Nancy Mercado of Scholastic has acquired Paul Acampora's How to Survive Extinction, a middle-grade novel about 13-year-old Leo, his cousin, his sometimes forgetful grandmother, and a dog named Kermit, who hit the road together in search of dinosaurs. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016; Susan Hawk at the Bent Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Melanie Cecka Nolan at Knopf has bought Dollup and Mrs. Fabulousand an untitled second picture book by author-illustrator Jennifer Sattler. The stories follow two bunny sisters who have very different ideas of what being fabulous means. Publication will start in spring 2017; Anna Olswanger of Olswanger Literary acquired the two-book deal for world rights.
Hilary Van Dusen at Candlewick has acquired The Boy Who Loved Infinity, a debut nonfiction picture book by Amy Andrews, about a shy South Indian boy who sets out on a quest to discover the secrets of numbers despite poverty and lack of education, and eventually becomes one of the world's greatest mathematical geniuses. Publication has not yet been set; Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for world English rights.
Alyson Day at HarperCollins has bought Andrew Root's debut picture book, Hamsters Don't Fight Fires, illustrated by Jessica Olien. Hamsterstells the story of Hugo, who has always dreamed of becoming a firefighter. Though the larger animals may drive the firetruck and use the hose, Hugo learns that there are many ways that he can contribute. Publication is planned for 2017; Brianne Johnson at Writers House represented both the author and the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Kristin Ostby at Simon & Schuster has acquired world rights to I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy, illustrated byElizabeth Baddeley. The nonfiction picture book tells the story of the Supreme Court Justice through the lens of her many bold disagreements, from childhood to present day. Publication is scheduled for fall 2016; Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author and the illustrator represented herself in the deal.
Elise Howard of Algonquin Young Readers has bought actor Andrew McCarthy's debut YA novel, Just Fly Away. In the story, 15-year-old Lucy discovers that her father has a son from an affair, an eight-year-old named Thomas who lives in the same suburban New Jersey town, causing Lucy to question everything she thinks she knows about her family and her own life. Publication is scheduled for spring 2017; David Patterson of Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Allison Moore at Little, Brown has acquired Sherri Winston's The Sweetest Sound, about a shy but talented 10-year-old girl who needs to build up the courage to enter her church's singing competition – while grappling with the fact that music was one of the few things she and her estranged mother had in common – only to have the stakes raised when her anonymous recording leaks. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Erica Rand Silverman at Sterling Lord Literistic brokered the deal for world rights.
Rebecca Davis at Boyds Mills has preempted Fred Koehler's debut middle-grade novelGarbage Island and its sequel. In this animal fantasy, young inventor Archibald Shrew lives on a massive garbage patch adrift at sea, but dreams of leaving the island to discover things, especially news of his long-lost family. Publication of the first book is planned for fall 2017, with the second to follow in fall 2018; Tracey Adams negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Howard Reeves at Abrams/Amulet has bought Rebecca Petruck's Will Nolan Eats Bugs, in which a class clown tries not to worry about how his parents fight all the time by being funnier than ever. But a “hilarious” presentation with insects as snacks leads to heckles, retaliation, and possible expulsion. Publication is set for fall 2016; Kate Schafer Testerman at kt literary did the deal for world English rights.
Emily Easton at Crown has acquired Margery Cuyler's Bonaparte, a picture book about a skeleton named Bonaparte who needs a little help from his friends to pull himself together, literally, before the first day of school. Publication is scheduled for summer 2017; Tracey Adams at Adams Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Michelle Frey at Knopf has acquired Birgitta Sif's What My Ears Hear, a picture book about a mouse whose big ears take in the world around her. Publication is planned for summer 2017; Stephen Barr at Writers House negotiated the deal for world rights, excluding U.K./Commonwealth.
Fiona Simpson at Aladdin has signed author Phil Bildner (l.) and debut illustrator Tom Booth for Derek Jeter Presents: Night at the Stadium. Jeter Publishing will release the picture book in spring 2016; Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented Bildner, and Rick Richter of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth Literary represented Booth in the deal for world rights.
Emma Ledbetter at Atheneum has bought The Honeybee, a picture book by Kirsten Hall (l.), illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. The story celebrates the critically important but endangered honeybee; publication is slated for summer 2017. Hall and Arsenault represented themselves in the deal for world rights.
Katie Cunningham at Candlewick has bought world rights for Julia Denos's (l.) Windows, an evocation of the time of day when families draw together in their neighborhoods before nightfall. E.B. Goodale will illustrate, in her debut. A publication date is not yet set; Brenda Bowen at Greenburger Associates represented the author and Lori Kilkelly at Rodeen Literary Management represented the illustrator.
