Jennifer Ung at Simon Pulse has acquired Bruised by Tanya Boteju, author of the forthcoming Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens. The contemporary YA novel follows a teen girl as she explores truths about family, grief, identity, sexuality, and love when she immerses herself in the world of roller derby. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret negotiated the deal for world rights.
Antonia Markiet and Megan Ilnitzki at HarperCollins have bought, in a preempt, world rights to debut author Alysa Wishingrad's The Verdigris Pawn, an upper middle grade fantasy novel about a boy who must break free from being a pawn in his father's quest for power if he is to save his people. Publication is slated for winter 2021; Victoria Marini at the Irene Goodman Agency brokered the deal.
Lauren Bisom at DC Comics has signed Shannon Hale (l.) and Dean Hale to write, and Victoria Ying to illustrate the first tween Wonder Woman graphic novel, Diana, Princess of the Amazons, for DC Comics' new DC Zoom imprint. Publication is planned for January 2020; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary represented the authors, and Heather Flaherty at the Bent Agency represented the illustrator, in the deal for world rights.
Nicole Sclama at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has acquired Frankie and Tin Heart author Shivaun Plozza's debut middle grade novel, The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars, about a 12-year-old boy searching for the wolf who can help return the Stars that were stolen from the sky by a Dark Witch, rescuing the land of Ulv from the witch's evil plans and the Dark Creatures that roam the night. Publication is set for fall 2020; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management did the deal for North American rights.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has bought a middle grade work of nonfiction by Kate Messner, Tracking Pythons: The Quest to Catch an Invasive Predator and Save an Ecosystem. The book looks at how invasive Burmese pythons are affecting southern Florida and what high-tech strategies scientists are using to keep these massive snakes from taking over the ecosystem. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Nancy Mercado at Dial has acquired Women Artists A-Z by Melanie LaBarge (l.) and illustrated by Caroline Corrigan, an alphabet picture book that highlights women artists. By using a concept from each artist's oeuvre (e.g. D is for Dots for Yayoi Kusama; S is for Spider for Louise Bourgeois), the book animates the life and stories of a diverse group of both known and unknown female artists, and introduces art concepts to children of all ages. Publication is set for spring 2020; Sarah Bowlin at Aevitas Creative represented the author and the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Jessica Echeverria at Lee & Low has bought world rights to Bethany Hegedus's (l.) Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou, illustrated by Tonya Engel, the first in-depth picture book biography of Dr. Angelou, tracing her life from her early days in Arkansas to her work as a freedom fighter and rise as a renowned poet, writer, and humanitarian. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary represented the author, and Gail Gaynin of Morgan Gaynin represented the illustrator.
Emily Feinberg at Roaring Brook has acquired world rights to Bye Land, Bye Sea, a bilingual picture book co-authored by Rodolfo Montalvo and René Spencer and illustrated by Montalvo, which tells the story of two children who meet on a deserted island and shows that friendship has no language barriers. The book is slated for winter 2021; Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media represented the author and the illustrator.
Louise May at Lee & Low has bought world rights to Monica Brown's (l.) Digging Up the Past: Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello, a bilingual picture book biography about the indigenous archaeologist considered the “father” of Peruvian archaeology. Peruvian-American illustrator Elisa Chavarri will provide the artwork. Publication is scheduled in 2020; Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and Claire Easton at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Allison Hunter Hill at Page Street Kids has acquired world rights to Celebration Bess, a picture book by Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia (l.), illustrated by Katie Hickey. A steadfast barn named Bess celebrates each season of farm life, but when a new owner plans to tear her down, Bess proves that she is made to stand the test of time. Publication is planned for fall 2020; the author represented herself, and Helen Boyle at Pickled Ink represented the illustrator.
Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books has acquired Estelle Laure's YA novel, Remember Me. Inspired by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the story follows Remy, who rediscovers herself while on a mission to recover the troubling memories she has had erased in order to avoid her heartbreak. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal for North American rights.
David Linker at HarperCollins has bought We Are the Ants author Shaun David Hutchinson's The State of Us, the story of Dean and Dre—the 16-year-old sons of the Republican and Democratic candidates for President of the United States—who fall in love on the sidelines of their parents' presidential campaigns. The book is planned for summer 2020; Katie Shea Boutillier at Donald Maass Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Joy Peskin at FSG has acquired North American rights to Indies Introduce New Voices author Marisa Reichardt's contemporary YA novel, Juniper Jade v. Her Parents. After contracting the measles and unknowingly passing them to a newborn, 16-year-old Juniper Jade fights her anti-vaxxer parents for the right to be vaccinated, as public sentiment in their small California town turns against her family. Publication is slated for winter 2021; Kate Testerman at KT Literary handled the deal.
Kelsy Thompson at Flux has bought Jennifer Gruenke's debut novel, Of Silver and Shadow, a YA high fantasy set in the magical world of Denfell, where Ren, a silver wielder in hiding, strikes a deal with a broody rebel plotting to overthrow the king. Publication is set for spring 2020; Hilary Harwell at KT Literary negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Kristin Rens at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired at auction Chantel Acevedo's middle grade debut, Muse Squad: The Cassandra Curse. The first book in a series, the story is centered on Callie Martinez, an 11-year old Cuban-American girl, who discovers she's one of the nine muses of classical history when she accidentally turns her best friend into a pop star. A Latino International Book Award winner and finalist of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, Acevedo is published on the adult side by Europa Editions. Publication is planned for summer 2020; Stéphanie Abou at Massie McQuilkin Literary Agents did the deal for North American, audio, and open market rights.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has bought two middle grade novels by Jamie Sumner. The Survival Playlist is the story of 12-year-old Lou Montgomery, a talented singer with a flighty, fame-hungry mother and an undiagnosed sensory processing disorder that makes performing nearly unbearable. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020, with a second, untitled novel to follow in fall 2021; Keely Boeving at WordServe Literary handled the deal for world rights.
Melissa Warten at FSG has acquired, at auction, author Sarah Allen's debut middle grade novel What Stars Are Made Of, an Own Voices novel that follows Libby, a smart, determined girl living with Turner syndrome who strikes a bargain with the universe to help her big sister's growing family, and along the way navigates a coming-of-age that is at once relatable and extraordinary. Publication is slated for winter 2020; Brianne Johnson at Writers House brokered the two-book, six-figure deal for North American English rights.
Phoebe Yeh at Crown has bought Betty Culley's middle grade novel Stone from the Sky. Science meets wonder when a boulder-sized meteorite falls in the field outside Henry's home in Maine, destroying roads and eventually washing away his house. Soon the town's water supply dries up, and it is up to Henry, who comes from a long line of water drillers and dowsers, to restore the flow of water—but what if he doesn't have the gift of water dowsing? Publication is set for fall 2021; Steven Chudney at the Chudney Agency handled the two-book deal for world rights.
Brian Geffen at Holt has acquired, in a preempt, Races to the Bottom of the Earth by Rebecca E.F. Barone. Equal parts adventure and science, the middle grade nonfiction book offers an account of two different races to the South Pole, bringing to life the expeditions of explorers separated by 100 years but intent on the same goal—completing a history-making journey to the end of the Earth. Publication is scheduled for winter 2021; Michael Bourret at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal for world rights.
Luana Horry at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Danielle Murrell Cox's debut board book My Hair, a celebration of the multiplicity and vibrancy of African-American/black hairstyles for girls. Publication is planned for summer 2020; Murrell Cox represented herself.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has acquired world rights to Marcie Flinchum Atkins's debut picture book, Wait, Rest, Pause, about how plants and animals use dormancy to survive harsh conditions in nature, for Millbrook's new nonfiction photographic picture book initiative. Publication is slated for September 2019; Roseanne Wells at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency brokered the deal.
Christian Trimmer at Holt has bought, in an exclusive submission, Santa Baby by Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox, in which Santa is feeling his age and uses a little Christmas magic to become young again—he's aiming for his 20s, but ends up a baby. And now, with just days before Christmas, the elves must teach Santa Baby all he needs to know to make the holiday a success. Publication is set for fall 2020; Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties did the deal for North American rights.
Stephanie Pitts at Putnam has acquired world rights to Amy Guglielmo's Just Being Dali, be illustrated by Brett Helquist, a picture book biography about the irrepressible individuality of the artist Salvador Dali. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Charlotte Wenger at Page Street Kids has bought world rights to Over in the Blue Ridge, a debut picture book by Laura Sperry Gardner (l.). The book is a southern Appalachian adaptation of the traditional folk song "Over in the Meadow." Stephanie Fizer Coleman will illustrate; publication is planned for winter 2021. The author represented herself, and Alex Gehringer at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has acquired world rights to Boats Will Float by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, illustrated by Brett Curzon. The picture book follows every kind of boat imaginable though their busy days and into their nighttime moorings. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency represented the author, and Christy T. Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Asia Citro at Innovation Press has bought world rights to Klyde the Kraken Wants a Hug, a picture book by Brooke Hartman (l.), illustrated by Katy Halford. When Klyde tries his monster-sized squeezes on some swashbuckling friends, things turn out less than ship-shape. Thankfully, his new pals teach Klyde the way to get the hugs he's looking for, in a tale that lightly broaches the topics of boundaries and consent. Publication is set for fall 2020; Clelia Gore at Martin Literary Management represented the author, and Bethany Sparks at Plum Pudding Illustration Agency represented the illustrator.
