Michael Strother at Simon Pulse has acquired Boy Robot from recording artist Simon Curtis. Boy Robot is the first in a planned science fiction trilogy that follows a group of synthetic cell human teens with special abilities as they fight against the government organization that created them and now wants to destroy them. Publication is scheduled for November 15, 2016; Laurie McLean at Fuse Literary did the deal for world rights.
Jordan Brown at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought Gem & Dixie and a second untitled YA novel by National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr. Gem & Dixie is about two sisters who leave home for a road trip when their deadbeat father tries to reinsert himself into their lives. Publication is set for winter 2017; Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management brokered the deal for world rights.
Erin Stein at Macmillan/Imprint has acquired two middle-grade novels in a new series called Fakespeare, written by M.E. Castle, author of the Clone Chronicles. In the series, a cast of children gets lost in Shakespeare's classic plays where they must deal with villains, ghosts, mysterious odors, and split tights, among other dangers. The first two installments, which will be illustrated by Daniel Jennewein, will tackle Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Publication for both books is slated for summer 2017; Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management negotiated the deal for North American rights on behalf of Paper Lantern Lit.
Lisa Sandell at Scholastic Press has bought Sharon Cameron's The Forgetting about a place where, every 12 years, every person forgets everything – life, loves, and self – unless it is written; books are worn tied to the body at all times. But Nadia knows who hasn't written the truth because Nadia is the only person who has never forgotten. Publication is planned for fall 2016; Kelly Sonnack at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the two-book deal for world rights. Film/TV rights are with producer Lane Shefter Bishop of Vast Entertainment.
Ken Wright and Alex Ulyett at Viking have preempted Felix Yz, a middle grade novel by Lisa Bunker, which takes the form of blog entries written by a boy accidentally fused with a fourth-dimensional being, set during the last month before an experimental procedure which will either separate them or kill them both. Publication is scheduled for summer 2017; Brianne Johnson of Writers House brokered the deal for North American rights.
Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has acquired debut author Lindsey Becker's The Star Thief, a middle grade fantasy adventure in which an orphaned girl is caught in the crossfire of a feud between a master of mythical constellations and the captain of a spectacular flying steamship – and doesn't know whose side to join. Publication is slated for spring 2017; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Mary Cash at Holiday House has bought at auction Buried Lives: Slaves of George Washington's Mount Vernon by Carla Killough McClafferty. Buried Lives will bring to light the forgotten lives of the slaves owned by Washington for a middle-grade audience. Publication is tentatively set for fall 2017; Susan Cohen at Writers House did the deal for North American rights.
Christy Ottaviano at Henry Holt's Christy Ottaviano Books has acquired world rights to Elise Broach's picture book My Pet Wants a Pet, to be illustrated by Eric Barclay. It features a boy who wants something to take care of and eventually gets a dog, only to discover that the dog wants something to take care of as well – a pet of his very own. Publication is planned for 2017; Edward Necarsulmer IV at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner represented the author and Lori Nowicki at Painted Words represented the illustrator.;
Zaneta Jung of Sterling has bought Rebecca Van Slyke's Where Do Pants Go?, a picture book detailing the silly ways that kids try to derail the process of getting dressed. Chris Robertson will illustrate; publication is set for fall 2016, Ammi-Joan Paquette from Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author and Alli Brydon of Bright USA represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Laura Godwin at Henry Holt has acquired world rights to Pup 681, a picture book written by Jean Reidy and illustrated by Ashley Crowley. The story of an orphaned sea otter that is lovingly rescued and cared for was inspired by real-life events. It's scheduled for publication in winter 2018; Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author and Kirsten Hall of Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Ken Geist at Scholastic's Orchard Books has acquired the first book of poems for children by novelist and poet Calvin Trillin, to be illustrated by artist and cartoonist Roz Chast. No Fair! No Fair! And Other Jolly Poems of Childhood is inspired by some of Trillin's real-life experiences, with an eye toward the humor of familiar, everyday topics. Publication is set for October 2016; Eric Simonoff of WME Entertainment represented Trillin, and Jin Auh of the Wylie Agency represented Chast in the deal for North American rights.
Liz Szabla of Feiwel and Friends has preempted two books by Tonya Hurley, author of the ghostgirl series. Feathervein, a YA contemporary fantasy, follows Wren, a lonely girl with a gift for communicating with birds. She leaves behind a fractured family to investigate her mother's mysterious disappearance on a birding expedition in the Louisiana bayous, and enters a world steeped in folk magic. Publication is slated for fall 2017; Jill Grinberg at Jill Grinberg Literary negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Julia Cheiffetz at Dey Street and Alyson Day at HarperCollins Children's Books have bought Forward, a memoir and young reader's edition by Abby Wambach, the 2015 Women's World Cup champion and highest international goal scorer of all time, male or female. The books are scheduled for fall 2016; Dan Levy at Wasserman Media Group brokered the deal for world rights.
Jennifer Ung at Simon Pulse has acquired Dimple & Rishi by Sandhya Menon, a contemporary YA romantic comedy, told in alternating perspectives, about two Indian-American teens whose parents have arranged for them to be married. Publication is set for summer 2017; Thao Le at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Erin Black at Scholastic Press has bought YA author Kiersten White's first middle grade novel, Little Dead Riding Hood and Other Scarytales, a collection of stories. A publication date has not been set; Michelle Wolfson at Wolfson Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Erin Stein at Macmillan/Imprint has acquired Sleepover Surprise, a middle grade novel by Suzanne Selfors. When Leilani's grandmother accidentally sends out sleepover invitations to the kids on the do-not-invite list, Leilani winds up hosting a group of oddballs she doesn't know – and never wanted to. But Leilani learns that none of them are quite what they seem at first glance, as the group works together to gather ingredients for a secret recipe that legend says will grant them a wish. Publication is scheduled for spring 2017; Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Mary Cash at Holiday House has bought 27 Magic Words, a middle grade novel by Sharelle Byars Moranville. When Kobi is very young, her mother writes 27 magic words on post-its and gives them to Kobi before she and Kobi's amateur magician dad are lost at sea in a sailing accident. Eventually, Kobi cracks the magic of most of the words and uses them to try to keep her new family together, negotiate a decent couch, and survive fifth grade. Publication is slated for fall 2016; Susan Cohen at Writers House brokered the deal for North American rights.
Neal Porter of Roaring Brook's Neal Porter Books has acquired world rights to Stephanie Ledyard's debut, Pie Is for Sharing, a picture book about the many experiences in life that are good for sharing, to be illustrated by Jason Chin. Publication is set for winter 2018; Alexandra Penfold of Upstart Crow Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
