Kate Farrell at Henry Holt has acquired Mary E. Pearson's Dance of Thieves, in a six-figure, two-book deal. Set in the universe of Pearson's Remnant Chronicles, the book centers on a reformed thief who is sent by the Queen of Venda to investigate a disturbance in a distant land, where she finds herself matching wits with the leader of an outlaw dynasty. It's scheduled for spring 2018; Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for North American rights.
Kendra Levin at Viking has won at auction The Brilliant Death by Amy Rose Capetta, a YA fantasy set in a magical variation of 19th-century Italy. Teodora DiSangro, daughter of a mafia-like family, must master her hidden powers to transform into a boy and plunge into the dangerous politics of her newly unified country, while her shape-shifting multi-gendered magic tutor pulls her heart —and her fate —in another direction. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Sara Crowe of Pippin Properties negotiated the two-book deal for North American rights.
Catherine Wallace at HarperTeen has bought YA author Kasie West's Love, Life, and the List, about a girl who, in an effort to bring more emotional depth to her art, compiles a list of soul-stretching experiences to complete with her best friend—a boy she also happens to be in love with. This is the first in a set of three standalone books with crossover characters. Publication is slated for winter 2018; Michelle Wolfson at Wolfson Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Kelly Delaney at Knopf has acquired A Boy Like Her, a contemporary YA novel by 10 Things I Can See from Here author Carrie Mac. The book follows Charlie, who starts at a new school determined not to identify with either gender, but becomes pressured from all sides to conform one way or another. Publication is set for summer 2019; Jess Regel at Foundry Literary + Media did the deal for North American rights.
Jen Arena of Kane Press has acquired five easy readers written and illustrated by Molly Coxe. The photographic books—Cubs in a Tub, Rat Attack, Princess Pig, Hop Frog!, and Wet Hen —focus on short vowel sounds, simple text, and humorous stories to help children learn to read. Publication is scheduled for 2018; Wendi Gu at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates negotiated the deal for world rights.
Tamar Brazis at Abrams has bought Princesses Wear Pants, the debut picture book from Today co-host Savannah Guthrie (l.) and parent educator Allison Oppenheim (r.), illustrated by Eva Byrne. The book is a celebration of self-expression that shows girls that it's not how they look but what they do that matters most. Publication is planned for September 2017; CAA brokered the deal for world English rights.
Alyson Heller at Aladdin Books has acquired world rights to Brenda Maier's (l.) Peeping Beauty, about a little chick who just doesn't want to hatch, but with the help of his family and a few favorite bedtime stories, they all find a way to help him come out of his shell. Zoe Waring is set to illustrate, with publication slated for summer 2018. Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author and Alli Brydon at Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Charlie Ilgunas at Little Bee Books has bought world rights to Prince + Knight by Daniel Haack, to be illustrated by Stevie Lewis, about a noble prince and a brave knight who come together to defeat a terrible monster and in the process find true love. Publication is set for summer 2018; Brent Taylor of the Triada US Literary Agency represented the author and the illustrator represented herself.
Kristin Rens of HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired world rights to Bethany Hegedus' (l.) Alabama Spitfire: The Story of Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird in a pre-empt. This first picture book biography of the renowned author tells how a scrappy tomboy named Nelle realized her lifelong dream of becoming an author and penned one of the most influential books of our time. Erin McGuire will illustrate; publication is scheduled for spring 2018; Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary represented the author and Susan Cohen of Writers House represented the illustrator.
Andrea Spooner at Little, Brown has bought at auction debut author-illustrator Shanda McCloskey's DOLL-E 1.0 and an untitled follow-up, about a technology-obsessed girl who is given a doll that she programs into the perfect friend. Publication is slated for spring 2018; Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal for world rights.
Leila Sales at Viking has acquired an untitled John Wilkes Booth biography by this year's Geisel Honor winner, Greg Pizzoli. It will be in the tradition of his previous picture book biographies of history's antiheroes, The Quest for Z and Tricky Vic. Publication is set for early 2019; Steven Malk at Writers House brokered the deal for world rights.
Jen Besser at Putnam has acquired Kingdom of Back, a YA historical fantasy novel from Legend author Marie Lu, based on the childhood of composer Mozart and his sister Nannerl. When a magical imp (in the form of a gorgeous teen boy) from the “imaginary” kingdom of Back offers to fulfill her secret wish to always be remembered, Nannerl unwittingly makes a terrible pact to solidify her place in history. It is slated for early 2019; Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency brokered the six-figure deal for North American rights.
Annette Pollert-Morgan at Sourcebooks Fire has bought two new novels from YA author Marieke Nijkamp. In Before I Let Go, days before Corey is to visit her former home in Lost Creek, Alaska, her best friend, Kyra, commits suicide. Corey is devastated, and returns to Lost Creek for the funeral, only to discover the town's people are nothing as she remembers—and no one seems to be telling the truth about Kyra's death. It's scheduled for January 2018; Jennifer Udden at Barry Goldblatt Literary negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Stacey Barney at Putnam has acquired Astrid Scholte's Four Dead Queens, in which a teenage thief discovers that all four of her nation's queens have been brutally murdered, and teams up with the messenger she stole from to figure out who did it. It's planned for spring 2019; Hillary Jacobson at ICM brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.
Christy Ottaviano at Macmillan's Christy Ottaviano Books has bought world rights to two middle grade novels by Pushcart Prize-winning poet and author Mariko Nagai. The first, Under the Broken Sky, is a novel-in-verse about a Japanese orphan's experience in occupied Manchuria during World War II, and is scheduled for 2019. The second book is scheduled for 2020. Deborah Warren at East West Literary did the deal.
Amy Fitzgerald at Lerner/Carolrhoda has acquired North American rights to Jane Mitchell's middle-grade novel, Without Refuge, to be published in spring 2018. Originally published this month in Ireland with the title A Dangerous Crossing, the novel traces the perilous journey of a 13-year-old Kurdish boy as his family tries to flee war-torn Syria. Siobhan Parkinson of Irish publishing house Little Island Books brokered the deal.
Jenne Abramowitz at Scholastic has bought Elly Swartz's Smart Cookie, the story of Frankie and her quest to find the missing piece of her family by secretly posting an online dating profile for her father. Publication is slated for spring 2018; Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Brittany Rubiano at Disney Press has signed Diana López to write a middle grade novel inspired by Disney-Pixar's forthcoming film, Coco, featuring original content. Publication is set for October 2017; Stefanie Von Borstel at Full Circle Literary represented the author.
David Linker at HarperCollins has acquired the next two middle grade novels by Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White (authors of the Shivers! The Pirate Who's Afraid of Everything series) The first book, Time Tracers, is about 13-year-old Taj Carter, whose summer vacation disappears in the blink of an eye. When he goes on a quest to find it, he discovers that time doesn't fly when you're having fun—it gets stolen. Publication is planned for May 2018. The second book is untitled. Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for world rights.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin's Nancy Paulsen Books has bought The Kid, a picture book about a pogo-dancing, punk-rock-loving boy and the challenges of marching to your own beat, by Chris Gorman, drummer of the alternative rock band Belly, and photographer/author of Indi Surfs. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Celia Lee at Scholastic/Orchard has acquired world rights to Squirrel's Family Tree by Beth Ferry (l.) in a preempt. The rhyming text, to be illustrated by A.N. Kang, follows the seasons alongside a squirrel and her community. Publication is slated for January 2019; Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties represented the author and the illustrator.
Anne Schwartz at Random House's Schwartz & Wade Books has bought Sally Lloyd-Jones's How to Write a Book…By Me, the Author, illustrated by Neal Layton—a tongue-in-cheek picture book guide on how to write a book. Publication is set for summer 2018. Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown Ltd sold North American rights on behalf of the author, and Alan Lynch at Arena Illustration sold world rights for the illustrator.
Katie Cotton and Kate Davies at the Quarto Group have acquired world rights to Julie Lasky's (l.) The Treasure House, a lift-the-flap adventure. In the book, two children receive a letter from their mysterious Great Aunt Martha, inviting them to visit her home, Treasure House, where they solve the treasure hunt to reveal their aunt's secret. Becca Stadtlander will illustrate. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; Anne Moore Armstrong of Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Eve Adler at Grosset & Dunlap has bought author-illustrator Annie Bach's Good Morning, Farm Friends, a board book about a motley crew of farm animals getting ready for the day. Publication is planned for summer 2018; Teresa Kietlinski of Bookmark Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
