Catherine Wallace at HarperTeen has acquired Men's Health deputy digital editor Jordyn Taylor's debut novel, The Paper Girl of Paris, a historical YA story told in alternating perspectives between Alice, a girl in the present day, who inherits a secret apartment in Paris that has been locked since the end of World War II, and Adalyn, a girl living in Nazi-occupied Paris who joins the French Resistance. The book is slated for publication in summer 2020; Danielle Burby at Nelson Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Laura Schreiber at Disney-Hyperion has bought, in a two-book preempt, Daniel Aleman's debut YA novel Indivisible. The novel follows a Mexican-American teenage boy whose life is thrown into chaos after his parents, undocumented immigrants, are detained by ICE, leaving him to care for his young sister and fight for his family's future. The book will publish in fall 2020; Pete Knapp at Park & Fine Literary and Media negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Lauren Knowles at Page Street has acquired world rights to Adiba Jaigirdar's The Henna Wars. Pitched as When Dimple Met Rishi meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, the romcom is about two teen girls with rival henna businesses who fall in love. The projected pub season is spring 2020; Uwe Stender at TriadaUS Literary Agency handled the deal.
Harriet Low at HMH has bought Alexandra Latos's debut YA novel Under Shifting Stars, about twins struggling for belonging: Audrey, who feels responsible for her brother's tragic death and wants to leave her alternative classroom for public school, and Clare, who is hiding the turmoil she's feeling about her sexuality and gender. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists brokered the deal for world rights.
David Linker at HarperCollins has acquired in a preempt literary agent John Cusick's debut middle grade novel, Dimension Why: How to Save the Universe Without Really Trying. Inspired by The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Around the World in 80 Days, the story follows a boy from the future and a girl from our own time who traverse the galaxy in a Volvo-shaped escape pod to keep an evil bean from unraveling the fabric of spacetime. Cusick has previously published two YA novels, Girl Parts and Cherry Money Baby. Publication is set for fall 2020, to be followed by an as-yet-untitled sequel; Melissa Sarver White at Folio Literary Management/Folio Jr. did the deal for world English rights.
Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins has bought world English rights to Scott SanGiacomo's Bed Head Ted, a debut middle-grade graphic novel about a boy struggling to find himself in his middle school life, until he discovers that his newly animated hair, capable of many feats, brings new adventures. The book is planned for summer 2021; Peter Ryan at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal.
Heidi Kilgras at Random House has acquired, in a two-book deal, author-illustrator Stephen Shaskan's Pizza and Taco series. The early graphic chapter book series strives to answer the age-old question: Who is the best, Pizza or Taco? But can Pizza and Taco's friendship survive the race for the top spot on the popularity food chain? The series kicks off in 2020; Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Neal Porter at Holiday House/Porter has bought A New Green Day, a picture book by author-illustrator Antoinette Portis, marking their seventh collaboration. The book of lyrical riddles about nature is slated for publication in summer 2020; Deborah Warren at East/West Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Charlie Ilgunas at Little Bee has acquired world rights to two books by Pride and Stonewall author Rob Sanders. Albert D.J. Cashier is about a transgender Civil War soldier who faced fierce challenges on the battlefield and also privately battled the restrictions and confines of gender; Nabigal-Nayagam Haider Ali will illustrate. Two Grooms on a Cake is the story of Jack Baker and Michael McConnell, who in 1971 were the first same-sex couple in the U.S. to be legally married; an illustrator has yet to be announced. Albert D. J. Cashier is planned for summer 2020, and Two Grooms on a Cake is set for summer 2021, the 50th anniversary of the couple's marriage. Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content represented the author, and James Burns at the Bright Group represented the illustrator.
Connie Hsu at Roaring Brook has bought world rights to Nina Laden's (l.) You Are a Beautiful Beginning, illustrated by Kelsey Garrity-Riley. This story explores inventive takes on the timeless message, "It is the journey, not the destination," and how it applies to everything from personal creativity to building a community. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown represented the author, and Christy Tugeau Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the artist.
Talia Benamy at Philomel has acquired world English rights to Myriam Sayalero's Folktales for Fearless Girls, a collection of folktales from around the world, in which girls and women are the heroines. Dani Torrent will illustrate; publication is planned for spring 2020. Alba Adell at PRH Grupo Editorial brokered the deal.
Mary-Kate Gaudet at Little, Brown has bought Daniel Kibblesmith's Princess Dinosaur, a picture book that celebrates the spirited title character's seemingly disparate traits, illustrated by Ashley Quach. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Hannah Mann at Writers House represented the author and the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Stephanie Pitts at Putnam has acquired world rights to Carrie Finison's picture book Don’t Hug Doug, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman, about an ordinary kid who doesn't care for hugs. The book aims to spark discussions about bodily autonomy and to empower all children, whether they like hugs or not, to decide when and whom they hug. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Linda Epstein at Emerald City Literary Agency represented the author, and Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary represented the illustrator.
Jessica Anderson at Holt has bought world rights to Dogosaurus Rex author Anna Staniszewski's (l.) new picture book, illustrated by Joanie Stone. Beast in Showis the story of a very ordinary dog competing in a very peculiar dog show, which will take a special secret talent to win. Publication is set for winter 2021; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Claire Easton at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Meredith Mundy at Abrams Appleseed has acquired world rights to Tammi Sauer's One Sheep, Two Sheep and Not Now, Cow, illustrated by Troy Cummings. The two picture books star a dotty group of farm animals who introduce the concepts of counting and the four seasons. Publication is planned for fall 2020 and spring 2021, respectively; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Carolyn Yoder at Boyds Mills/Calkins Creek has bought Tractors on Parade: Planting a Movement, from the Heartland's Farms to the Nation's Capitalby Lindsay H. Metcalf, a photo-illustrated nonfiction title about the farm crisis of the 1970s and 1980s, and the thousands of farmers who drove their tractors and rigs to Washington, D.C., to demand action from Congress. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt negotiated the deal for North American English rights.
Alexis Orgera and Chad Reynolds at Penny Candy have acquired world rights to professional violinist Diane Worthey's (l.) debut picture book, In One Ear and Out the Other: The Amazing Life of Antonia Brico, about the first woman to conduct a major symphony orchestra. Morgana Wallace will illustrate. The book will be published in fall 2020; the author and the illustrator were both unagented.
Nina Kooij at Pelican has bought world rights to Carolyn Leiloglou's (l.) debut picture book, Library's Most Wanted, illustrated by Sarah Pogue. Libby loves helping her aunt Nora at the library and is committed to catching all the young outlaws who vandalize the books. But she must lure them back when she realizes a librarian's real job isn't corralling books but rounding up readers. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Bibi Lewis at the Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Caitlyn Dlouhy at Atheneum/Dlouhy has acquired Jamaican-born author Desmond Hall's debut YA novel, Your Corner Dark, in a preempt. Set on the unforgiving streets and majestic mountains surrounding Kingston, Jamaica, the novel tells the story of Frankie, an ambitious high school student who has just earned a ticket out with a full ride scholarship to college in the U.S. But when a stray bullet gravely injures his father, Frankie must find a way to earn fast money to pay for his treatment; he falls into a world of crime and violence and has to learn to trust again in order to engineer his own escape. Publication is set for fall 2020; Faye Bender at the Book Group negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
Kate O'Sullivan at HMH has bought a nonfiction graphic novel by Don Brown, Sibert Honoree and winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. In the Shadow of the Towers: After 9/11 recounts the aftermath of September 11—both the triumph and courage, as well as the darker struggles and developments resulting from this historic day. Publication is planned for fall 2021, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of September 11; Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary did the deal for world rights.
Nikki Garcia at Little, Brown has acquired Sonja Solter's debut middle grade novel in verse, When You Know What I Know, about the difficult and emotional journey 10-year-old Tori encounters after revealing to her mother that she was sexually abused by her uncle. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; the author represented herself in the deal for world rights.
Nick Thomas at Scholastic/Levine has bought debut author Donna Barba Higuera's middle grade novel Lupe Wong Won't Dance. When square dancing threatens 12-year-old baseball phenom Lupe's guaranteed A in PE, she goes to extreme lengths to prevent the American tradition from taking place at her school, all while navigating the complexities of middle school friendships, gender biases, and her own bi-cultural identity. Publication is slated for 2020; Allison Remcheck at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for North American English and Spanish rights.
Neal Porter at Holiday House has acquired, at auction, Guardian cartoonist and New Yorker artist Tom Gauld's debut picture book, The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess, a fairy tale about a young princess (who happens to be a log by night), her robot brother (who wakes her each morning with the magic words that turn her back into a girl), and the epic journey that ensues when the prince forgets his duty one day. Publication is set for fall 2021; Steven Malk at Writers House represented Gauld in the deal for world rights, excepting the U.K.
Karen Nagel at Aladdin has bought world rights to Sarah Dillard's Blueberry Cake. In the story, a little bear who is sent to pick blueberries for blueberry cake is distracted from her task, but soon learns that without berries, there can be no cake. Publication is planned for summer 2021; Lori Nowicki at Painted Words represented the author-illustrator.
Talia Benamy at Philomel has acquired world rights to You Know How to Love by Rachel Tawil Kenyon (l.), illustrated by Mary Lundquist. The picture book reminds readers that, right from the start, they know how to love and make the world a kinder place. Publication is slated for spring 2021; Mary Cummings at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Liza Baker at Scholastic has acquired, in a six-house auction, author Tami Charles's You Matter, a picture book celebrating children of color everywhere, and an affirmation of their worth and importance. You Matter will be illustrated by Bryan Collier (Martin's Big Words); publication is scheduled for fall 2020. A second picture book, Aretha's Voice, a biography of singer and civil rights activist Aretha Franklin, will follow. Lara Perkins at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author in the two-book deal for world rights, and Marcia Wernick at Wernick & Pratt Agency represented the illustrator for You Matter (U.S./Canadian rights).
Susan Van Metre at Abrams, before her departure, bought world rights to One Girl by Andrea Beaty (the Questioneers series) (l.) and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk (Counting on Katherine), a picture book empowering children to have faith in their own curiosity and to know their potential for greatness. One small girl lights one small spark—but when the spark catches fire, it lights up the whole world. Publication is set for 2020; Erica Finkel will edit. Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the author, and Deborah Warren at East/West Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Paulsen has acquired world rights to Sing a Song: How "Lift Every Voice and Sing" Inspired Generations by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Keith Mallett. The picture book celebrates the Black National Anthem and its impact on five generations of a family. Publication is planned for August 2019; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and the artist represented himself.
Kate Prossimmer at Sourcebooks has bought Annette Bay Pimentel's (l.) picture book biography, All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything, with a foreword by Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins. It tells the true story of how an eight-year-old girl became a disability rights activist and captured Congress's attention with her demonstration in support of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Nabigal-Nayagam Haider Ali will illustrate. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and James Burns at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Kristen Nobles at Page Street Kids has acquired world rights to Orange, a picture book by Zeena Pliska (l.), illustrated by Fiona Halliday. Set among monarch butterflies, the book is about change, loss, and intergenerational friendship. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Abigail Samoun at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Essie White at Storm Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
