In the first acquisition for the new Jimmy Patterson imprint, Reagan Arthur and Jenny Bak have preempted, in a two-book deal, Sci-Fi Junior High by John Martin (l.) and Scott Seegert, creators of the Vordak the Incomprehensible series. In the illustrated novel, Kelvin Klosmo, a 12-year-old boy whose parents' jobs take the family to an intergalactic space station on the far side of the galaxy, must learn to deal with alien teachers and classmates of all types – and an evil plushy bunny who wants to rule the universe. The book is scheduled for February 2017; Daniel Lazar at Writers House brokered the deal for North American rights.
Dan Ehrenhaft at Soho Teen has acquired The Dragon in the Leaves, Emily Arsenault's debut YA novel about a teenage girl who reads tea leaves for fun until a classmate asks her to do a reading about his missing friend, drawing her into a world of dark secrets and possibly murder. Publication is slated for June 2017; agent Laura Langlie negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Margaret Ferguson at Farrar, Straus, & Giroux has bought world rights to Maurene Goo's Fever Dreams, a YA novel about a girl who decides to take control of her lackluster love life by following the “love rules” found in Korean dramas – staging her own perfect romance. Publication is planned for 2017; Judith Hansen of Hansen Literary Management did the two-book deal.
Liz Tingue at Razorbill acquired Teddycats by Mike Storey, a middle-grade debut that was inspired by the 2013 discovery of an elusive mammal species that lives high up in the cloud forests of South America. This jungle adventure novel follows Bill Betancourt, a wily young Teddycat who becomes an unlikely hero after accidentally exposing his previously hidden species to the most dangerous predator of all: humans. The first title is set to publish in July 2016; the author was unagented in the two-book deal for world rights.
Alison Weiss at Sky Pony Press has bought Katie Nelson's debut, The Duke of Bannerman Prep, a YA retelling of The Great Gatsby in which a teen is recruited to an elite prep school to bring their debate team a victory at Nationals, and is drawn into a glittering world of parties and after-curfew bonfires, only to discover that the thrill-seeking playboy who has taken him under his wing is more conman than caviar. Publication is tentatively scheduled for spring 2017; Kirsten Carleton at Waxman Leavell brokered the deal for world rights.
Hilary Van Dusen at Candlewick has acquired Amy Rose Capetta's new YA novel, Kiss/Kill, the story of Zara, a teen who wins her dream role in a Broadway show and the love of the young female lighting designer – only to find herself surrounded by mysterious deaths that are hastily blamed on the theater's curse even though everyone on stage has a motive or two. Publication is set for fall 2017; Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Annette Pollert-Morgan at Sourcebooks Fire has bought a new YA novel from K.M. Walton. InUltimatum, two teen brothers, whose father's health is deteriorating rapidly, must come face to face with their demons – and each other – and set aside their differences if they are going to survive an uncertain future. Publication is planned for fall 2016; Jim McCarthy at Dystel and Goderich brokered the deal for world rights.
Anna Roberto at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Chelsea Bobulski's YA debut, The Wood. Winter is the guardian of the woods behind her house, rescuing travelers from madness and death. When a mysterious boy shows up, knowing more than he should, it's up to the two of them to learn the truth about her father's disappearance and to stop a killer from striking again. Publication is slated for spring 2017; Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger did the deal for world English rights.
Michael Joosten and Maria Modugno at Random House have preempted Rob Sanders's (l.) A Flag for Harvey, the story of Harvey Milk and the creation of the gay pride flag. Steven Salerno will illustrate; publication is scheduled for spring 2018. Ruben Pfeffer of Ruben Pfeffer Content represented Sanders in the deal for world rights.
Liz Kossnar at Simon and Schuster has preempted Karma Khullar's Mustache, a contemporary middle-grade novel by debut author Kristi Wientge. It tells the story of a biracial Indian-American girl who must navigate big changes in her friendships and family life as she starts sixth grade, all while trying to rid herself of an unexpected problem: 17 hairs that have sprouted on her upper lip. Publication is planned for summer 2017; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Shana Corey at Random House has acquired Jo Hackl's debut Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, which combines a quirky southern ghost town, survival in the woods, and an art history mystery. Publication is set for fall 2017; Tracey Adams at Adams Literary did the deal for world rights.
Alison Weiss at Sky Pony Press has bought Patrick Moody's middle-grade debut, The Gravedigger's Son, in which an 11-year-old boy must reluctantly embrace his ability to speak to the dead after awakening the inhabitants of the graveyard his ancestors have spent centuries tending. Publication is planned for spring 2017; Brent Taylor at the TriadaUS Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Christian Trimmer at Simon & Schuster has acquired two picture books by author-illustrator Ben Clanton: Rot, the Cutest in the World and an untitled Rot sequel. The books introduce Rot, a mutant potato, who enters a beauty pageant where he competes against adorable bunnies, playful kitties, and cute jellyfish. The Rot sequel will continue his adventures and introduce the reader to key family members. The first book is planned for spring 2018, and the sequel will follow in spring 2019; Marietta B. Zacker at Nancy Gallt Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
Claudia Bedrick at Enchanted Lion has acquired Mark Riddle's Margarash, illustrated by Tim Miller, about an unusual friendship and the different parts of ourselves that make us who we are. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Erica Rand Silverman of Sterling Lord Literistic negotiated the world rights deal for the illustrator.
Namrata Tripathi at Dial has signed two untitled YA novels by John Corey Whaley, author of the Printz-winner Where Things Come Back, and 2014 National Book Award finalist Noggin. The projected publication dates are summer 2018 and summer 2020; Stephen Barr at Writers House negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kate Fletcher at Candlewick has acquired two books from Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass author Meg Medina, one an untitled YA novel and the second an untitled middle-grade book. The YA novel follows siblings, one of whom has intellectual disabilities, as they navigate their first year of high school, and will publish in 2017. The middle-grade novel is about an interfering, multigenerational family living under the same roof in Queens, and will publish in 2018. Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the two-book, six-figure deal for world rights.
Marissa Grossman and Ben Schrank at Razorbill have bought A World Without You and two untitled YA novels by Beth Revis. In the book, a teenage boy suffering from delusions is convinced that he can travel through time to save the girlfriend he suddenly and unexpectedly lost. The book is scheduled for summer 2016; Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House negotiated the three-book deal for world English rights.
Rebecca McNally at Bloomsbury U.K. has acquired world rights to a YA collaboration from Brian Conaghan and Sarah Crossan. We Come Apart tells the story of Nicu and Jess, whose paths cross when they meet while on probation. Nicu has emigrated from Romania and is struggling to find his place in his new home, while Jess's home life is overshadowed by violence; friendship and romance grows between them. Brett Wright will edit in the U.S.; the book will publish globally in winter 2017. Ben Illis of the Ben Illis Agency represented Conaghan and Julia Churchill of AM Heath represented Crossan.
Alyson Heller at S&S/Aladdin has signed two middle-grade novels by Barbara Dee. The first book, Star-Crossed, is about a girl with a crush on another girl, who is playing Juliet in a middle-school production of Romeo and Juliet. The second, Stuff I Know About You, hinges on a tween girl's suspicions during a field trip to Washington, D.C. that her roommate has an eating disorder. The first book is slated for fall 2016, with the second to follow in spring 2017. Jill Grinberg of Jill Grinberg Literary Management negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Alix Reid at Carolrhoda Lab has bought Mary McCoy's Camp So And So, a YA mystery with a supernatural twist pitched as Cabin in the Woods meets Wet Hot American Summer with the interlocking mystery structure of The Westing Game. At a summer camp for girls, each cabin is trapped into acting out a warped version of a different classic camp story; they must find out how their stories connect and who is pulling the strings. Publication is set for spring 2017; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Nicole Ellul at Simon Pulse has acquired world rights to K.K. Pérez's Garden of Blood and Dust, a YA fantasy inspired by the legend of Elizabeth Bathory, the world's first female serial killer, pitched as a cross between Maleficent and American Horror Story. Publication is planned for spring 2017; Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger brokered the deal.
Melanie Cecka and Katherine Harrison at Knopf have preempted Matt Haig's A Boy Called Christmas, a middle-grade Santa Claus origin story, in which a young St. Nick goes on a journey to find his father and discovers a hidden world of magic, mystery, and surly reindeer. Chris Mould will add interior art. Publication is scheduled in time for Christmas 2016. Jamie Byng at Canongate (U.K.) brokered the deal for U.S. rights, which also includes a second book, A Girl Called Christmas.
Julie Bliven at Charlesbridge has bought Birds of Prey by Terry Lynn Johnson. It's a middle-grade survival story about 12-year-old Karma's quest to rescue her dad after a car accident leaves him trapped in the desert. Karma has only the help of her trained falcon and a troubled runaway boy, who may or may not be a friend. Publication is slated for 2018; Caryn Wiseman of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Julie Bliven at Charlesbridge has also signed Sharlee Glenn's middle-grade novel, Feathers Like Rain. The book is a coming-of-age tale set on the Uintah-Ouray Indian Reservation. Publication is set for 2017; Ronnie Herman of the Herman Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Christy Ottaviano at Henry Holt's Christy Ottaviano Books has acquired world rights to two picture books by artist and naturalist James Prosek. The first, Land and Sea: An Exchange of Life, is a nonfiction picture book about the interconnectivity of two ecosystems. It's scheduled for 2018; David McCormick at McCormick Literary negotiated the deal.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has bought What's the Difference? a picture book about friendship and race, by Doyin Richards, founder of DaddyDoinWork.com and member of the Today show's parenting team. Publication is planned for 2017; Frances Black of Literary Counsel negotiated the deal for world rights.
Allison Wortche at Knopf has acquired Il Sung Na's Bird, Balloon, Bear, about a shy little bird who wants to be friends with a bear, but a red balloon gets in the way. Publication is slated for spring 2017. Lori Nowicki at Painted Words brokered the world rights deal for the title as well as two untitled picture books.
Leslie Shumate at Little, Brown has bought Pat Zietlow Miller (l.) and Eliza Wheeler's Brave, a celebration of the many steps that lead to courage, in things both great and small. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author and Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
