crown has bought in a preempt two picture books by Michael Portis, Pinky Got Out and Pinky Got Out Again!. Pinky, a flamingo at the zoo who is a real escape artist, slips out to join a group of kids on their zoo tour in the first book, then escapes again in book two to attend a birthday party. Publication of book one is planned for spring 2017; Deborah Warren at East-West Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Sonali Fry of Little Bee has acquired The Black and White Factory by Eric Telchin (l.), to be illustrated by Diego Funck. The interactive picture book takes readers on a tour of the Black and White Factory, where they help Panda, Penguin, and Zebra push buttons, pull levers, and mix colors in an (unsuccessful) attempt to keep the factory clean, orderly, and surprise-free. Publication is scheduled for spring 2017. Jaida Temperly and Joanna Volpe of New Leaf Literary & Media represented Telchin and James Burns of The Bright Agency USA represented Funck in the deal for world rights.
Emily Easton at Crown has bought Michael Paraskevas's Mr. Moon, a picture book look at the moon's work shift, as he shines his light for all the creatures of the night to do their work. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
