Andrew Eliopulos at HarperCollins has acquired When You Look Like Us by debut author Pamela Harris. When Jay Murphy, an African-American teen living in Newport News, Va., realizes his older sister Nic has disappeared, he goes to the police and is told that girls like Nic, who “roll with trouble,” go missing all the time. But Jay knows what they really mean—they don't care about another missing black girl—and if he wants to find Nic, he'll have to do it himself. Publication is scheduled for winter 2021; Viana Siniscalchi, Sara Shandler, and Josh Bank at Alloy Entertainment handled the deal; Sarah LaPolla at Bradford Literary Agency represented the author.
Laura Schreiber at Disney-Hyperion has bought, in a six-figure deal, Final Draft author Riley Redgate's Alone Out Here. Pitched as Lord of the Flies in space, this YA thriller is set in a future in which the First Daughter and 53 other teens end up on the only ship escaping a dying Earth and must contend with being the last hope for humanity's survival as they fight to preserve their own humanity. Publication is expected in spring/summer 2021; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Trisha de Guzman at FSG has acquired, in a two-book deal, at auction, world English rights to Rose Szabo's debut, What Big Teeth, a gothic YA fantasy pitched as a Lovecraftian take on The Addams Family, with a dash of Pan's Labyrinth. It's the tale of one seemingly human girl's attempt to reconnect with her inhuman family—to nightmarish results—while coming to understand that true monstrousness is much more than skin deep. Publication is slated for winter 2021; Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
Julie Rosenberg at Razorbill has bought Kelly deVos's YA thriller Eat Your Heart Out, which follows six disgruntled teens forced to spend two weeks at fat camp during the worst blizzard in a century, only to find that camp is even worse than they expected because it's crawling with zombies. Publication is planned for 2021; Alice Sutherland-Hawes at Madeleine Milburn Ltd. brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.
Kaylan Adair at Candlewick Press has acquired, in a six-figure preempt, activist and Forbes Under 30 member Frederick Joseph's YA debut, The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person, a nonfiction collection of essays, interviews, and personal history that stemmed from a viral Tweet and aims to serve as an entry point for young readers to discuss race, privilege, and problematic behaviors. Publication is set for spring 2021; Alexander Slater at Trident Media Group did the deal for world English rights.
Mark Siegel at First Second has bought Climate Change, Danica Norvgorodoff's YA graphic novel, which ranges from the tsunamis and hurricanes that devastate entire populations to the scrim of pollution and the warming weather that has changed our ecosystems gradually. Publication is scheduled for 2021; Tanya McKinnon at McKinnon Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Filip Sablik at BOOM! Studios has acquired, for the BOOM! Box imprint, debut author-illustrator Sas Milledge's graphic novel Mimon, about a teen witch who must confront her grandmother's ghost to lift a curse and save her town from ruin. Publication is expected in spring 2021; Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Lisa Sandell at Scholastic Focus has bought Lawrence Goldstone's Separate No More, about the Supreme Court's impact on segregation in America, from Plessy v. Ferguson, when racial separation became fixed in the Constitution, to the landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, when a team of African-American lawyers persuaded nine white justices that “separate but equal is inherently unequal.” Publication is slated for 2021; Charlie Olsen at InkWell Management did the deal for world English rights.
Lauren Hooker at Seven Stories/Triangle Square has acquired Jane Jacobs: Champion of Cities, Champion of People, by debut author Rebecca Pitts. This YA biography of Jane Jacobs, the visionary urbanist and thinker who transformed the way we inhabit and develop our cities, emphasizes how today's teens can promote change in part by focusing on local issues and community organizing. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Bibi Lewis at the Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Hannah Smith at Owl Hollow has bought Candice Marley Conner's YA mystery, The Existence of Bea Pearl, about 16-year-old Bea's quest through the Southern marshlands to find her brother when everyone else, including her shattered family, believes he is dead. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; Priya Doraswamy at Lotus Lane Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Rosemary Brosnan at HarperCollins has acquired, in a two-book deal, world rights to author and filmmaker Brian Young's #OwnVoices middle grade novels, about an 11-year-old Navajo who sets out to heal a sick Water Monster, a Holy Being from the Navajo creation mythology, in current times. The first book is slated for 2021; Dan Mandel at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates negotiated the deal.
Mora Couch at Holiday House has bought world rights, in a two-book deal, to The Boys of Fire and Ash author Meaghan McIsaac's new middle grade series, The Bear House. Told in multiple perspectives, the series is set in a gritty medieval fantasy world where the ruling houses are based on constellations. When the unimaginable happens and their father is deposed, two royal sisters are forced to go on the run. Publication is set for fall 2020, and 2021; Ali McDonald at the Rights Factory did the deal.
Sarah Jane Abbott at S&S/Wiseman has acquired world rights to Samantha M. Clark's middle-grade novel Arrow, in which a boy grows up among the trees and animals in a hidden magical forest; when it's discovered by other humans, he must choose between being with them and saving his home. Publication is planned for summer 2021; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency brokered the deal.
Andrew Arnold at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Brian Smith's Pea, Bee, & Jay, an early graphic novel series about three unlikely friends—a pea, a bee, and a blue jay—who band together to help each other out in a time of need. Publication for books 1 and 2 is set for fall 2020, with book 3 to follow in summer 2021, and book 4 in winter 2022; the author was unagented.
Tracy Gates at Viking has acquired, at auction, Viking in Love and a second untitled picture book written and illustrated by Doug Cenko (My Papa Is a Princess). When a Viking becomes smitten with a fierce warrior-princess, he must conquer his fear of the sea to say hello to her. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Laurel Symonds at the Bent Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Jasmin Rubero and Joanna Cárdenas at Kokila have bought two bilingual photographic concept board books by Alex Rivera, inspired by his Instagram photo series chronicling the Bronx. Bronxtones teaches colors through the vibrant palette of the Bronx, and Bronxshapes focuses on familiar shapes as they appear in the borough. The board books will publish simultaneously in fall 2020; the creator represented himself in the deal for world rights.
John Morgan at Macmillan/Imprint has acquired author-illustrator Peter Stein's A Tree for Mr. Fish, a picture book about a stubborn and standoffish fish who lives in a tree and learns to share. Publication is slated for spring 2021; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Katherine Harrison at Knopf has bought, at auction, Margaux Meganck's debut picture book People Are Wild, which explores human behavior from an animal's perspective, drawing from our similarities and differences the conclusion that all creatures deserve respect. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary Agency negotiated the two-book, six-figure deal for world rights.
Nancy Mercado at Dial has acquired world rights to ¡Canta Conmigo! The Story of Selena Quintanilla, a debut picture book by author and Corpus Christi native Diana López (l.), illustrated by Teresa Martinez. Known as the Queen of Tejano Music, Selena never forgot her roots in Corpus Christi and continues to inspire others to follow their dreams. Publication is set for April 2021, to coincide with what would have been Selena's 50th birthday; Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and Emily Coggins at Astound represented the artist.
Ann Kelley at Random House/Schwartz & Wade has bought world rights to Kyo Maclear's (l.) The Big Bath House, a story inspired by the author's memories of childhood visits to Japan where she accompanied her maternal grandmother to the public baths. Gracey Zhang will illustrate; publication is set for spring 2022. A second text by Maclear, The (In)Activity Book, about the neglected art of occasionally doing nothing, will follow. Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and Hannah Mann at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to two titles: Where Do Creatures Sleep at Night by Steve Simmons (Alice and Greta) and Where Do Big Creatures Sleep at Night by Simmons and his son Cliff. Ruth E. Harper (The Kissing Hand) will illustrate both. Rhyming text explores where different animals rest overnight, including butterflies, rabbits, dogs—and yes, human kids. Publication is planned for fall 2021 and spring 2022, respectively; the authors represented themselves, and Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Kate DePalma at Barefoot Books has bought world rights to Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes by Lisa Rosinsky (l.), writing as Skye Silver, illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson (While You Are Sleeping). This sing-along book features a modern family enjoying a day of healthy habits, set to the familiar children's tune. Publication is scheduled for autumn 2020; the illustrator was unagented.
Mark Podesta at Henry Holt has acquired world rights, in an exclusive submission, to When You Call My Name by Tucker Shaw, a YA novel set in the 1990s that follows 17-year-olds Adam and Ben as they discover their sexuality, face the devastating loss of first love, and ultimately, discover the power of new love and community. Addressing grief, homophobia, privilege, and HIV/AIDS, the novel sheds light on a pivotal time in American queer history. Publication is slated for spring 2021; Dan Mandel at Sanford J. Greenburger brokered the deal.
Francesco Sedita and Nathaniel Tabachnik at Penguin Workshop have bought world rights for Beyond the Break, a debut YA novel by Heather Buchta. After her brother's surfing accident, 17-year-old Lovette had two rules: no surfing, and no dating. But when Jake Evans walks into her life, following these rules becomes a lot more complicated. In the vein of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han, the novel deals with what it's like for a Christian teenager who is questioning what it means to be faithful: to God, to family, and to herself. Publication is set for 2020; Michael Bourret at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret did the deal for world rights.
Hannah VanVels at Blink has acquired world English rights to Hanna Howard's Ignite the Sun, in which a 16-year-old who has never seen the sun sets out to banish the Darkness, but her quest could either bring back the light or doom the kingdom to shadow forever. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; Jenny Bent at the Bent Agency negotiated the deal.
Kelsey Horton at Delacorte has acquired world rights to Fairy Tale Reform School series author Jen Calonita's The Retake, a middle grade twist on time travel, about a girl who discovers a mysterious app that allows her to redo different moments captured by social media and mend her friendship with her ex-best friend. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Dan Mandel at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates brokered the deal.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has bought All of Me author Chris Baron's Made of Clay. Set against the backdrop of the 1989 San Francisco earthquake in a town of refugees who came to America via Angel Island, the middle grade novel in verse is about a boy who is selectively mute and a girl who won't leave her house because of a skin condition and the magical Jewish clay that allows them to help each other. Publication is set for spring 2021; Rena Rossner at the Deborah Harris Agency handled the deal for North American rights.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has acquired Across the Pond, a middle grade novel by Joy McCullough (Blood Water Paint) inspired by the author's childhood years spent living in a Scottish castle, with shades of The Secret Garden. The novel follows 12-year-old Callie, whose American family moves to Scotland after inheriting a castle. Callie is determined to keep to herself after leaving friendship drama behind back home, but when she finds a birding journal from the 1940s, she's unprepared for where it will lead her. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret negotiated the deal.
Tricia Lin at Aladdin has bought North American rights for The Beast and the Bethany by debut author Jack Meggitt-Phillips. Pitched as Lemony Snicket meets Dorian Gray, the middle grade novel is a Dahl-esque tale about Ebenezer Tweezer, an incredibly shallow man, and his friendship with Bethany, an incredibly naughty girl, and the prospect of at least one of them getting eaten by the beast in the attic. Publication is planned for spring 2021 for the first book in the series; Rachel Mann at Jo Unwin Literary Agency did the two-book deal.
Kelly Delaney at Knopf has acquired, at auction, Time Travel for Love and Profit by Edgar Award finalist Sarah Lariviere (The Bad Kid). The book tells the story of a math prodigy who invents time travel in order to re-do a disastrous freshman year, only to become stuck in a time loop that results in her re-doing ninth grade 10 times in a row. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Susan Hawk at Upstart Crow Literary brokered the deal for North American rights.
Grace Kendall at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has bought My Super Life at One Ocean Avenue, the third middle-grade novel by Josephine Cameron (Maybe a Mermaid). The story follows 11-year-old Zinnia, who finds her way through grief by partnering with her aunt and upstairs neighbors on a team of “real” superheroes. Publication is set for spring 2021; John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Karen Wojtyla at S&S/McElderry has preempted North American rights to debut author Betsy Uhrig's middle-grade adventure, Double the Danger and Zero Zucchini, about a boy whose efforts to add some excitement to his aunt's deadly dull, zucchini-themed children's book lead to a series of escalating and suspenseful encounters. The book is due in fall 2020; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency did the two-book deal.
Andrea Colvin at Little, Brown has acquired Deya Muniz's debut middle-grade graphic novel, The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and a second book, in which Lady Camembert, a denizen of the Kingdom of Fromage, must disguise herself as a man in order to inherit her father's estate, but her secret becomes difficult to keep once she falls in love with the royal Princess Brie. Publication will begin in spring 2021; the author was unagented.
Julie Matysik and Kristin Kiser at Running Press Kids have bought world rights to wellness expert Mallika Chopra's (l.) third middle-grade nonfiction book Just Be You, illustrated by Brenna Vaughan, a guide for kids focusing on setting intentions, gaining self-reflection, and being of service to oneself, one's family, and one's community. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Linda Loewenthal at the Loewenthal Company represented the author, and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator.
Chris Hernandez at Razorbill has acquired, at auction, debut author-illustrator Mike White's Mellybean and the Giant Monster, plus two additional books in this middle grade graphic novel series pitched as Secret Life of Pets meets Alice in Wonderland. In the story, a dog named Melly is magically transported to another world after digging a hole in her backyard. As she searches for a way home, Melly finds herself in the middle of a feud between a giant monster and a greedy king, and she may be the only one who can help. Publication of the first book is set for fall 2020; Gemma Cooper at the Bent Agency negotiated the three-book deal for world rights.
Kelsy Thompson at Jolly Fish Press has bought world English rights to Melissa Hope's debut novel, Sea of Kings, a middle grade fantasy pitched as Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Maze Runner, where royal brothers Noa and Dagan must follow a magical map and confront a legendary one-eyed pirate before evil takes over their world. Publication is planned for fall 2020; the author is unagented.
Kate O'Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has acquired Julie Rowan-Zoch's I'm a Hare, So There! Rowan-Zoch's first project as author-illustrator combines fact and funny as it teaches kids the differences between seemingly similar animals. Publication is slated for summer 2021; Marcia Wernick at Wernick & Pratt Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Donna Bray at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought debut author-illustrator Tessa Allen's Sometimes People March, an introduction to activism and call to action for readers of all ages. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; Emmanuelle Morgen at Stonesong handled the deal for world rights.
Christy Cox at Little Bigfoot has acquired world English rights to Andy Musser's debut picture book, A Home Under the Stars, a story of magic and the difficulties of moving to a new place. Publication is set for fall 2021; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented Musser.
Kelsey Skea at Amazon/Two Lions has bought world rights to animation director and debut author-illustrator Kataneh Vahdani's two picture books, Kat and Juju and an untitled sequel. Kat is an imaginative but timid girl who does things her own way, but sometimes she doubts herself. When a large gregarious bird named Juju shows up on her birthday, everything begins to change. Publication is planned for summer 2021 and summer 2022, respectively; Fonda Snyder at Alchemy Ink represented the author-illustrator.
Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to Rajani LaRocca's Bracelets for Brothers, a picture book about a girl who uses patterns to make her three older brothers bracelets for the Hindu holiday Raksha Bandhan. Chaaya Prabhat will illustrate; publication is slated for spring 2021, as part of the new Storytelling Math series. Brent Taylor at Triada US represented the author, and Christy T. Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Jess Harold at Scholastic has bought, at auction, world rights to Bisa's Carnaval by Joana Pastro (l.), illustrated by Carolina Coroa, a picture book told through the eyes of a girl eager to celebrate Carnaval with her bisa (great-grandmother), complete with bright costumes, flowers, feathers, and plenty of glitter. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Natascha Morris at BookEnds Literary represented the author, and Amanda Hendon at Advocate Art represented the artist.
Wendy McClure at Albert Whitman has acquired world rights to two picture books by Hallee Adelman (l.), illustrated by Sandra de la Prada. The first book, Way Past Mad, about a girl named Keya who starts her day so mad at her little brother it affects everything around her, will be published in March 2020. The second, Way Past Worried, about a boy named Brock who is so nervous to attend a birthday party that he hides in a tree, will publish in September 2020. Moe Ferrara at BookEnds Literary represented the author, and Ellen Simmons at Illo Agency represented the illustrator.
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has bought world rights to Laura Sassi's picture book Little Ewe: The Story of One Lost Sheep, a retelling of the parable of the lost sheep. The story follows a curious sheep with a knack for getting lost and counting critters along the way, and the shepherd's persistent search for her. Tommy Doyle will illustrate; publication is set for November 2020. The author represented herself, and Lucie Luddington at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
