Donna Bray at HarperCollins imprint Balzer + Bray has acquired The Year I Learned Everything, the teen debut from bestselling author, essayist, and social commentator Roxane Gay. The novel tells the story of Serena, a 17-year-old haunted by a secret and dogged by a bad reputation who, over the course of four seasons, learns about courage, redemption, and true love. Publication is scheduled for spring 2017; Maria Massie of Lippincott Massie McQuilkin negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Katie Bignell of HarperCollins's Katherine Tegen imprint has signed Miss Daisy's Job by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb. Pitched as The One and Only Ivan meets Racing in the Rain, this middle-grade novel is told from the point of view of a rescued pit-bull mix training to be a service dog for an injured veteran. Publication is planned for summer 2017; Josh Adams at Adams Literary brokered the deal for North American rights.
Adrienne Szpyrka at Sky Pony has bought Tricia Clasen's middle-grade debut The Haunted House Project, about a girl who pretends to be her mother's ghost – spraying perfume, changing TV channels, and moving pictures – in order to bring her crumbling family back to reality. Publication is set for fall 2016; Jen Linnan at Linnan Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Joy Peskin at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has acquired Michael Barakiva's Hold My Hand, a standalone companion to One Man Guy, about two teenage boys who have the perfect romantic relationship – until one cheats on the other. Publication is slated for spring 2017; Josh Adams at Adams Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Karen Nagel at S&S/Aladdin has bought two debut picture books by animator Chad J. Thompson, Rhymes with Doug and Rhymes with Claire, two adventures featuring a talking bird that wreaks havoc with its penchant for rhyming. The first book is scheduled for fall 2016, and the second for summer 2017; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Traci Todd at Abrams has acquired world rights to Anika Denise's (l.) picture book Starring Carmen, in which Carmen, a thespian extraordinaire, struggles to share the spotlight with her little brother. Lorena Alvarez is on board to illustrate. Publication is slated for spring 2017 for the first volume, with the second to follow in spring 2018. Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management brokered the two-book deal on behalf of the author and James Burns at the Bright Agency on behalf of the illustrator.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin's Nancy Paulsen Books has bought world rights to a picture book written by Marc Tyler Nobleman called The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra, in which a nervous herd of goats try to convince the legendary chupacabra, a monster that allegedly eats goats, that there are other culinary surprises he may enjoy. Ana Aranda is set to illustrate; publication is planned for summer 2017. Emily van Beek of Folio Literary Management represented the author and Adriana Domínguez of Full Circle Literary represented the illustrator.
Christy Ottaviano at Henry Holt's Christy Ottaviano Books has acquired author Silvia Lopez and artist Guido Daniele's Handimals: Animals in Art and Nature, a picture book featuring painted and posed animal hand art set alongside facts and photos of the corresponding animals in nature. It's scheduled to publish in 2017; Karen Grencik at Redfox Literary represented Lopez and Tim Mitchell at Tim Mitchell Artist Representative represented Daniele in the deal for world rights.
Christian Trimmer at Simon & Schuster has bought Ocean Meets Sky, the second picture book by brothers Eric Fan (l.) and Terry Fan. Their first title, The Night Gardener, releases in spring 2016. The new book centers on the magical spot between sky and sea. Publication is slated for summer 2017; Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions brokered the deal for world rights.
Maria Modugno and Martha Rago at Random House have acquired Patrick Jennings'sNaughty Claudine, about a girl who does not doubt the existence of Santa, but is not comfortable with his spying and judging and breaking and entering, so she decides to act naughty to stop him from coming down the chimney. Suzanne Kaufman is slated to illustrate. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has bought world rights to Rebecca Colby's picture book,Motor Goose, illustrated by Jef Kaminsky, a collection of Mother Goose-inspired poems featuring vehicles. Publication is set for 2017; Kathleen Rushall at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency represented the author and Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties represented the illustrator.
