Maggie Lehrman at Abrams has acquired, at auction, Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution, a YA novel by National Book Award winner Kacen Callender (King and the Dragonflies; Felix Ever After). The story centers on 17-year-old nonbinary, neurodivergent, and aspiring writer Lark, who pretends that they are the creator of a viral thread that their ex-best friend, Kasim, accidentally posted onto their Twitter account, declaring his unrequited love. As Lark's lie deepens and they begin a famous relationship with their own crush, Lark searches for the courage to speak the truth and discover how their own self-love can be a revolution. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Beth Phelan at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency negotiated the six-figure, two-book deal for North American rights.
Vicki Lame at Wednesday Books has bought I Kissed Shara Wheeler by adult author Casey McQuiston in her YA debut. It's a queer ensemble rom-com pitched as Booksmart meets Paper Towns with a touch of Saved. Eighteen-year-old Chloe almost has the valedictorian title in her grasp when her rival, small-town princess Shara Wheeler, vanishes after kissing three people: her quarterback sweetheart, the bad boy next door, and Chloe. Now the three must work together to follow Shara's clues—but secrets uncovered along the way could wreak havoc at their conservative Southern high school. Publication is set for summer 2022; Sara Megibow at KT Literary did the deal for world English rights.
Jeffrey West and David Levithan at Scholastic have acquired North American rights to Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan, a YA novel in two acts—told 18 years apart. In the first, a teenage mother grapples with the decision whether to place her daughter for adoption; in the second, her daughter wonders what she will find after discovering an old letter from her birth mother asking to meet in Mumbai on her 18th birthday. Publication is slated for summer 2022; Hillary Jacobson at ICM Partners brokered the two-book deal.
Rachel Diebel at Feiwel and Friends has bought world rights to Out of Our League, a YA anthology of contemporary short stories about girls in sports, co-edited by Dahlia Adler (l.) and Jennifer Iacopelli. Contributors include Carrie Allen, Sara Farizan, Juliana Goodman, Maggie Hall, Leah Henderson, Sarah Henning, Naomi Kanakia, Miranda Kenneally, Yamille Saied Méndez, Cam Montgomery, Marieke Nijkamp, Amparo Ortiz, Aminah Mae Safi, and Kayla Whaley. Publication is planned for summer 2023; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency represented Adler, and Chloe Seager at Madeline Millburn Literary Agency represented Iacopelli; Alice Sutherland-Hawes at ASH Literary now represents Iacopelli.
Mark Podesta at Henry Holt has acquired North American rights to Not Light, but Fire: The Story of Mary Bowser (W.T.) by Jamie McGhee (l.) (writing as Jay Leslie), illustrated by Charlot Kristensen. This YA historical fiction graphic novel is inspired by the life and bravery of Mary Bowser, the Civil War spy whose espionage made Union victory possible. Publication is scheduled for winter 2024; Wendi Gu at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates represented the author, and Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends has bought A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur, a YA historical mystery that follows a girl and a prince who must join forces to save her sister and the kingdom from King Yeonsangun, one of Korea's most hated tyrants. Publication is slated for spring 2023; Amy Elizabeth Bishop at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Mekisha Telfer at Roaring Brook has acquired world rights to First Borns Only, written by debut author Jenin Mohammed. The middle-grade novel follows 13-year-old Hakeem, who is forced to share everything with his three (soon to be four) younger sisters. Hakeem has dreams of buying his own bike and secretly starts selling candy to save up for it, but when his nosy sister wants in on his side hustle, Hakeem's perspective on family, personal boundaries, and what it means to be the eldest begin to change. Publication is set for spring 2023; Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the author.
Amy Novesky at Cameron Kids has bought world rights to Horse Crazy Tales, a series of middle grade novels written by Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times reporter and author of Horse Crazy: The Story of a Woman and a World in Love with an Animal. The series is based on inspiring stories of real-life horses and the people who love them. The first book, The Flying Horse, will publish in spring 2023, followed by books in fall 2023 and spring 2024; Philippa Brophy of Sterling Lord Literistic represented the author.
Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has acquired Oddity Woods by Kay Davault (Star Knights; Home for Horrors), a middle grade supernatural mystery graphic novel series in which Marietta, an aspiring kid detective investigating her father's sudden disappearance, becomes trapped in a woodland realm filled with ghosts, monsters, and other things that go bump in the night. Publication of the first book is planned for summer 2024; Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management brokered the deal for North American rights.
Katherine Tegen at HarperCollins/Tegen has bought a new middle grade novel by L.M. Elliott, called Bea and the New Deal Horse. Set in 1932, three years after the stock market crash, the novel follows a 13-year-old girl who wakes up abandoned in a stable with her little sister, and must forge ahead despite the despair all around her, starting with a special bond between her and a seemingly unlucky horse. Publication is set for winter 2023; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management handled the deal for world English rights.
Arthur A. Levine at Levine Querido has acquired world rights to Gibberish by Young Vo, a picture book about a boy's first day of school in a new country where he doesn't speak the language, and everything sounds like gibberish. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; the author-illustrator represented himself.
Ann Rider at Versify has bought, in a preempt, Moon's Ramadan by debut author-illustrator Natasha Khan Kazi, a picture book that reveals how Ramadan is observed in different parts of the world alongside its corresponding phases of the moon. Publication is slated for winter 2023, and spring 2024 for a second, untitled book; Tanusri Prasanna at DeFiore and Company negotiated the deal for world rights.
Sarah Ketchersid at Candlewick/MIT Kids has acquired world rights to AlphaBot by Vicky Fang (Layla and the Bots), a mix-and-match novelty book that allows kids to flip the pages to create their own robots while learning basic definitions of robot technology. Publication is planned for fall 2023; Elizabeth Bennett at the Transatlantic Agency did the deal.
Alessandra Balzer at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought world rights to Just One Little Light by Kat Yeh (l.) (The Friend Ship), illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, a picture book about how real change can begin with a small spark of hope. Publication is scheduled for winter 2023; Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary Agency represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Agency represented the illustrator.
Sara Sargent at Random House has acquired world rights to Cookie Queen, a picture book biography of young Kathleen King, who created the recipe for her famous chocolate chip cookie when she was just 11 years old working at her family farm stand, written by Kathleen King (l.) and Lowey Sichol (c.), illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki (r.). Publication is set for summer 2023; Carla Glasser at the Betsy Nolan Agency represented King, Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic Agency represented Sichol, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented Kaulitzki.
Jessica Anderson at Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano Books has bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to What Your Ribbon Skirt Means to Me: Deb Haaland's Historic Inauguration, written by Alexis Bunten (l.) (Aleut/Yup'ik) and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt (Diné). Slated for summer 2023, this picture book follows Pia and her community members as they celebrate Secretary Haaland's inauguration through a feast, a smudging ceremony, and ribbon skirt crafting at their local Native American center. Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and the artist represented herself.
Adria Haley at Tommy Nelson has acquired world rights to Edward and Annie: A Penguin Adventure by Caryn Rivadeneira (l.), in conjunction with Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, illustrated by Katy Tanis, about two penguins who became viral sensations after waddling through the aquarium while it was shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Adria Goetz at Martin Literary Management represented the author, Kate McKean at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency represented Shedd Aquarium, and Lara Perkins at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Lisa Rosinsky at Barefoot Books has bought world rights to Making Happy by actress, author, and producer Sheetal Sheth (l.) (Always Anjali), illustrated by Khoa Le (Sugar in Milk). While Leila's mother battles illness, her family finds joy and laughter together to help pull them through tough times. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Jane Startz and Maydé Alpi of Jane Startz Productions represented the author, and Christine Hong at Astound US represented the illustrator.
