Nachie Marsham at Disney Publishing Worldwide has acquired world rights for an untitled original YA novel from author Jennifer Donnelly, set in the world of the upcoming live-action movie Beauty and the Beast. In Donnelly's story, when Belle discovers a mysterious, enchanted object in the Beast's castle, she learns that appearances can indeed be deceiving. North American publication is slated for January 2017; Steven Malk of Writers House brokered the deal.
Jean Feiwel at Feiwel and Friends has bought a stand-alone novel by Abbi Glines, As She Fades, about a young woman trying to mend her life after a devastating car accident, and the boy who is destined to help her put it all back together. A publication date has not yet been set; Jane Dystel at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Reka Simonsen at S&S/Atheneum has bought filmmaker and actor Michelle Kim's debut Running Through Sprinklers, about two 12-year-old girls who have been best friends their whole lives and the year they start to grow apart. Publication is scheduled for spring 2018; Sam Hiyate at the Rights Factory did the deal for world rights.
Monica Perez at Charlesbridge has acquired Michael Currinder's debut YA novel, Running Full Tilt, about a talented high-school distance runner and his complicated relationship with his autistic older brother, for publication in fall 2017 as part of the Charlesbridge Teen imprint launch. Emily Mitchell of Wernick & Pratt brokered the deal for world rights.
Rachel Stark of Sky Pony Press has acquired world rights to Natalie Rompella's middle grade debut, Cookie Cutters & Sled Runners. When obsessive-compulsive Ana is forced to pair up with the new girl from Alaska (instead of Ana's best friend) for their middle school research project, she must overcome her anxiety to learn two skills: sled dog racing and making a new friend. Publication is planned for fall 2017; Rompella was unagented.
Alex Ulyett at Viking has bought Hatsful of Bones by Deborah Noyes, a nonfiction account for middle graders of the race between two brilliant and competitive scientists – rival pioneers in the infant field of paleontology – to uncover more and more monstrous fossils in the newly opened Wild West. Publication is slated for fall 2018; Jill Grinberg at Jill Grinberg Literary Management negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Andrew Harwell at HarperCollins has acquired Ethan M. Aldridge's debut graphic novel, Estranged, in a preempt. The middle-grade series follows a changeling and a human child who were swapped at birth, and who now must work together to save the World Above and the World Below, and decide where they truly belong. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Stephen Barbara at Inkwell Management brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.
Amanda Maciel at Scholastic Press has bought Molly Knox Ostertag's The Witch Boy, a middle-grade graphic novel about a boy growing up in a magical community where all men are trained as shapeshifters and all women as witches. When a mysterious foe from his family's past reappears, Aster is the only one who can help them – but he'll have to reveal that he has learned witch magic in secret. Publication is set for 2018; Jen Linnan at Linnan Literary Management did the deal for world rights.
Lee Wade of Random House/Schwartz & Wade has acquired world English rights to Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, a picture book biography by Christopher Award-winner Margaret McNamara (l.). Hamilton star Phillipa Soo, who originated the role of Eliza in the landmark musical, will contribute a foreword. The book narrates the story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, who founded New York City's first private orphanage, raised funds to build the Washington Monument, and preserved the legacy of her husband, Alexander Hamilton. Publication is planned for fall 2017; Meg Mortimer represented Phillipa Soo, Faith Hamlin of Sanford J Greenburger Associates represented McNamara.
Carol Hinz at Millbrook Press has bought world rights for Brian P. Cleary's yet-to-be-titled picture book, a story of wordplay about a boy who is dreading his upcoming class presentation. Carol Crimmins will illustrate. Publication is slated for fall 2017; the author represented himself and Alexandra Gehringer of Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Jen Besser at Putnam has acquired, in a four-publisher auction, Come with Me, written by literary agent Holly M. McGhee and illustrated by Pascal Lemaître . In answer to their mutual experience of September 11 and the Brussels lockdown this past spring, the story follows a girl in the wake of terrorism, as she learns that taking even the tiniest step forward, as insignificant as it may seem, can make a difference. Publication is set for fall 2017; Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties sold North American rights.
Stephanie Pitts at Random House/Schwartz & Wade has bought Danny McGee Drinks the Sea by Andy Stanton (l.) and Neal Layton, in which a mischievous boy gobbles up everything in the whole entire world except for one very important thing. Publication is scheduled for summer 2017; Susannah Palfrey at Hodder Children's Books negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Christian Trimmer at Simon & Schuster has acquired world rights to The Remember Balloons by debut author Jessie Oliveros (l.), with Dana Wulfekotte illustrating. Described as Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge meets Disney's Up, the book tells the story of a boy, his grandfather, and the memories they share and cherish. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Michael Hoogland at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management represented the author and Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency represented the artist.
Connie Hsu at Roaring Brook has acquired a trilogy from Big Fish screenwriter John August. The series will follow the adventures of Arlo Finch, a boy who joins a mountain scouting troop and discovers that his fellow campers are not just training in outdoor survival – they are also learning to harness the wild magic that lies deep within the forest. The first book in the series, Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire, will publish in winter 2018; Jodi Reamer at Writers House negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Donna Bray of HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought two more YA novels from Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and the forthcoming The Upside of Unrequited. The first book will be set in the same universe as the author's previous novels. Publication is planned for spring 2018; Brooks Sherman at the Bent Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Rhoda Belleza at Macmillan/Imprint has preempted world rights to Kristina Pérez's debut Sweet Black Waves, a YA fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde that shines a light on the legend's true heroine – the princess's cousin, Branwen – and her ancient healing magic, pitched as Graceling meets Mists of Avalon. Publication is slated for spring 2018; Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger negotiated the three-book deal.
Dan Ehrenhaft at Soho Teen has acquired Emily France's next YA novel, Zen and Gone, a mystery set among the mountains of Boulder, Colo., and a Buddhist subculture, in which a teen's little sister disappears during an outdoor survival game. It is scheduled for summer 2018; Jennifer Unter at the Unter Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Margaret Raymo at HMH has bought After The Shot Drops by Randy Ribay, a YA novel about two teen boys living in a gritty Philadelphia neighborhood and how their lives change when one of them is given a basketball scholarship to an elite private school. Publication is set for spring 2018; Kaylee Davis of Dee Mura Literary brokered the deal in a preempt for world rights.
Nicole Raymond at Candlewick has acquired Julie Mayhew's The Big Lie, set in a 2014 Britain that is part of the Greater German Reich, where “good girl” Jessika Keller must negotiate between her perfect life and her outspoken and radical best friend, Clementine. Publication is planned for fall 2017; Ruth Logan at Hot Key Books negotiated the deal for U.S. rights.
Monica Perez at Charlesbridge has preempted Marit Weisenberg's debut YA novel, Select, plus a second untitled book in the series. The book follows an elite teenager named Julia Jaynes, who hails from a secret race of people with extraordinary abilities, as she goes against her family to fall in love with a human. The first book will be published on the debut Charlesbridge Teen imprint list in fall 2017, and the second in fall 2018. Kerry Sparks and Shelby Boyer at Levine Greenberg Rostan did the deal for world rights.
Wendy Lefkon and Alexis Banyon at Disney has bought three pop-up books from paper engineer Matthew Reinhart. Included in the deal are Pixar: A Pop-Up History, The Nightmare Before Christmas, andHistory of Mickey Mouse. The first book is scheduled for fall 2017; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management brokered the deal for world rights.
Emma Ledbetter at Simon & Schuster has acquired world rights to Teddy's Favorite Toy by Christian Trimmer, illustrated by Madeline Valentine. In the story, Teddy's favorite toy is a Barbie-like doll; when it inadvertently ends up in the trash, mother and son must race to rescue it. The book, which is loosely based on a story from Trimmer's childhood, is set for spring 2018. Brenda Bowen at Sanford Greenburger & Associates represented the author; Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Anne Schwartz at Random House/Schwartz & Wade has bought world rights to All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah, an original picture book based on the classic books by Sydney Taylor, written by Emily Jenkins, to be illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. Publication is slated for fall 2018; the deal was brokered by Susie Cohen at PearlCo Literary Agency for Allenby & Co., Elizabeth Kaplan at the Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency for the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Ariel Richardson at Chronicle has acquired wordless picture book Brave Molly by Brooke Boynton-Hughes. In the book, Molly is plagued by the existence of shadowy monsters that only she can see, and although they follow her every move, she summons her courage to return a lost book and make a new friend. The book is planned for fall 2018; Marietta B. Zacker of Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Julia Maguire at Knopf has preempted Fruit Bowl by author-illustrator Mark Hoffmann, a picture book about a tomato who just wants to join the other fruit in the bowl, but has to explain why he belongs there. Publication is scheduled for summer 2018; Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Kate Fletcher at Candlewick has bought a picture book by Jennifer K. Mann, tentatively titled Josie's Dumb Tooth. It stars Josie, who is first and best at almost everything, except losing her first tooth, and her friend Richard, who comes up with a surprising way to make her feel better. The book will publish in 2018; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties did the deal for world rights.
Christina Pulles at Sterling has acquired world rights to author-illustrator Andrea Zuill's Marigold & Daisy, a picture book about a snail whose new baby sister has a strange power over grown-ups. Publication is slated for spring 2018; Erzsi Deàk at Hen&ink Literary Studio brokered the deal on behalf of the author.
Phoebe Yeh at Crown has bought world rights to David Quinn's Go to Sleep, Little Creep, illustrated by Ashley Spires. It's bedtime for all of the baby monsters and every little creep is tucked into its den, bog, crypt, or dimensional rift by a loving, lullabying, and cooing monster parent. Publication is set for summer 2018; Bernadette Baker-Baughman at Victoria Sanders & Associates represented the author, and Claire Easton at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
