Pam Gruber at Poppy has acquired Marc Klein's The In Between, a supernatural love story told in then and now narratives, about a girl trying to piece together the night of a car accident that killed her boyfriend, while seemingly receiving messages from him from the afterlife. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Byrd Leavell at UTA negotiated the deal for North American rights. Film rights have been sold to Paramount Players with Joey King attached to star.
Rosemary Brosnan and Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins have bought, in a preempt, debut author Nina Varela's Crier's War, a tale of impossible love between two girls—one human, one Made—set in a fantasy world where feudal control is held by humanlike alchemical creations called Automae (otherwise known as the Made Kind), along with a sequel, Iron Heart. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management brokered the three-book deal for North American rights on behalf of Glasstown Entertainment.
Jennifer Besser at Roaring Brook has won at auction North American rights to Joan He's YA novel, The Ones We're Meant to Find. Pitched as We Were Liars meets Black Mirror, the story follows two sisters, one living on a deserted island with little memory of who she was, the other fighting to save an Earth decimated by natural disasters, while believing her sister to be dead. Publication is set for fall 2020; John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management did the two-book deal.
Lily Kessinger at HMH acquired, at auction, By the Book by debut author Amanda Sellet, a contemporary YA in which a classic-literature-obsessed teenage girl makes new friends by giving advice based on her favorite books. She soon discovers that real human feelings are very different from fiction—and that she might be falling for the very boy she first warned her new friends about. Bridget Smith at Dunham Literary sold world English rights for publication in spring 2020.
Kaylan Adair at Candlewick has bought, at auction, Lisabeth Posthuma's YA novel, Baby & Solo, pitched as The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Eleanor & Park, and a John Hughes film all in one. Set in 1996, the novel tells the story of a teenager who has completed seven years of treatment for a mental illness he may have never had, now carrying a new prescription from his therapist—a part-time job, which he finds at a video store staffed by femme fatales, total enigmas, and his first real friend. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Stephen Barr at Writers House negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Tricia Lin at Simon Pulse has acquired, at auction, Chloe Gong's debut YA fantasy These Violent Delights, pitched as a Romeo and Juliet retelling by way of The Godfather. A monster has awakened in 1920s Shanghai, killing off citizens and stirring trouble between two feuding gangs. The rival heirs, Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai, must work together before the monster destroys all they hold dear, even while the Chinese Civil War breaks out around them. Publication is planned for fall 2020; Laura Crockett at TriadaUS Literary Agency did the two-book deal for North American rights.
Farrin Jacobs and Pam Gruber at Little, Brown have bought The Legends of Greemulax, the debut novel by Kimmy Schmidt (written with Sarah Mlynowski and Gillian Berrow). In the world of the Netflix show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Kimmy has written a middle-grade adventure story to address gender stereotypes and consent, and help the world be a better place; this is that book. Publication is set for April 2, 2019; NBCUniversal handled the deal for North American rights.
Whitney Leopard at Random House Graphic has acquired, in a three-book deal, Dave Scheidt and Miranda Harmons's middle-grade graphic novel series Mayor Good Boy. Mayoral interns Abby and Aaron are surprised to find that their town has a new mayor—and he's a dog! The humorous adventure is filled with long walks, political rivals, and two kids who are having the time of their life. Publication is planned for 2021; Charlie Olsen at InkWell Management sold world English rights.
Simon Boughton at Norton Young Readers has bought world rights to Susan Wider's debut middle grade biography, It's My Whole Life, the story of Charlotte Salomon, a German Jewish refugee in Nice during WWII. After release from a French concentration camp and before deportation to Auschwitz where her life ended in the gas chambers, Charlotte created a masterwork of nearly 1000 paintings, "Life? Or Theater?," which is often compared to Anne Frank's Diary for its depiction of life under the Nazi threat. The book is scheduled for winter 2021; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal.
Cheryl Klein at Lee & Low Books has acquired Miosotis Flores Never Forgetsby Hilda Eunice Burgos (Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle). In this middle grade novel, Miosotis struggles with her growing distance from her college-aged sister, until her work with an abandoned dog at a local animal rescue leads her to realize her sister may be experiencing similar abuse. Publication is set for 2020; the author was unagented.
Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has bought Nancy Tandon's debut middle-grade novel, Say My Name. Twelve-year-old Rory Mitchell is bullied because he has trouble with R's and struggles with his own name. When a former friend sustains a brain injury and joins Rory in speech therapy, the two bond over heavy metal music and Muhammad Ali, and inspire each other to achieve what once seemed impossible. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Emma Sector at Prospect Agency represented the author for world rights.
Katie Carella at Scholastic Acorn has acquired Geisel Honor author-illustrator Tina Kügler's early reader series Fox Tails, in a three-book deal. The illustrated series introduces siblings Fritz and Franny Fox, whose ceaseless rivalry ends badly every time. The series kicks off in 2020; Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Alex Arnold, in her first acquisition for Quirk Books, has bought debut author-illustrator Matt Webb's The GAYBCs. In this inclusive, affirming alphabet book, LGBTQ+ vocabulary gets a joyous exploration as four friends sashay out of all the closets on their playdate extravaganza. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Elana Roth Parker at Laura Dail Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Ariel Richardson at Chronicle has acquired, at auction, author-illustrator Brandon Reese's picture book, Caveman Dada, a Stone Age tale about a weary father's attempts to fulfill his cave baby's escalating bedtime story requests, in a two-book deal. Publication of the first book is slated for spring 2020, with the second to follow in spring 2021; Jennifer Mattson at Andrea Brown Literary did the deal for world rights.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear has bought Katia Wish's debut author-illustrator picture book, Raccoon's Perfect Snowman, in which Raccoon's quest to build the ultimate snowman nearly costs him his friends, and he has to come up with an ingenious (and icy) plan to bring them back together. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Lee Wade at Random House/Schwartz & Wade has acquired world rights to Areli's Story by DACA recipient Areli Morales Romero (l.), illustrated by Luisa Uribe, an autobiographical picture book about the author's immigration to America from Mexico at age six. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Brenda Bowen at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates represented the author, and Anne Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the artist.
Emily Feinberg at Roaring Brook has bought world rights to Curtis Manley's The Rescuer of Tiny Creatures, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins. The picture book follows a girl who prides herself in rescuing imperiled insects and encourages her classmates to do the same. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has acquired world rights to a picture book by LaRonda Gardner Middlemiss (l.). I Love Me!, a #DVPit submission. The book encourages children to appreciate their bodies and love themselves, with rhyming text and inclusive art by illustrator Beth Hughes representing diversity in ethnicity, physical attributes, and abilities. Publication is set for April 2020; Stephanie Hansen at Metamorphosis Literary Agency represented the author, and the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Kelly Delaney at Knopf has bought world rights to The Sandcastle That Lola Built author Megan Maynor's (l.) A House for Every Bird, about a budding artist whose drawings of birds rebel when she tries to place them in birdhouses based solely on what they look like. Kaylani Juanita will illustrate; publication is set for fall 2020. Minju Chang at BookStop Literary Agency represented the author, and Charlotte Sheedy at Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Mary Kate Castellani at Bloomsbury has acquired world rights to Book Magic by Kate Messner (l.), a picture book that celebrates the magic of books for readers at any age. Ana Ramírez González will illustrate; publication is scheduled for fall 2020. Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Andrea Morrison at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Taylor Norman at Chronicle has bought world rights to Nancy Elizabeth Wallace's (l.) Can Sophie Change the World?, illustrated by Aura Lewis, about how all Grandpop wants for his birthday is for Sophie to give him a mitzvah (a good deed), and by doing so, she can change the world. Sophie learns that all acts of kindness, large and small, are mitzvahs. Publication is planned for 2022; Steven Chudney at the Chudney Agency represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong represented the illustrator.
Wendy McClure and Christina Pulles at Albert Whitman have acquired world rights to Space Mice by Lori Haskins Houran (l.), illustrated by Priscilla Alpaugh. The picture book follows two mice on their quest to consume that giant wheel of Swiss cheese in the sky... the moon! Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; the author represented herself, and Christy T. Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Rachel Neumann at Shambhala Kids has bought world rights to The Barefoot King by Andrew Nance, illustrated by Olivia Holden. Told in rhyming couplets, the Buddhism-inspired picture book recounts how a young king stubs his toe and decides that the whole kingdom should be covered in leather to prevent it from happening again, with unfortunate consequences. Publication is scheduled for autumn 2019; the author represented himself, and Alex Gehringer at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Courtney Burke at Page Street Kids has acquired world rights to Lotte and Her Paper Puppet Pictures by Brooke Hartman. It's a picture book biography of Lotte Reiniger, a pioneer in silhouette animation who overcame Nazi efforts to suppress her films during World War II. Kathryn Carr will illustrate; publication is planned for spring 2020. Clelia Gore at Martin Literary & Media Management represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Andrew Smith at Abrams Appleseed has bought world rights to Look!: Babies Head to Toe, an original board book by Robie H. Harris (l.) that names parts of the body for infants and toddlers—hands to clap, tummies to pat, toes to wiggle. Anoosha Syed will illustrate; Meredith Mundy will edit. Publication is set for fall 2019; Dan Mandel at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates represented the author, and Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary represented the illustrator.
