Zareen Jaffery at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers has acquired Sulwe, the debut book by Academy Award–winning actress Lupita Nyong'o. In the picture book, Nyong'o shares the consequences of growing up in a world that favors lighter skin, offering a story for children from all backgrounds. An illustrator has not yet been announced. Publication is set for January 2019; Simon Green of Creative Artists Agency handled the deal for North American rights.
Alessandra Balzer at Balzer + Bray has bought Black Enough: Stories of Black Teenhood in America, edited by NBA finalist Ibi Zoboi, a YA anthology of coming-of-age stories. The anthology features contributors Rita Williams-Garcia, Coe Booth, Dhonielle Clayton, Brandy Colbert, Renée Watson, Tracey Baptiste, Jason Reynolds, Kekla Magoon, Jay Coles, Nic Stone, Lamar Giles, Leah Henderson, Justina Ireland, Varian Johnson, Tochi Onyebuchi, Liara Tamani, and Ibi Zoboi. Publication is slated for winter 2019; Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Alvina Ling at Little, Brown has acquired Brandy Colbert's The Revolution of Birdie Randolph. The YA novel follows Birdie, a teen who has a close bond with her parents until first love and a family secret threaten to tear them apart. Publication is planned for spring 2019; Tina Wexler of ICM Partners negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Krestyna Lypen at Algonquin has bought world English rights to A.K. Small's YA debut, Rat-Girls. Best friends Marine and Kate have trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School since childhood, where they now compete for the ultimate prize: to be the one girl selected to join the Opera's prestigious corps de ballet. But their bond begins to fracture as selection day draws near. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Wendi Gu of Janklow & Nesbit did the deal.
Rosemary Brosnan at HarperTeen has acquired, in a two-book deal, author of the Blacktop Series (under the pseudonym L.J. Alonge) Lanre Akinsiku's Fly with Me, the story of a boy who has been an outcast in town ever since his sister flew away—but things change when he begins to dabble in her special kind of magic. Publication is set for summer 2020; Valerie Borchardt of Georges Borchardt brokered the deal for world English rights.
Amy Cloud at S&S/Aladdin has bought Obey! The Secret Parents' Guide to Hacking Your Kids, by Emmy-winning writer Peter Bakalian. In this parody, a teenager discovers a secret diabolical parenting manual and, risking the retaliation of F.A.R.T. (Families Against Rotten Teens), exposes it to the world and triggers a kid rebellion. The book is slated for spring 2019; Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Phoebe Yeh at Crown has acquired the middle grade anthology We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, a collection of illustrated poems, letters, and stories about activism. Husband-and-wife team Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson, founders of Just Us Books, have compiled and edited the book, which features essays by Kwame Alexander, Joseph Bruchac, Sharon Draper, Margarita Engle, Ekua Holmes, Innosanto Nagara, Ellen Oh, James Ransome, Jason Reynolds, Javaka Steptoe, Rita Williams-Garcia, Andrea Pippins, Jacqueline Woodson, and more. Publication is set for September 2018; the editors represented themselves in the deal for world rights.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has bought, in a preempt, Weight, a novel in verse from debut middle grade author Chris Baron. Set in San Francisco, the novel tells the story of 13-year-old Ari Rosensweig, who is sick of being teased and bullied about his weight and decides to do something about it before his (already late) Bar Mitzvah. But with his parents' marriage on the rocks, learning how to be a man is harder than he thought. The book is scheduled for spring 2019; Rena Rossner of the Deborah Harris Agency did the deal for North American rights.
Alyson Heller at Aladdin has acquired, in a two-book deal, North American rights to Barbara Dee's middle grade novel, How to Survive Quicksand. The book is about a seventh grade girl whose family is thrown into chaos by her older brother's diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Publication is planned for fall 2019, with a second middle grade novel to publish in fall 2020; Jill Grinberg of Jill Grinberg Literary Management brokered the deal.
Marisa Polansky at Scholastic has bought world rights to a chapter book series co-written by Monica Brown (l.) and Sarai Gonzalez, the 12-year-old star of the viral music video “Soy Yo,” who became the face behind the #SoyYo movement celebrating independent girls around the world. The first book in the fictional series based on the star's life, Sarai and the Meaning of Awesome, features Sarai using her creativity and entrepreneurial skills to help her community and family. The first two books in the series are due in fall 2018; Stefanie Von Borstel of Full Circle Literary represented Brown, and Monica Villarreal and Rick Dorfman of Authentic Management represented Gonzalez.
Renee Hooker at Penguin Workshop has acquired, in a four-book deal, North American rights to Erica Perl's Arnold and Louise, an early chapter book series that follows the unlikely yet unstoppable friendship between Arnold, a large black bear, and Louise, a small brown-and-white striped chipmunk. Publication is slated for 2019; Carrie Hannigan of Hannigan Salky Getzler represented the author.
Donna Bray at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought, at auction, world rights to Mary Wears What She Wants by author-illustrator Keith Negley. Based on the life of Mary Edwards Walker, one of the first American women known to wear pants, the picture book shows what happens when a girl decides to fight for what she believes is right. Publication is set for spring 2019, with a second book by Negley to follow; Rebecca Sherman of Writers House negotiated the deal.
Putnam Books for Young Readers has acquired a picture book collaboration from author Matt de la Peña (l.) and illustrator Christian Robinson, creators of the Newbery Medal- and Caldecott Honor-winning Last Stop on Market Street. Told through the lens of a sibling story, Carmela Full of Wishes explores what hope looks like in a migrant community steeped in Mexican culture. Publication is scheduled for October 9, 2018; Jen Klonsky and Kate Meltzer will edit. Steven Malk of Writers House represented both the author and the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Chris Hernandez at HarperCollins has bought world rights to journalist Anna Redding's picture book debut, Rescuing the Declaration of Independence, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. The true story follows a little-known hero who saved the historic artifact and many others from being destroyed by the British during the War of 1812. Publication is planned for winter 2020; Ammi-Joan Paquette of Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and artist rep Pat Hackett represented the illustrator.
Ruta Rimas at S&S/McElderry has acquired world rights to Kristen Fulton's picture book, When Sparks Fly, an illustrated biography of rocket scientist Robert Goddard. Diego Funck will illustrate; publication is slated for spring 2018. Kendra Marcus of BookStop Literary Agency represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong of Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Eliza Berkowitz at Sterling has bought world rights to Vilonia Beebe Takes Charge author Kristin L. Gray's (l.) debut picture book, Koala Is Not a Bear. It's Koala's first day at camp, and she thinks she's found her place in the Bear Cabin, when Know-It-All Kangaroo comes along and tells Koala that she is not a Bear and doesn't belong there. Rachel McAlister will illustrate; publication is set for spring 2019. Caryn Wiseman of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Emily Coggins of Astound U.S. represented the illustrator.
