Jenny Bak at Viking has acquired, at auction, Up in Flames, a contemporary retelling of Gone with the Wind by debut author Hailey Alcaraz. Pitched in the vein of diverse retellings like Anna K, the privileged and irrepressible Ruby Ortega vies to win the heart of her best friend while fighting to save her family's home and the local Latinx community from the California wildfires, all while avoiding the help of a young, annoyingly attractive entrepreneur. Publication is set for spring 2023; Amy Stapp at Wolfson Literary brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.
Krista Marino at Delacorte has bought, in an exclusive submission, two new YA thrillers from One of Us Is Lying author Karen M. McManus, including the final book in the One of Us Is Lying trilogy, One of Us Is Back, and a second, untitled standalone thriller to follow. Publication is slated for summer 2023 and summer 2024, respectively; Rosemary Stimola with Allison Remcheck at Stimola Literary Studio did the seven-figure deal for North American rights.
Martha Mihalick at Greenwillow has acquired the YA graphic novel The Faint of Heart by debut author-illustrator Kerilynn Wilson in a five-house auction. Living in a world where humans remove their hearts to avoid feeling pain, June is the only person left with a heart. When she finds a heart in a jar abandoned in an alley, June hopes to return her sister to normal with it, and begins an unexpected adventure with a heartless boy who is somehow beginning to feel again. Publication is scheduled for winter 2023; Rebecca Sherman at Writers House negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
Krista Vitola at Simon & Schuster has bought sophomore YA contemporary novel The Secrets We Keep by Cassie Gustafson. Told in flashbacks, dark fairytales, and present-day prose, the novel follows 14-year-old Emma Clark whose best friend has accused her father of heinous crimes. And when Emma must testify against her friend's word, her carefully constructed "truths" about what she may or may not have witnessed between father and friend start to crumble. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties handled the deal for North American rights.
Arthur A. Levine at Levine Querido has acquired The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley (Winter Birds; Dream Boy), winner of the Lambda Literary Award and Stonewall Award. The Dove in the Belly is about a young gay man coming of age one summer in the late '70s in the South while navigating a budding romance. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; Melanie Jackson at the Melanie Jackson Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Allison Cohen at Running Press Kids has bought world rights to We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans And Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States, written by Naomi Hirahara (l.) and illustrated by Illi Ferandez. This middle grade nonfiction anthology from the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center highlights the stories of 30 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and how they shaped the cultural, social, and political landscape of the U.S. Publication is set for fall 2022; Jill Corcoran did the deal for the Smithsonian, Susie Cohen at PearlCo Literary represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Hilary Van Dusen at Candlewick Press has acquired for the new MIT Kids imprint the first two books in the illustrated middle grade series Your Hidden Life: The Wild, Weird, and Surprising World All Around You by entomologist and science writer Eleanor Spicer Rice, illustrated by designer/illustrator Rob Wilson. Book one, Unseen Jungle is dedicated to the billions of creatures that are around us (and inside us too) at all times—hidden microbes, the microscopic fungi, bacteria, viruses, and other critters we can't see— and book two, Your Pet's Secrets, about the hidden world of the pets we think we know so well—but barely know at all. Book one is tentatively slated for fall 2022; Gillian MacKenzie at the Gillian MacKenzie Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Chris Hernandez at Razorbill has bought, in a preempt, a middle grade fantasy graphic novel series by debut author-illustrator Liana Sposto. In the first book, The 9 Trials, a young warlock-in-training burdened with two conflicting magics within himself decides to leave his school for good, but in order to escape he must defeat nine harrowing trials that are meant to test the most wicked parts of himself. Publication of the first book is planned for summer 2023; Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management brokered the two-book deal for world rights.
Orlando Dos Reis at Scholastic Press has acquired the untitled middle grade debut novel by Brandon Hoàng. In the book, Vietnamese American Freddie Lỗ teams up with her cousin Linh and the mysterious Duy to retrieve and protect the fabled crossbow—a legendary weapon that can decimate any enemy—from the evil Order of the Golden Claw, in an adventure that takes Freddie throughout Vietnam as she connects with her homeland and heritage. Publication is set for fall 2022; Alyssa Jennette at Stonesong did the deal for world rights.
Aimee Friedman at Scholastic has bought Pizza My Heart by Rhiannon Richardson, joining the middle grade paperback Wish line. After her family moves their Brooklyn pizzeria to a small Pennsylvania town, 12-year-old Maya juggles a new school, pizza delivery duties, and maybe crushing on a pizza-loving boy named Justin. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Andrea Hall at Albert Whitman has acquired the debut middle grade novel Dad’s Girlfriend, Ground Squirrels and Other Anxieties by Kellye Crocker. When her father takes her to Colorado to meet his girlfriend for the first time, 12-year-old Ava must come to grips with both her newly diagnosed anxiety disorder and her rapidly changing family. But she learns from the mountains that it's okay to want two opposite things at once, and that the bravest people are the ones who are scared but do what's right anyway. Publication is slated for fall 2022; Kelly Dyksterhouse at Raven Quill Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Farrin Jacobs and Sasha Illingworth at Little, Brown have bought world rights to a debut picture book by Kelly Wu. Wonderful Goodbyes follows a girl as she faces the loss of a beloved pet and spends the day doing all their favorite things. Publication is planned for winter 2023; the author represented herself.
Kate O’Sullivan at HMH has acquired, in an exclusive submission, world rights to Parker's Place by Russ Willms (Who Will Pull Santa’s Sleigh), a picture book about an eager dinosaur who visits a farm and struggles to find the perfect way to fit in with all the animals. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic Agency negotiated the deal.
Dani Valladere at Rodale Kids has bought world rights to Hair to Share, a picture book about the joys of friendship, kindness, and giving, by author-illustrator Sylvia Walker. Publication is slated for summer 2022; Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic Agency negotiated the deal.
Liza Kaplan at Philomel has bought world rights, at auction in a two-book deal, to picture book A Girl Can Build Anything by Pat Zietlow Miller (l.) and e.E. Charlton-Trujillo (c.), illustrated by Keisha Morris. (r.), an affirmation of the power of vision and persistence. Publication is set for spring 2023; Ammi-Joan Paquette represented Miller and Erin Murphy represented Charlton-Trujillo, both at Erin Murphy Literary Agency; Claire Easton at Painted Words represented Morris.
Katherine Harrison at Knopf has acquired Calling the Wind by social emotional learning expert Trudy Ludwig (l.) (The Invisible Boy) and author-illustrator Kathryn Otoshi (One). Inspired by Wind Telephone by Itaru Sasaki, which brought healing to the people of Ōtsuchi in the wake of the 2011 earthquake, this book tells the story of a family coping with the loss of a loved one, and the special telephone that helps them move forward and connect with one another. Publication is slated for fall 2022; Ludwig and Otoshi represented themselves in the deal for world rights.
Courtney Code at Abrams has bought world rights to Jimmy's Shoes by Pat Tanumihardja, illustrated by Derek Desierto. This picture book is about Malaysian-born shoe designer Jimmy Choo, who defied all odds to become an internationally known shoe designer. Publication is planned for 2023; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra & Associates represented the author, and Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio represented the artist.
Ann Kelley at Random House Studio has acquired world rights, at auction, to Harlem at Four, a picture book comprised of two poems, by Dr. Michael Datcher (l.), illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award-winner Frank Morrison (Respect), in a two-book deal. The first poem chronicles a science and art-loving four-year-old Black girl named Harlem on adventures with her father. The second details a neighborhood named Harlem and introduces "The Father of Harlem" (Philip A. Payton Jr., aka "Papa Payton"), whose Afro-American Realty Company gave birth to the Black housing explosion in Harlem, helping to start America's Great Black Migration. Publication is set for spring 2023; Jim Levine at Levine, Greenberg, Rostan represented the author, and Lori Nowicki at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Kayla Tostevin at Page Street Kids has bought world rights to The Note Who Faced the Music by Lindsay Bonilla, illustrated by Mark Hoffmann, in which Half Note feels so unimportant she disappears from the musical staff, leaving the composer and other notes in chaos. Publication is scheduled for winter 2023; Christa Heschke at McIntosh & Otis represented the author, and Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown represented the illustrator.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has acquired world rights to The River That Wolves Moved by Mary Kay Carson, illustrated by David Hohn, a nonfiction picture book that uses the structure of "The House That Jack Built" to show the interconnectedness of the plants and animals that live in a place and the power of a single species (wolves) to bring about ecosystem changes so profound that the physical landscape itself (river) is transformed. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and James McGowan at BookEnds Literary represented the illustrator.
Sarah Stanton Kim at Bala Kids has acquired world rights to Goodnight Love by Sumi Loundon Kim. (l.). As the day comes to a close, Goodnight Love aims to help children connect to the warmth of their hearts through the power of loving kindness. Laura Watkins will illustrate. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; the author was unagented, and Robbin Brosterman at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Zareen Jaffery at Kokila has acquired, in a six-figure preempt, debut novel The Noh Family by Grace Shim, pitched as Crazy Rich Asians meets The Princess Diaries if the matriarch were Miranda Priestly, and a second YA novel. Aspiring fashion designer Chloe Chang leaves K-dramas behind in Tulsa for a real K-drama of her own when a 23andMe test leads her to her deceased father's ultra-rich family in Seoul, where she meets her department-store-owning halmoni and socialite cousins. But unanswered questions lead Chloe to wonder if an uncle who needs an organ donor has anything to do with the family's interest in her. Publication is planned for summer 2022; Andrea Morrison at Writers House did the deal for world rights.
Sylvan Creekmore at Wednesday Books has bought the first project developed by IP company Upswell Media, written by Jen Wilde, author of Queens of Geek, The Brightsiders, and Going Off Script. The YA thriller, which takes place over the course of a single night at an elite New York academy, follows 17-year-old Waverly as she's locked in with her fellow students at a masked ball—with a killer on the loose and an apocalypse outside the school doors. Publication is set for 2022; John Cusick at Folio Literary Management brokered the deal for world English rights on behalf of Upswell Media, of which he is also a co-founder. Lauren Spieller of TriadaUS represented Jen Wilde.
Shelly Romero at Scholastic has preempted, in a two-book deal, the YA debut The Witchery and an untitled second book by S. Isabelle. In The Witchery, at a coven academy in a Florida, four witchy girls, all with secrets of their own, prepare to protect the town of Haelsford from the seasonal onslaught of bloodthirsty wolves, scheming to break the curse once and for all. Publication is scheduled for summer 2022; Susan Graham at Einstein Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Nikki Garcia at Little, Brown has acquired a YA gothic fantasy by debut author M.K. Lobb, set in a fictionalized city in Italy, which follows a rebel who wants to dismantle the corrupt system responsible for her father's death, and the youngest captain and soldier who serves the city and the saints with unquestioning devotion. When something dark and sinister threatens all of Forenza, these former friends turned foes will have to join forces. Publication is slated for winter 2023; Claire Friedman at Inkwell Management brokered the deal for world rights.
Mari Kesselring at Flux has bought Game of Strength and Storm, first in a YA fantasy duology by debut author Rachel Menard. In this gender-bent Hercules retelling, 17-year-old Gen's only hope to save her imprisoned father is to complete six impossible labors before Castor, a storm wielder trying to subvert her kingdom's patriarchal structure, beats her to it. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Valerie Noble at Donaghy Literary Group handled the two-book deal for world English rights.
Justin Chanda at Simon & Schuster has acquired, in an exclusive submission, world rights to What the Fact?! by Pulitzer finalist, Emmy award-winning journalist, Stanford professor, and author of Viral BS, Dr. Seema Yasmin. This timely guide helps teens navigate the worlds of misinformation and disinformation, recognize bias and separate fact from fiction in legacy media and social media, and develop critical thinking and digital literacy skills. Publication is set for early 2022; Lilly Ghahremani at Full Circle Literary negotiated the deal.
Jordan Brown at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought North American rights to two middle grade novels by Brandy Colbert. The first is a present-day Parent Trap-inspired story about two Black girls—one raised by her father and grandmother, and the other abandoned by her mother—who discover they are twins separated as babies, and try to find out how and why it happened. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Tina Dubois at ICM Partners did the deal.
Howard Reeves at Abrams has acquired middle grade fantasy novel Windswept by Newbery Honor author Margi Preus (Heart of a Samurai) about three sisters who are kidnapped by trolls and the younger sister who rescues them, as well as one untitled novel. Publication is slated for fall 2022; Stephen Fraser at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
Amy Cloud at HMH has bought Neve and Rose by debut author Landra Jennings, a middle grade fantasy about a girl who must band together with newfound friends to find and save her kidnapped sister, plus an untitled middle grade novel. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Josh Adams at Adams Literary negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends has acquired the middle grade debut An Enchanted Match by Alechia Dow. Full of baking, magic, and mystery, the novel follows two young enchanters who team up to save their small town from a love spell gone wrong. Publication is scheduled for winter 2023; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary handled the deal for world English rights.
Kait Feldmann at HMH/Etch has won at auction, in a three-book deal, Evelyn & Avery by Lauren Pierre, a young graphic novel series about making crafts, mistakes, and friends. In the first installment, Evelyn and her skunk-kit best friend, Avery, must race to resolve a misunderstanding before their friend moves away. Publication of the first book is set for 2024; Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management sold North American rights.
Margaret Anastas at Flamingo Books has acquired debut picture book Ozzie and Prince Zebedee by movie digital artist Gela Kalaitzidis, about the crunchy consequences, slurpy reactions, and burpy repercussions that arise when Zebedee accuses his best friend of cheating. Publication is slated for 2023; Deborah Warren at East/West Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Neal Porter at Holiday House/Neal Porter Books has bought Looking for Peppermint, a picture book written and illustrated by Maxwell Eaton III (Bear Goes Sugaring). Readers can tag along with a nature-savvy child, sketchbook in hand, as she searches for her dog and gives a story-filled walking tour of the trees and animals of the forest in which she lives. The book is set for summer 2023; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal for world rights.
Lee Wade at Random House Studio has acquired You Are Joy! by Andrea Pippins, a picture book that invites children to find their own definition of joy and empowers them to tap into that feeling whether times are difficult or celebratory. Publication is planned for summer 2023; Lilly Ghahremani at Full Circle Literary did the deal for world rights.
Ellen Cormier at Dial has bought, in an exclusive submission, That's My Sweater by Jessika von Innerebner, a picture book about a girl who is none too pleased when her mother hands her favorite sweater down to her baby brother. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary negotiated the deal.
Connie Hsu at Roaring Brook has acquired, at auction, world rights to the picture book Until Someone Listens by 11-year-old Estela Juarez (l.), illustrated by Teresa Martínez, which follows the true story of how Estela's mother, Alejandra, was deported to Mexico when Estela was eight years old. Focused on getting her mother back, Estela wrote letters to Congress, to the president, and to many others, which culminated in a powerful video shared at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. After three years of separation, last week Alejandra was granted a one-year parole to return to the U.S.; this Mother’s Day Estela will spend it with her mother. Publication is slated for fall 2022; Johanna Castillo at Writers House represented the author, and Christine Hong at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Reka Simonsen and Kristie Choi at Atheneum have bought world rights to The Loud Librarian by debut author Jenna Beatrice (l.), illustrated by Erika Lynne Jones. In this picture book comedy, an eager student is thrilled to be picked as class librarian until her big voice brings about disastrous results, causing her to wonder whether she can be a good librarian while also staying true to herself. Publication is planned for spring 2023; Alyssa Eisner Henkin represented the author in her first deal at Birch Path Literary, and Claire Easton at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Joy Peskin at FSG has acquired, in an exclusive submission, world rights to The Three Little Guinea Pigs, by Erica S. Perl (l.), illustrated by Amy Young. This picture book is a retelling of the classic "The Three Little Pigs," starring three clever guinea pigs who outsmart a wily fox. Publication is planned for winter 2023; Carrie Hannigan at HG Literary represented the author, and Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt represented the illustrator.
Wiley Blevins at Reycraft has acquired world rights to Bumble Brothers, a comic book series for early readers written by Steve Metzger (l.) and illustrated by Brian Schatell. Each book chronicles the humorous adventures of this multiracial family. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Janna Morishima at Janna Co. represented the author and illustrator.
Christy Cox at Little Bigfoot has bought world rights to Library Girl by Karen Henry Clark (l.), a picture book biography of librarian Nancy Pearl. Sheryl Murray will illustrate. Publication is slated for fall 2022; the author represented herself, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Joni Sussman at Kar-Ben has acquired world rights to Professor Buber's Cat by Susan Tarcov (l.), in which Jewish philosopher Martin Buber learns a lesson from his wise cats. Fotini Tikkou will illustrate. Publication is planned for fall 2022; the author represented herself, and Robbin Brosterman at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
