Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends has acquired The Floating World by Axie Oh (The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea; XOXO). In this YA fantasy duology inspired by Celestial Maidens from Korean myth and pitched as Final Fantasy meets Castle in the Sky, an amnesiac sword-for-hire and a theater troupe performer with mysterious powers discover that their destinies will change the fate of multiple worlds. Publication is planned for 2024; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Marilyn Kretzer at Blackstone Publishing has bought, in a six-figure deal, YA fantasy Tiger's Tale by Colleen Houck (The Tiger's Curse series), an alternate world timeline set in a mythological land with Siberian tigers where the Tiger's Curse amulet is broken into seven pieces that hold a secret message written in an ancient and forgotten language. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group sold North American English rights.
Mara Delgado Sánchez at Wednesday Books has acquired, at auction, Mistress of Bones and a second untitled book by debut author Maria Z. Medina. Pitched as a YA Gideon the Ninth, and set in a world where the continents are anchored to the bones of seven gods, it follows Azul del Arroyo, a necromancer looking for her sister's bones to revive her. But when the Emissary of the Lord of Death is sent to hunt her down, they unleash a series of events that angers the gods, and now the gods want their bones back. Publication is set for winter 2024; Dorian Maffei at Kimberley Cameron & Associates Agency sold world English rights.
Tamara Grasty at Page Street Kids has bought debut author Leanne Schwartz's A Prayer for Vengeance, a YA fantasy pitched as Strange the Dreamer meets Girl, Serpent, Thorn. After centuries trapped as a statue, plus-size Gia wants revenge, but if she's going to kill the immortal man who doomed her and usurped her sister, she needs to get her hands—and likely her blade—on the handsome autistic poet whose prayers woke her. Publication is slated for fall 2023; Lee O'Brien at Irene Goodman Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Emilia Sowersby and Emily Feinberg at Roaring Brook have acquired The Last Bloodcarver, a YA fantasy debut by Vanessa Le in which a young woman hiding in the fringes of society must use her forbidden healing ability to cure the only witness to a murder. Publication is planned for fall 2023; Ramona Pina at BookEnds Literary Agency handled the two-book deal for world rights.
Heather Antos of IDW Publishing has bought world rights to We Are Pan by Andre Frattino (l.), a YA historical fiction account of the clandestine Cold War operation to airlift Cuban children to the U.S. in the wake of Fidel Castro's rise to power, illustrated by Yasmín Flores Montañez. Publication is scheduled for 2025; Elizabeth Copps at Copps Literary Services represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Rachel Stark at Disney-Hyperion has won, in a five-house auction, Highsummer, a debut middle grade graphic novel series by Filipina author-illustrator Tori Tadiar. In this series inspired by Philippine folklore and mythology, 12-year-old Mika tries to undo a curse she accidentally cast on two classmates—but when she awakens ancient gods and a sun-devouring beast set on plunging the world into darkness, she must team up with her former bullies to save the world and all she holds dear. Publication of the first book is set for 2024. Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management did the three-book deal for world English rights.
Nicole Ellul at S&S has acquired Grumbones by Jenn Bennett, a middle grade contemporary fantasy pitched as Beetlejuice meets The Graveyard Book. The story focuses on budding sleuths Helena and her best friend as they hire an insufferable ghostly guide to track down her recently deceased grandmother in the underworld. It's slated for summer 2023; Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency sold North American rights.
Chris Hernandez at Razorbill has won, in a six-figure auction, Atomic Bunny, a middle grade graphic novel series by debut author-illustrator Linh Mato. Pitched as Zootopia meets Shazam, the story follows a young bunny from an impoverished neighborhood of New Pork City who gains superpowers after eating a radioactive carrot and struggles to find a balance between trying to support his family in his personal life and protecting the city as a superhero. Publication for the first book is planned for fall 2024; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency negotiated the three-book deal for world English rights.
Regan Winter at Little, Brown has bought The Song of the Sea and The Secret of Kells, graphic novel adaptations of Cartoon Saloon's Irish Folklore Trilogy, adapted by Samuel Sattin (Wolfwalkers), based on the animated features of the same name; Samantha Schutz will edit. Publication is scheduled for 2023 and 2024; Dara Hyde at Hill Nadell Literary Agency sold world rights.
Maggie Rosenthal at Viking has acquired The Enemy's Daughter by Anne Blankman, a middle grade novel about Marta, a 12-year-old German girl so desperate to return home after the outbreak of WWI that she hides aboard the Lusitania, barely surviving its sinking. Stranded in Ireland, she must conceal her true identity or risk being arrested as a spy, but only by pretending to be someone else will Marta discover how strong she truly is. Publication is set for summer 2024; Tracey Adams at Adams Literary sold world rights.
Elizabeth Stranahan at Random House has bought the fantasy duology Like a Charm by Elle McNicoll (A Kind of Spark) in an exclusive submission. After the death of her grandfather, neurodivergent tween Ramya is gifted a journal that only has one note: Beware the sirens. With her cousin Marley, Ramya uncovers a world of mystery and magic—and she’s the only one who can see it! The titles are scheduled to publish fall 2023 and fall 2024. Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary and Media brokered the two-book deal on behalf of Knights Of Media for North American rights.
Amy Fitzgerald at Lerner/Carolrhoda has acquired the middle-grade novel The Color of Sound by Emily Barth Isler (AfterMath), about a 12-year-old musical prodigy with synesthesia who goes on strike from playing music one summer, only to meet a 12-year-old version of her mother on her grandparents' property and discover things about her family that change everything. Publication is slated for spring 2024; Emily Keyes at Keyes Agency sold world rights.
Katie Carella at Scholastic Acorn has bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to the first three books in an early reader series, Sniff and Scratch by Vicky Fang (l.) (Layla and the Bots), illustrated by Luisa Leal, about two best friends, a dog named Sniff and a cat named Scratch, and their silly adventures at home. Publication of the first two books is planned for 2023; Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and Lara Perkins at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Donna Bray at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired world rights to My Thoughts Have Wings, the first picture book by Maggie Smith (l.) (Good Bones; Keep Moving; Goldenrod), a bedtime story about replacing the insecurity, fear, and sadness that sometimes surface at night with good thoughts, happy memories and things to look forward to. SCBWI Portfolio grand prize winner Leanne Hatch will illustrate. Publication is set for winter 2024; Joy Tutela at the David Black Literary Agency represented the author, and Janine Le while at Sheldon Fogelman Agency represented the illustrator.
Lee Wade at Random House Studio has bought The Good Luck Cat by Poet Laureate Joy Harjo (l.), a picture book about the nine lives of a cat named Woogie, illustrated by Shonto Begay. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Jin Auh at the Wiley Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired world rights to When Love Is More Than Words by Jocelyn Chung (l.), a picture book about a family who shows love without always saying those three little words, illustrated by Julia Kuo. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Chris Park at DeFiore & Company represented the author, and Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Esther Cajahuaringa at Union Square Kids has bought, at auction, Hearts in My Pocket, a picture book by Nancy Tupper Ling (l.) about a girl who navigates her family's divorce, illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has acquired world rights to Leprechaun vs. Easter Bunny, a rowdy celebration of both the Easter and St. Patrick's Day holidays, written by Three Grumpy Trucks author Todd Tarpley (l.), with art by Steph Laberis, illustrator of the Grumpy Cat Little Golden Book series. Publication is scheduled for winter 2023; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the artist.
Paula Wiseman at S&S/Paula Wiseman Books has bought world rights to Snow Is… by Laura Gehl (l.) (Donut; The Hiking Viking), illustrated by Sonia Sánchez (Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away), a picture book about snow. Publication is slated for September 2024; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink Literary Studio represented the author, and Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary represented the illustrator.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Carolrhoda has acquired world rights to Sensitive by Sara Levine (l.), illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. In this picture book, a girl hears other people say that she's too sensitive and needs to change, and she goes about the process of transforming their negative comments into statements of affirmation. Publication is set for fall 2023; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary represented the author, and Deborah Warren at East/West Literary represented the illustrator.
Michael Buckley at POW! Kids has bought Messy Monkeys by Sabrina Andonegui (l.), illustrated by Lea Marie Ravotti. This rhyming picture book follows a child dealing with an abundance of annoying monkeys subsequently requiring an abundance of emotional awareness and self-compassion. Publication is planned for fall 2023; the author was unagented, and Nicole Tugeau at Tugeau 2 represented the illustrator.
Allison Cohen at Running Press Kids has acquired world rights to a children's publishing program for poet, spoken word artist, and youth advocate Harold Green III (l.), including the first two books in his Sunday Adventures board book series, The Numbers Store and The Rainbow Park, which introduces early childhood concepts through the experiences of a multigenerational Black family, illustrated by DeAnn Wiley (c.); a picture book, Love Bubble, about the protection and adoration a child feels in their community, illustrated by Princess Karibo (r.); and Words vs. the World, a middle grade nonfiction book about the power of language. Publication will begin in 2023; Lilly Ghahremani at Full Circle Literary represented Green, James McGowan at BookEnds Literary represented Wiley, and Amanda Hendon at Advocate-Art represented Karibo.
Andrea Hall at Beaming Books has bought An Extraordinary Life: Kalpana Chawla, written by Raakhee Mirchandani (l.) (Hair Twins) and Laurie Wallmark (c.) (Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code); Maitreyi Ghosh (r.) will illustrate. The picture book biography tells the story of the first Indian-born American astronaut, an important woman in STEM. Publication is set for spring 2024; Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency represented both authors, and the illustrator represented herself.
