Stacey Barney at Putnam has acquired Olivia Abtahi's YA novel Perfectly Parvin, pitched as an Iranian-American Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. When Parvin Mohammadi sets out to get Matty Fumero—the cutest boy at school—to ask her to homecoming, she creates a foolproof plan to win him over: 1) Don't talk so much; 2) Act like the heroines in her favorite rom-coms; 3) Basically be everything she's not. But a different boy from Farsi class may derail her plans by liking her just as she is. Publication is set for spring 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Zareen Jaffery at Simon & Schuster has bought The Black Kids, a YA coming-of-age story about a wealthy black teenager whose family gets caught in the vortex of the Rodney King riots. Debut author Christina Hammonds Reed was eight when the riots happened, and every day on her morning commute she drives through the Los Angeles neighborhoods that still bear the scars of '92. The book will release in fall 2020; David Doerrer at Abrams Artists Agency did the deal for North American rights.
Alex Arnold at Quirk has acquired, at auction, Anna Carey's This Is Not the Jess Show. The YA novel follows 17-year-old Jess as she discovers her so-called life is nothing more than a live-streaming TV show set in the '90s, in which Jess is the unwitting star. Publication is scheduled for August 2020; John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management brokered the two-book deal for world rights.
Jenna Lettice at Random House has bought Laura Wood's A Sky Painted Gold, a coming-of-age romance set in the 1920s, in which Lou, an aspiring writer, meets the handsome, enigmatic Robert Cardew and spends the summer dazzled by high society parties and intrigued by whispered secrets. Publication is planned for summer 2020; Antonia Pelari at Scholastic UK negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Arthur A. Levine kicks off his first list at the newly formed Levine Querido with Daniel Nayeri's 12-years-in-the-making autobiographical middle grade novel, Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story). The book tells the story of a boy who flees Iran as a small child, detours through a refugee camp in Italy, then winds up in middle school in Oklahoma, where he is met with both curiosity and suspicion. Nayeri is the publisher of Odd Dot, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. The projected pub date is fall 2020; Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media brokered the preempt offer for North American and Dutch rights.
Jonathan Westmark at Albert Whitman has acquired world English rights to Anna Humphrey's Quack, a middle grade novel about Shady, a boy with selective mutism, and his best friend, Pouya, who accidentally bring home a duckling that becomes Shady's emotional support animal. Publication is set for spring 2020; Amy Tompkins at the Transatlantic Agency did the deal.
Neal Porter has acquired for his imprint at Holiday House Bear Builds a House by Maxwell Eaton III, author-illustrator of The Truth About... nonfiction series. From site selection to blueprints, foundation to faucets, and everything in between, will Bear and her friends, Beaver, Woodchuck, Bobcat, and Raccoon manage to finish building her home before winter arrives? The book is slated for fall 2021; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio handled the deal for world rights.
Maria Modugno at Random House has bought Jennifer Black Reinhardt's I Will Always, a story to remind us that our favorite stuffed animals will always love and grow with us. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Marietta Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights, open market.
Jennifer Newens at West Margin has bought Kolkata-based author-illustrator Kunal Kundu's Wildlife on Paper, a picture book with illustrations of endangered animals created by crumpled paper art superimposed on digital environments. Publication is planned for fall 2020; Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Julia Sooy at Holt/Godwin has signed Mucky Truck, a picture book by Ammi-Joan Paquette (l.), illustrated by Elisa Ferro, in which a little truck gets stuck in the mud, and all his vehicle friends try to help but get stuck as well, resulting in a muddy good time. Publication is slated for winter 2021; Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Tom Thorogood of Good Illustration represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Christianne Jones at Capstone has acquired world English rights to Pacho Nacho, a picture book by Silvia López, illustrated by Pablo Pino. Mamá and Papá could not agree on a name for their first baby, so they name him Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico. But when Pacho finds himself in trouble, his younger brother, Juan, must quickly find help, which isn't easy when you have to keep saying Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico. Publication is set for spring 2020; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Samantha Groff at Advocate Art represented the illustrator.
Andrea Tompa at Candlewick has bought world rights to Atticus Caticus by Sarah Maizes (l.), illustrated by Kara Kramer. Pitched as slam poetry for little beatniks, the picture book follows a day in the life of one very cool cat. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; Linda Pratt at the Wernick & Pratt Agency represented the author, and Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the illustrator.
Rachel Kellehar at Nosy Crow has acquired world rights to Rebecca Colby's picture book, This Is the Castle the King Built, in which masons, blacksmiths, knights, bakers, minstrels, and other medieval workers demonstrate that it took more than monarchs to build a castle and make it a home. Tom Froese will illustrate; publication is slated for fall 2020. Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Grace Bird at Making Pictures represented the illustrator.
Kelsey Skea at Amazon/Two Lions has bought world rights, in an exclusive submission, to Colleen Rowan Kosinski's (l.) A Home Again, a picture book about a house that is devastated when its beloved family leaves and wonders if it can become a home once more. Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor winner Tricia Tusa will illustrate. Publication is planned for fall 2020; Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors represented the author, and Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties represented the illustrator.
Rebecca Glaser at Amicus Ink has acquired world rights to A Little Round Panda on the Big Blue Earth, written by Tory Christie and illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell, their second collaboration. The book features ever-widening views that take the reader from close to far away. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; the author was unagented, and Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Andrew Eliopulos at HarperCollins has acquired Stay Gold by playwright Tobly McSmith, a debut YA novel set in Texas about a transgender boy and a cisgender girl who must overcome small-town biases and their own insecurities to explore the sparks that fly between them from the moment they meet. Publication is set for summer 2020; Tina Dubois at ICM Partners negotiated the deal for world rights.
Alex Sanchez at Razorbill has bought Gabby Noone's debut YA rom-com, Layoverland. Set in an airport purgatory, the book follows 17-year-old Bea Fox, who must help other souls move on if she ever wants to catch a flight out herself, but her first assigned case is the boy who caused the crash that killed them both, and to her horror she might be falling for him. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Dana Murphy at the Book Group brokered the deal for world rights.
Hannah Smith at Owl Hollow has bought middle grade novels Kiki MacAdoo and the Graveyard Ballerinas and its sequel by retired ballerina and debut author Colette Sewall. Eleven-year-old Kiki MacAdoo and her older sister go to Mount Faylinn Dance Conservatory for the summer, ignoring the brochure's mysterious warning that “ballets come alive” in the nearby forest. But after her sister disappears, it's up to Kiki to brave the woods and save her sister from the ghost sylphs that dance girls to their deaths. Publication is planned for summer 2020; Britt Siess at Martin Literary & Media Management negotiated the deal for North American English rights.
Courtney Code at Abrams has acquired, in an exclusive submission, From A to Z, written and illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch. The story follows two elementary school boys with crushes on each other, whose relationship blooms through the passing of love notes. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Alison Deering at Capstone has acquired world English rights to Lisa Gerlits's novel, A Many Feathered Thing, a middle grade debut exploring art, friendship, and loss. Eleven-year-old Clara is determined to do every hard thing in her path in her quest to become a real artist. Little does Clara know, the biggest challenges are yet to come. Publication is set for March 2020; Shannon Hassan at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency handled the deal.
Clarissa Wong at HarperCollins has preempted Dress Like a Girl illustrator Lorian Tu's debut as an author-illustrator, Family Song. The picture book is a tribute to sibling-hood, creativity, cultural identity, and the loving celebrations of a multi-ethnic family. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Molly O'Neill at Root Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Tom Peterson at the Creative Company has bought world rights to A Songauthor-illustrator Jim Carroll to illustrate Walt Whitman's The World Below the Brine, a free-verse poem about the variety and beauty of life in the ocean. Publication is planned for fall 2020; Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary negotiated the deal.
Lee Wade at Random House/Schwartz & Wade has acquired world rights to The Creature of Habit by YA novelist Jennifer E. Smith, illustrated by Leo Espinosa, a picture book about a lovable creature on the Island of Habit whose daily routine is disrupted when a new creature shows up and turns everything upside down. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Jenn Joel at ICM Partners represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Andrea Tompa at Candlewick has bought world rights to Time for Bed, Old House by Janet Costa Bates, illustrated by AG Ford. In the picture book, a boy has his first sleepover at his grandfather's house and learns how to put the house to bed. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; the author represented herself, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Sarah Rockett at Sleeping Bear has acquired world rights to Mae the Mayfly by Denise Brennan-Nelson (l.), illustrated by Florence Weiser. The book features Mae, who, after learning she will only have a day to enjoy the world, must decide whether to spend her time afraid or embracing it all. Publication is set for March 2020; the author represented herself, and James Burns at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
