Sarah Barley at Flatiron Books has acquired North American rights to Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber, author of the bestselling Caraval trilogy. It's the first in a new series about a girl who can’t resist a bargain with the mythic Prince of Hearts to stop her beloved from marrying another, even though it may cost her more than she'd intended. Publication is scheduled for September 2021; Jenny Bent at the Bent Agency negotiated the two-book deal.
Alexa Pastor at Simon & Schuster has bought world rights to The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott, co-author of the bestselling novel Five Feet Apart. In this story of identity, Emily finds comfort in her late mother's high school bucket list and a new girl, Blake, who recently moved back to town, in a story about learning who you are and who you love when the person you've always shared yourself with is gone. Publication is set for June 2021; Rachel Ekstrom and Emily van Beek at Folio Jr. / Folio Literary Management did the deal.
Maggie Lehrman at Abrams has won world English rights at auction to Fresh by Epic Reads founder Margot Wood. The debut novel is a queer coming-of-age story that follows a freshman at Emerson College as she navigates the highs and lows of her first year away from home. Told in first person, and often breaking the fourth wall, Fresh draws inspiration from Jane Austen's Emma, but with a modern edge. Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media brokered the deal, which is tentatively slated for fall 2021.
Hannah Smith at Owl Hollow Press has acquired world rights to Eavesdropper, a YA fantasy by Jennifer Jenkins. When voices inside Ebony's head pull her into one bad situation after another, she is sent away with a group of craftsmen to act as the governor's ambassador to the country over the mountain. As she discovers that the strange whispers may be the key to uncovering a plot to destroy her homeland, she realizes they could prove her loyalty to her people, or lead to her undoing. Publication is planned for spring 2022; the author represented herself.
Andrea Colvin at Little, Brown has bought, in a preempt, Bones Leopard's middle-grade graphic novel, Identical, about twins Blue and Tally, who are identical in every way, except Blue is hiding a secret—they are nonbinary—and they worry that revealing this to Tally will irrevocably change their relationship. Publication is scheduled for spring2023. Maria Vicente at P.S. Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Susan Kochan at Putnam has acquired Make Way for Fenway!, a chapter book series by Victoria J. Coe (l.), illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, starring the rambunctious Jack Russell terrier from Coe’s Fenway and Hattie series. The first two books are slated for spring 2022. Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt and Zacker Literary represented the author, and Mela Bolinao at MB Artists represented the illustrator in the four-book deal for North American English rights.
Anna Roberto and Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends have bought two picture books, in a preempt, by author-illustrator Taimani Reed. A Is for Ally is based on the artist's bestselling posters and focuses on actionable ways for children and families to be allies. Publication is set for fall 2022, with the second due in fall 2023. Bernadette Baker-Baughman of Victoria Sanders & Associates brokered the deal.
Liz Bicknell at Candlewick Press has acquired world rights to Cool Green, a picture book by Pura Belpré Award Honoree Lulu Delacre. In the book, created to honor the expertise of immigrant gardeners and landscapers who often work undocumented, a Latino landscaper shares his knowledge of trees and nature with his granddaughter, celebrating the interconnectedness of trees and forests. Publication is planned for spring 2023, and the author-illustrator represented herself in the deal.
Anne Schwartz at Random House/Anne Schwartz Books has bought The Mermaid Moon, by Briony May Smith, creator of Margaret's Unicorn. This picture book follows two friends— a mermaid, and a human girl— as they celebrate the Mermaid Moon Festival, a magical night when sea creatures can leave the ocean and explore the human world. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022. Charlie Bowden of Pickled Ink negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kendra Levin at Simon & Schuster has acquired world rights to an untitled picture book biography of Dr. Anthony Fauci, written by Kate Messner (l.) and illustrated by Alexandra Bye. The book, set for summer 2021, will contain several pages of backmatter, including a timeline of Dr. Fauci's life, a spread of facts about vaccines and how they work, and five tips for future scientists. Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Agency represented the author and Kate Kendrick at Astound represented the illustrator.
Erin Clarke at Knopf has bought The Tiny Star by Mem Fox (l.), illustrated by Freya Blackwood, a circle of life picture book about a tiny star that falls to earth and becomes a person. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Nerrilee Weir of Penguin Random House Australia did the deal for North American rights.
Meredith Mundy at Abrams Appleseed has acquired world rights to SpookyTale by Christopher Franceschelli, illustrated by Allison Black, a Halloween-themed interactive board book leading the reader on an adventure to and through a haunted house. Publication is slated for fall 2021, with a second book about Santa's workshop to follow in fall 2022. The author represented himself on behalf of his company, SmartInk Books; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Frances Gilbert at Doubleday has bought world rights to A Donkey's Song, written by Jacki Kellum (l.) and illustrated by Sydney Hanson, a Christmas nativity story told from the point of view of the donkey that brought Mary and Joseph to the stable in Bethlehem. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022. The text was acquired as a result of #PBPitch on Twitter; Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates brokered the deal.
Callie Metler at Clear Fork has acquired world English rights to Inspire the World: A Kid's Journey to Making a Difference by Samantha Vance (l.), illustrated by Talitha Shipman. This nonfiction photo book describes Samantha's journey, which began on her school's playground when she collected plastic caps for a buddy bench for her school; Samantha's one-cap-at-a-time act of kindness has since spread across the country. Publication is set for fall 2021; Victoria Selvaggio at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and Talitha Shipman represented herself.
Helen Wu at Yeehoo Press has bought world rights to Rosie J. Pova's (l.) picture book The School of Failure: A Story About Success, a fractured fairytale that shows that the road to success is paved with imperfect action and flops. Monika Filipina will illustrate; publication is slated for spring 2022 in the U.S. and mainland China. Jessica Schmeidler at the Golden Wheat Literary represented the author, and Lucie Luddington and Ilaria Vigilante at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Barbara Herndon at Zonderkidz has acquired world rights to Bunny Finds Easter by Laura Sassi (l.), illustrated by Ela Jarzabek. This holiday board book is a rhyming tale about a young bunny in search of the true meaning of Easter. Publication is planned for February 2022; Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency represented the author, and Amanda Hendon at Advocate-Art represented the illustrator.
