Alex Sanchez, while at Razorbill, acquired Live, Laugh, Kidnap by Gabby Noone, author of Layoverland; Ruta Rimas will edit. This YA novel, inspired in part by 9 to 5, follows three teen girls who get caught up in a rivalry between a New Age cult and exploitative megachurch and come up with a plot to exact revenge on the church: they'll fake the kidnapping of the pastor's golden son, and extort the church for ransom money. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Dana Murphy at the Book Group negotiated the deal for world rights.
Elizabeth Stranahan at Crown has bought the YA thriller Murder, She Texted by author and YouTube personality Alexa Donne. In this California coastal mystery, Cecelia's new small town is struck by a killer whose murder is pulled straight from the pages of her grandmother's bestselling book. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Elana Roth Parker at Laura Dail Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
Elizabeth Agyemang at HMH has acquired Ride with Me by Lucy Keating (Literally; Dreamology), which follows 17-year-old Charlie, a ride-share driver whose plan for the perfect, no-strings-attached graduation trip is ruined when she finds herself driving (and falling for) the school's cute but annoying party boy after wrecking his car. Publication is slated for spring 2022; Pete Knapp at Park & Fine Literary and Media did the deal for world rights.
Camille Kellogg, while at Imprint, bought Dream to Me by Megan Paasch; Rachel Diebel at Feiwel and Friends will edit. In this debut YA contemporary novel about grief and forgiveness, a girl fears her dreams may be causing a rash of comas in a small Pacific Northwest town while she grapples with the untimely death of her father. Publication is set for winter 2023; Moe Ferrara at BookEnds Literary negotiated the deal for world rights; Natascha Morris at Tobias Literary now represents the author.
Brett Israel at Dark Horse has acquired The Marble Queen by Anna Kopp, illustrated by Gabrielle Kari, a sapphic YA graphic novel with sword fighting, political intrigue and magic, where the princess needs a marriage alliance for the welfare of her people, but she unknowingly accepts a proposal from a mysterious kingdom, not from the prince but the recently coronated queen. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Claire Draper at the Bent Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Beverly Horowitz and Alison Romig at Delacorte have bought world English rights to the sequel to the late Robert Kimmel Smith's classic, The War with Grandpa. The War with Grandma, written by Ann Dee Ellis with Smith before his death, follows the same family one generation later, as 12-year-old Meg squares off against her visiting grandmother when the pair are partnered in a local competition. Publication is scheduled for summer 2021; John Cusick at Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal.
Grace Kendall at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Thanks to You, Pandita Paul by National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins. Twelve-year-old Pandita, growing up in Silicon Valley amid the Bay Area housing crisis, agrees to join the Historical Society's efforts to save an abandoned home that used to be her late mother's refuge. As her family argues over pro-development or affordable housing, Pandita learns that her voice is needed to shape a new direction for her family and town. Publication is set for spring 2022; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary did the two-book deal for world English rights.
Margaret Ferguson at Holiday House has bought The Lost Language by Claudia Mills. This middle-grade novel in verse follows sixth-grade friends Bumble and Lizard and their attempts to save an endangered language. Mills is the author of several chapter book series including After-School Superstars, Franklin School Friends, The Nora Notebooks, and Mason Dixon. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Stephen Fraser at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Taylor Norman at Chronicle has acquired Don't Trust the Cat by Kristen Tracy. The middle-grade novel tells the story of a fourth grader whose life spirals out of control when she magically swaps places with her cat and explores the tricky relationship between a dutiful cat owner and her out-of-control pet as they each struggle to exist in bodies and worlds where they don't know how to fit. Publication is planned for 2023; Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Mari Kesselring at Jolly Fish has bought Lemon Drop Falls by Heather Clark. Pitched as The Thing About Jellyfish meets Caterpillar Summer, this middle grade contemporary coming-of-age debut with dual timelines spotlights Morgan's spiraling anxiety following her mother's sudden death. To prove to everyone that she's not broken, Morgan sets off alone to hike a dangerous canyon trail. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary did the deal for world English rights.
Hannah Smith at Owl Hollow has acquired Calix and the Fire Demon by debut author Ron Walters. When 12-year-old Calix O'Shaughnessy releases an Irish fire demon imprisoned 1,500 years earlier, he learns he's an heir to St. Patrick, tasked with ridding the world of supernatural threats. Publication is slated for fall 2022; David Dunton at Harvey Klinger Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
Alyssa Mito Pusey at Charlesbridge has bought Saving the Amazon by Jennifer Swanson, a middle grade nonfiction book adapted from one of the most popular exhibits in the Field Museum in Chicago, which takes the reader on a trek to save the Amazon rainforest, led by a fearless female team of scientists. Publication is set for summer 2023; Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic negotiated the deal for world rights.
Alessandra Balzer at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired at auction Dear Black Child by Rahma Rodaah (l.). Inspired by the author’s own experience, this picture book in free verse explores race and racism and celebrates resilience. Also included in the deal is a second picture book, Dear Muslim Child. Lydia Mba will illustrate Dear Black Child. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists did the deal for the author for world rights excluding Canada, and Marzena Torzecka at the Marlena Agency represented Mba.
Clarissa Wong at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Eyes That Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho (l.), a picture book about an Asian boy, bullied for the shape of his eyes, who comes to realize that his eyes are like his father's, his grandfather's, and his little brother's; they connect him to his history and future. Dung Ho will illustrate; the two previously collaborated on Eyes That Kiss in the Corners. Publication is scheduled for winter 2022. Caryn Wiseman represented the author.
Connie Hsu at Roaring Brook has acquired world rights to If Dinosaurs Had Hair by Dan Marvin, illustrated by Lesley Vamos. This irreverent picture book imagines what prehistoric life would have been like if dinosaurs had hair. Publication is slated for fall 2022. BookEnds handled the sale for the author, and Natascha Morris at Tobias Literary represented the author; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary represented the illustrator.
Nikki Garcia at Little, Brown has bought Help Mom Work from Home! written by Diana Murray (l.) and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld, a picture book about working from home with Mom told from the point of the view of the child. Publication is set for fall 2021; Brianne Johnson at Writers House represented the author, and Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the illustrator.
Janine O'Malley at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has acquired world rights to What's Up, Pup? by Kersten Hamilton (l.), a picture book about the language of dogs. Lili Chin, known for her dog behavior infographics, will illustrate. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary represented the author, and Lilly Ghahremani at Full Circle Literary represented the illustrator.
Aneeka Kalia at Viking has bought world rights to A Mermaid Girl by Sana Rafi (l.), illustrated by Olivia Aserr. The picture book follows young Heba who wears her burkini to the community pool for the first time. When Heba stands out more than she expected to, her Mama helps her to love herself and this cultural tradition a little bit more, making Heba feel connected to the mermaid girls who came before her. Publication is set for summer 2022; James McGowan at BookEnds represented the author, and Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary represented the illustrator.
Paula Wiseman at S&S/Wiseman acquired world rights to The Book of John: The Loving Legacy of Congressman John Lewis by Lesa Cline Ransome, illustrated by James Ransome. This picture book biography details the late congressman's nonviolent activism and his commitment to utilizing love as a force to overcome hatred. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Semareh Al-Hillal at Groundwood has bought world rights to Time to Shine: Celebrating the World's Iridescent Animals by Woodland Dreams author Karen Jameson, illustrated by Dave Murray. This nonfiction picture book explores how animals use iridescence to survive and thrive in nature. Publication is slated for spring 2022; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary represented the author and Isabella Zelonka at i2i Art represented the illustrator.
Jennifer Newens at West Margin has acquired rights, in an exclusive submission, to The Littlest Airplane by Brooke Hartman, illustrated by John Joseph. This picture book is about a little bush plane who proves you don't have to be big to be brave during a storm rescue. Publication is planned for April 2022; Clelia Gore at Martin Literary & Media Management represented the author, and Aurora Barlam at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear has bought world rights to Monsters in the Briny by debut author Lynn Becker, illustrated by Scott Brundage. Told in sea shanty verse, this picture book's feisty pirate and her crew must defend their ship from sea monsters determined to sink them. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; Lori Steel at Raven Quill Literary represented the author, and Justin Ricker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator.
Melinda Rathjen at WorthyKids has acquired Once Upon a Christmas by Dawn Young, illustrated by Kenneth Anderson. Nothing is going as planned for the Three Bears at their Christmas Eve party or for Santa, whose sleigh plunged into the lagoon, until the Three Little Pigs, Big Foot, and the others work together to make everything right. Publication is set for October 2021; Mary Cummings at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises represented the author, and Stacy Cooper at Lemonade Illustration represented the illustrator.
Christopher Robbins at Familius has bought world rights to A Steminist Force by Laura Wadsworth Carter, which celebrates notable, and sometimes forgotten, female contributions in STEM fields across the world. Publication is slated for spring 2023; Victoria Selvaggio at Storm Literary represented the author.
