Kate Sullivan of Delacorte has acquired Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison's Freshers, a YA novel about love, sex, and friendships in the first two months of college; and Never Evers, a dual narrative middle grade novel about a ski-trip. Publication is slated for fall 2017 and fall 2018; Allison Hellegers at Rights People brokered the North American rights deal on behalf of Elinor Bagenal and Barry Cunningham of Chicken House.
Jessica Almon at Razorbill has bought You in Five Acts by Una LaMarche. The novel chronicles the lives of five friends at a performing arts school in the high-pressure months leading up to the performance that will determine their futures. Publication is set for fall 2016; Brettne Bloom at the Book Group negotiated the deal for world rights.
Anne Hoppe at Clarion has acquired Lianne Oelke's YA debut House of Orange. In the novel, 17-year-old Jane Sinner, recently expelled from high school, attends a diploma program at the local community college, solving her housing woes by joining a Big Brother-esque web series. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Brooks Sherman at the Bent Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Ari Yarwood at Oni Press has bought world rights to The Altered History of Willow Sparks by Tara O'Connor. When high school student Willow Sparks finds a mysterious book with the ability to literally change her life, she suddenly becomes popular, but is it worth leaving behind her old friends? Publication is slated for spring 2017; the author was unagented.
Alison Weiss at Sky Pony has bought Sarah Henson's YA debut, Devils Within, which tells the story of Nate, a boy who has been raised in a white supremacist compound, and flees after killing their leader – his father – in self-defense. Now living with his estranged uncle, he struggles to overcome the racist beliefs he was taught since birth, while hiding from the violent men who want him dead. Publication is planned for spring 2017; Mandy Hubbard at Emerald City Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kate Sullivan at Delacorte Press has acquired Hillary Monahan's feminist horror YA novel The Wagon Witch's Apprentice, about a traveller girl who must exact a horrifying revenge to save a truly good person and punish a crime against her. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Miriam Kriss of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency did the deal for North American rights.
Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow has acquired Claire Legrand's Foxheart, a stand-alone middle grade fantasy adventure about a 12-year-old orphan and thief named Quicksilver, who discovers she is a witch and, after joining forces with her cantankerous and magical older self, goes hurtling back in time with her dog, Fox. Publication is set for fall 2016; Diana Fox at Fox Literary brokered the deal for world English rights on an exclusive submission.
Hilary Van Dusen at Candlewick bought Avi's middle-grade historical novel The Button War. The book tells the story of children caught up in World War I. Publication is scheduled for spring 2018; Gail Hochman at Brandt & Hochman negotiated the deal for world rights in all languages.
Abby Ranger at HarperCollins has acquired debut author Audrey Mackaman's The Legend of Cavall. The middle grade fantasy-adventure is told from the point of view of Cavall, King Arthur's favorite hound, a naïve but loyal pup who saves the King from the evil schemes of Mordred and Morgana. Publication is slated for summer 2017 with the second book to follow in summer 2018; Lauren Galit at LKG Agency brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.
Carolyn Yoder at Calkins Creek has bought Claire Rudolf Murphy's King and the Kennedys, a middle-grade nonfiction work that examines the complex relationship between the Kennedy brothers and Martin Luther King. Publication is set for spring 2018; Abigail Samoun at Red Fox Literary negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Susan Van Metre at Abrams has acquired Down by the River, a debut picture book by avid fisherman, longtime bookseller, and book sales rep Andy Weiner, to be illustrated by April Chu. Publication is scheduled for April 2018; the author was unagented, and Liza Fleissig of the Liza Royce Agency represented the artist in the deal for world rights.
Eliza Berkowitz at Sterling Children's Books has bought Hoot and Honk, written and illustrated by Leslie Helakoski. In this tale of two eggs placed in the wrong nests after a storm, an owlet and a gosling struggle with out-of-sync sleep patterns. It is planned for spring 2017; Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for world rights.
Mary Lee Donovan at Candlewick has acquired debut author-illustrator Priscilla Tey's concept book about “in-between things,” ranging from things that separate two things, things that join two things, things that are a little bit of this and a little bit of that, things that are neither here nor there but are in between. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Steven Malk at Writers House negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Jill Davis at HarperCollins's Katherine Tegen imprint has bought Kristine Lombardi's picture book Mr. Biddles. The book follows lonely cat inventor Mr. Biddles, who joins forces with an unexpected visitor one day to discover the true meaning of friendship. Publication is slated for summer 2017; Kristine Lombardi represented herself in the deal for world rights.
Zareen Jaffery at Simon & Schuster has bought a contemporary teen novel, Autoboyography by Christina Lauren (a pseudonym for author duo Christina Hobbs (l.) and Lauren Billings). The book introduces Tanner Scott, a high school senior who lives in Utah with his progressive parents. Tanner signs up for a novel-writing class and ends up falling in love with Sebastian, an LDS college-freshman who has deferred his LDS mission because his own novel is being published. Publication is slated for 2017; Holly Root at Waxman Leavell brokered the deal for world rights.
Alix Reid of Carolrhoda Books has acquired world rights to screenwriter Steve Bloom's debut novel, The Stand In. Bloom's screenwriting credits include James and the Giant Peach and The Sure Thing. The novel is about a high school senior who agrees (because he needs to earn money for college) to be hired by desperate parents of the social elite to escort their dateless and unwilling daughters to prom, homecoming, and other “not to be missed” events. Movie rights have been sold to AwesomenessTV by John Tomko at Rain Management. Publication is set for fall 2016; Beth Davey at Davey Literary Media did the deal.
Jocelyn Davies at HarperCollins Children's Books has boughtEverything All at Once and a second young adult novel by Katrina Leno. In the book, Lottie's Aunt Helen is the author of a bestselling children's book series; when she dies, she leaves Lottie a series of letters with increasingly risky dares that not only push her to live life to the fullest, but that ultimately help her unravel a mystery about the possibly magical inspiration for her aunt's famous books. It's scheduled for summer 2017; Wendy Schmalz at the Wendy Schmalz Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Justin Chanda at Simon & Schuster has acquired Kenneth Oppel's Every Hidden Thing, an historical YA novel pitched as Romeo and Julietmeets Indiana Jones, about the forbidden love between the son and daughter of arch-rival fossil hunters who are racing against each other to uncover the first complete T. Rex skeleton. Publication is planned for fall 2016; Steven Malk at Writers House brokered the deal for North American rights excluding Canada.
Greg Hunter at Carolrhoda Lab has bought Coert Voorhees's new YA novel On the Free, about three teen survivors of a wilderness therapy program gone wrong, who – stranded without maps, food, or shelter – must overcome the dangers of the remote Colorado mountains, the threat of betrayal, and the demons that put them on the trip in the first place. Publication is slated for fall 2017; Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins Children's Books has signed Jennifer Alvarez to write a new arc in her middle grade fantasy series, Guardian Herd. The new story line in this equine fantasy series will focus on existing characters but will be set on a new continent. The first book is due out in summer 2017; Jacqueline Flynn at Joelle Delbourgo Associates did the two-book deal for world rights.
Amy Cloud at S&S/Aladdin has acquired Seven Sides to Every Story, a middle grade novel told from the perspective of seven different but intersecting characters, which takes place over the course of one night and is centered around a middle school dance. The novel is co-authored by seven Aladdin authors: Rachele Alpine, Ronni Arno, Alison Cherry, Stephanie Faris,Gail Nall, Jen Malone, and Dee Romito. Publication is scheduled for summer 2017; Holly Root at Waxman Leavell negotiated the deal for world rights on behalf of Jen Malone, who will edit.
Erin Stein at Macmillan/Imprint has acquired Tomo Explores the Worldby author-illustrator Trevor Lai, the founder of UP Studios, a leading animation studio in China, in a three-book deal. The picture book series is about a young inventor who, with the help of his best friend and dog, sets out to complete the unfinished tasks in his great grandfather's Adventure Journal. Publication is slated for October 2016; Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Robin Herrera at Oni Press has bought world rights to Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir (l.), illustrated by Christina “Steenz” Stewart. In the book, protagonist Cel Walden accepts a job at a creepy museum, and takes on more than her own struggles with depression and anxiety as she strives to solve the mystery of a ghost that is trapped in its walls. Publication is set for 2017; both creators were unagented.
Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow has bought Sydra Mallery's (l.) debut picture book Something Unusual, illustrated by E.B. Goodale. In the book, Caroline is having an increasingly frustrating day until the arrival of something new. Publication is planned for winter 2018; Mallery was represented by Douglas Stewart at Sterling Lord Literistic and Goodale was represented by Lori Kilkelly at Rodeen Literary Management in the deal for world rights.
Lynne Polvino at Clarion Books has acquired world rights to Marilyn Singer's Miss Muffet, or, What Came After, illustrated by David Litchfield, a picture book in verse that chronicles the adventures of Miss Muffet and her spider friend, Webster, after the whole tuffet episode. Publication is slated for September 2016; the author was self-represented, and Anne Armstrong of Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Julia Maguire at Knopf has preempted The Seekers, a picture book by Hari & Deepti, using cut-paper illustrations, about members of a village that set out an adventure when their water dries up, and a second untitled picture book. Publication is scheduled for spring 2018; Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions negotiated the deal for world rights.
