David Levithan and Orlando Dos Reis at Scholastic have acquired The Library of Broken Worlds, a new YA novel by Alaya Dawn Johnson (The Summer Prince; Love Is the Drug). Freida, the daughter of the Library, the great peacekeeper of the three systems, discovers a horrific secret buried deep within its tunnels, and must come face-to-face with an ancient war god to fulfill her destiny and save her world from certain disaster. The book is slated for summer 2023; Jill Grinberg at Jill Grinberg Literary Management did the deal for North American rights.
Alison Romig at Delacorte has bought Win Lose Kill Die by Cynthia Murphy, pitched as Holly Jackson meets Gossip Girl, in which a prestigious academy's brightest and best begin dying one by one, in a three-book deal. Publication is planned for fall 2023; Antonia Pelari at Scholastic UK on behalf of Steph Thwaites at Curtis Brown UK negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Julie Matysik at Running Press has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Fault Lines, a new YA novel by Nora Shalaway Carpenter (The Edge of Anything), in which a rural, anti-fracking teen discovers an ability to sense forests' energy, a power that becomes heightened the more she interacts with the new boy in town. Publication is scheduled for September 2023; Victoria Wells Arms at HG Literary sold North American rights.
Sarah McCabe at McElderry Books has bought world rights in a multi-house auction to debut author Pascale Lacelle's Curious Tides. Pitched as a YA Ninth House meets The Starless Sea, this crossover dark academia fantasy follows a young mage who believes her secrets drowned along with several of her classmates—until their not-quite corpses start washing ashore. With the help of a reclusive student, she must uncover the truth behind the drownings—and the secret society linked to them—before the sinister magic that claimed her classmates claims her next. Publication is set for fall 2023; Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman Literary Agency handled the high six-figure deal for world rights.
Liz Szabla and Anna Roberto at Feiwel and Friends have acquired world English rights to The Lost Library by bestselling authors Rebecca Stead (l.) and Wendy Mass. When a mysterious Little Free Library guarded by a large orange cat appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, 11-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change, in a story about owning your truth, choosing the life you want, and the power of a good book. Publication is slated for fall 2023; Faye Bender at the Book Group represented Stead, and Ginger Knowlton at Curtis Brown Ltd. represented Mass.
Chris Hernandez at Razorbill has won, in a six-figure auction, North American rights to Crow Girl by debut author-illustrator Charlotte Woo. With echoes of Studio Ghibli, this middle grade graphic novel fairy tale introduces Crow, a girl born with feathers on her face and the ability to talk to animals, who embarks on a quest with her new friend, the cursed prince, to change both their fates. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Alex Slater at Greenburger Kids brokered the two-book deal.
Elizabeth Agyemang at Clarion has bought, in a preempt, educator, historian, and Langston League founder Erica Buddington's Magnified, a middle grade series with historical elements that blends illustrations, photographs, and primary sources to tell the story of Brooklyn "Fourth" Jones, a self-taught historian and accidental time-traveler who uncovers the true stories of prominent figures and movements in Black history. Publication of the first book is set for winter 2025; Alec Shane at Writers House did the two-book deal for world English rights.
Erica Finkel at Abrams/Amulet has acquired world rights to the middle-grade novel Lost Kites and Other Treasures by Cathy Carr (365 Days to Alaska), about a young artist who uncovers family secrets during her uncle's visit. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency negotiated the deal.
Anna Sargeant at Sourcebooks has bought world rights to Fearless Firsts, a middle grade nonfiction series by James Buckley Jr. (l.) and Ellen Labrecque (c.), illustrated by Steffi Walthall (r.), about barrier breakers and history makers in sports, entertainment, and science. The inaugural title, Athletes Who Changed the Game, is slated for spring 2024; the authors represented themselves, and James Burns at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator in the three-book deal.
Katie Carella at Scholastic has acquired, in a three-book deal, world rights to Inside Scouts by Mitali Banerjee Ruths (l.), illustrated by Francesca Mahaney, an early reader series in which two young doctors-in-training use their special abilities to shrink in size, explore the systems of the body, and practice emotional skills like kindness, bravery, and strength. Publication of the first book is planned for spring 2024; Victoria Wells Arms at HG Literary represented the author, and Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Kristie Choi at Atheneum has bought The First Week of School by author-illustrator Drew Beckmeyer, a picture book that follows an ensemble cast of characters in one classroom, including an artist, an inventor, a group of competitive friends, their classmates, the teacher, the class pet—and one unexpected visitor whom everyone will absolutely, definitely forget. Publication is set for summer 2024; Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Andrew DeYoung at Beaming Books has acquired Courage, written and illustrated by Colter Jackson. The picture book follows a girl and her companion, a lion named Courage, who helps her take on the world. But when a classmate points out that her lion is a figment of her imagination, the world becomes a really scary place. Publication is scheduled for spring 2024; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Stephanie Mulligan at McSea Books has bought This Old Maine by Kim Norman (One-Osaurus, Two-Osaurus). This New England-themed reboot of the children's song "This Old Man" marks Kim's debut as both author and illustrator. Publication is planned for spring 2024; Jennifer Mattson at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Brian Geffen at Henry Holt has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Once Upon a Friend by middle grade Dan Gemeinhart (l.) in his picture book debut, illustrated by ShinYeon Moon. Aimed at fans of Toy Story and The Adventures of Beekle, the story is narrated by a beloved, albeit fictional children's book character, and follows the lasting friendship shared between the character and one special reader, through times of joy and adversity. Publication is slated for spring 2024; Pam Pho represented the author while at D4EO Literary, and Tanya McKinnon at McKinnon Literary represented the illustrator.
Julie Bliven at Charlesbridge has bought world rights to JaNay Brown-Wood's (l.) picture book Mahogany, in a two-book deal, illustrated by John Joven. In this fractured fairy tale, Mahogany taps into her talents and Black girl magic to outsmart a hungry wolf. Publication is scheduled for spring 2024; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Mela Bolinao at MB Artists represented the illustrator.
Emily Feinberg at Roaring Brook has acquired world rights to The Star in You, a picture book by Katrina Moore (l.), illustrated by Amber Ren, a picture book that celebrates the unique "star" that shines within each of us. Publication is set for fall 2024; Andrea Morrison at Writers House represented the author, and Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Lauri Hornik at Penguin/Rocky Pond Books has bought world rights to Quiet Is Strength by Mary Rand Hess (l.), illustrated by Dow Phumiruk, an ode to all the quieter souls in life who may find it difficult to be seen or heard, and who may not know their own strengths. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency represented the author and the illustrator.
Catherine Laudone at S&S/Paula Wiseman Books has acquired world rights to Cold by Tim McCanna (l.), illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, a narrative nonfiction picture book about cold natural environments and the animals that live there. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Kate DePalma at Barefoot Books has bought Stranded: A Mostly True Story from Iceland by Icelandic writer and actor Ævar Þór Benediktsson (l.), illustrated by Anne Wilson. This picture book adventure tells the true story of how the author’s grandfather survived being stranded on a newly formed volcanic island off Iceland. Publication is set for fall 2023; Stacey Endress at Illustration X represented the illustrator, and the author represented himself in the deal for world rights.
Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has acquired world rights to Fish Farts and Other Amazing Ways Animals Adapt, a picture book about the ways in which animals adapt to their surroundings, by Joanne Settel (l.), illustrated by Natasha Donovan. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; the author represented herself, and Lindsay Auld at Writers House represented the artist.
Bria Ragin at Delacorte Press has acquired, at auction, Seasick by Kristin Cast (l.) and Pintip Dunn, a dual-POV contemporary, locked-door mystery thriller pitched as Knives Out meets Gossip Girl, in which two former friends and their affluent classmates set out on a celebratory yacht trip that turns deadly. As the body count begins to rise, the ex-BFFs must team up to catch the mysterious killer on board before they become the next victims. Publication is set for summer 2024; Steven Salpeter at Assemble Media represented Cast, and Kate Schafer Testerman at KT Literary represented Dunn and did the two-book deal for world rights.
Rebecca Kuss at Disney-Hyperion has bought, in a preempt, Off with Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta. Blood and betrayal meet in this sapphic, Korean-inspired re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland, which tells the tale of two girls whose twisted past comes to light as they are once again thrust into each other's lives and beckoned back to the dark, monster-filled forest where it all began: Wonderland. Publication is slated for spring 2024; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
Daniel Ehrenhaft at Blackstone has acquired North American rights to Adriana Mather's The Breakup Artists, a YA rom-com pitched for fans of The Statistical Probabilities of Love at First Sight and Frankly in Love, in which two teens are secretly hired by parents to break up their children's bad high school relationships. But what starts as strictly business turns catastrophically personal when one of the pair falls for "a case"—he knows she’s the one, but everything he's told her is a lie, even his name. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal.
Ruqayyah Daud at Little, Brown has bought Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy, a novel that follows six Muslim teens as their lives are upended when they are falsely accused of an alleged attack on a Los Angeles beach and must trust or turn their backs on each other to prove their innocence. Publication is scheduled for winter 2024; Serene Hakim at Ayesha Pande Literary handled the deal for world rights.
Maggie Rosenthal at Viking has acquired Every Time You Hear That Song by Jenna Voris, pitched as Daisy Jones and the Six meets The Inheritance Games, about an enigmatic country music legend who leaves her entire fortune to whoever can solve her complicated, cross-country scavenger hunt—and two teens who just might have a shot at winning it all. Publication is slated for spring 2024; Claire Friedman at InkWell Management negotiated the deal for U.S./Canadian and Spanish-language rights.
Ali Fisher at Tor Teen has bought, in an exclusive submission, The White Guy Dies First edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker—a YA horror anthology featuring 13 authors of color writing short stories in which the white guy always dies first. In addition to a contribution from Benton-Walker, the volume will include short stories by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Kalynn Bayron, Kendare Blake, H.E. Edgmon, Lamar Giles, Chloe Gong, Alexis Henderson, Tiffany D. Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Naseem Jamnia, Mark Oshiro, and Karen Strong. Publication is set for summer 2024; Patrice Caldwell at New Leaf Literary & Media did the deal for world English rights.
Claire Stetzer at Inkyard Press has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Tashie Bhuiyan's Stay with My Heart, a YA contemporary novel about a girl who dreams of working in the music industry, and when she accidentally sabotages an up-and-coming local band, she falls for the enigmatic leader while secretly trying to make up for her mistake. JL Stermer at Next Level Lit brokered the two-book deal for North American rights, with publication planned for winter 2024.
Holly West at Feiwel and Friends has bought North American rights to The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo (Princess of Souls). In this YA fantasy romance, a heroine who feeds on fear and a boy without a past combine forces to hunt down the Gods who destroyed both their worlds. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Emmanuelle Morgen at Stonesong negotiated the deal.
Mara Delgado Sánchez at Wednesday Books has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Sandra Proudman's YA historical fantasy debut, Salvación, pitched as a gender-swapped Zorro retelling set in an alternate California where magical healing salt—sal negra—is discovered instead of gold. Seventeen-year-old Lola de la Peña must save her town by becoming the masked vigilante Salvación to stop a powerful man who arrives with promises of a lasting Mexico, but who has left a trail of death and destruction. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Kate Testerman at KT Literary handled the deal for world rights.
Erica Finkel at Abrams has bought, at auction, On All Other Nights, a middle grade anthology edited by Chris Baron (l.), Joshua S. Levy (c.), and Naomi Milliner (r.). Built around the order of the Passover Seder, each story is inspired by one of its traditional steps, with contributions by Mari Lowe (Kadesh), R. M. Romero (Orchatz), Naomi Milliner (Karpas), Joshua S. Levy (Yachatz), Laurel Snyder (Magid), Chris Baron (Rachtzah), Adam Gidwitz (Motzei-Matzah), Sofiya Pasternak (Maror), Ruth Behar (Korech), Sarah Kapit (Shulchan Orech), A. J. Sass (Tzafun), Laura Shovan (Barech), Veera Hiranandani (Hallel), and Amy Ignatow (Nirtzah). Publication is set for spring 2024; Rena Rossner at Deborah Harris Harris Agency, Elana Roth Parker at Laura Dail Literary Agency, and Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency did the deal for world rights.
Erinn Pascal at Andrews McMeel has acquired world rights to two middle grade novels in the new Ellie's Deli series by Lisa Greenwald (l.), illustrated by Gaila Bernstein. In the first book, Wishing on Matzo Ball Soup, Ellie is worried that her family's Jewish deli, a community institution for generations, is going out of business; she and her savvy friends need to reboot the recipe for success and fast. Publication is planned for fall 2023; Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Birch Path Literary represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Group represented the illustrator.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has bought on option two middle grade novels by J. Kasper Kramer. Eyes on the Sky is set in Roswell, N.M., in 1947 and follows a girl who loves to build rockets and deals with an alien encounter; The Serpent on the Mountain is set in 1970s Appalachia and is about a girl's struggle to reconcile her folk beliefs with the appearance of a snake-handling preacher. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024 and fall 2025; Jennifer Carlson at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner sold North American rights.
Lynne Missen at Tundra has acquired Team Park by Angela Ahn (Peter Lee's Notes from the Field). Attempting to prove himself to his sports-obsessed father, 11-year-old Evan Park trains for a dominator ninja junior competition but, when an accident sidelines him, he must shift gears to look beyond a solo competition and rally the whole family for a local fun race. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Laurel Symonds at the Bent Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Daria Harper at Chronicle Books has bought, at auction, world rights to You'll Always Be My Chickadee by Kate Hosford (l.), illustrated by Sarah Gonzales, a picture book about a parent's steadfast love as seen through the lens of the natural world. Publication is set for spring 2024; Victoria Wells Arms at HG Literary represented the author, and Alexandra Levick at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Kat Brzozowski at Feiwel and Friends has acquired world rights to picture book All Food Is Good Food by Molli Jackson Ehlert (l.), illustrated by Fanny Liem, about all the ways that food can fuel us, nurture us, and bring us joy. Publication is scheduled for spring 2024; the author represented herself, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Mabel Hsu at HarperCollins/Tegen has bought, at auction, world rights to Everything Is Fine by Michelle Sumovich (l.), illustrated by Sarah Jacoby. Rambunctious Paulette loves to be near her exhausted mom, but when Paulette’s wild, yellow hair becomes entangled with her mother's spaghetti dinner, the child disappears, prompting a chaotic search through a village full of unruly children. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Hannah Mann at Writers House represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Josh Williams at Triumph Books has acquired world rights to the tentatively titled Wataru Misaka: Basketball's Barrier Breaker, written by Hayley Diep (l.) and illustrated by Naomi Giddings, a picture book about the largely untold story of Wataru Misaka, the first person of color in the NBA, formerly known as the BAA. Publication is slated for fall 2023; the author represented herself, and Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management represented the illustrator.
Lisa Rosinsky at Barefoot Books has bought world rights to Bring Back the Babka! by debut author Marilyn Wolpin (l.), illustrated by Madison Safer (Before Music). In this celebration of Jewish cooking and community, two brothers search for their mother's missing babka and discover delicious life lessons along the way. Publication is planned for fall 2023; the author represented herself, and Lara Perkins at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Hannah Lambert at Little Simon has acquired world rights to Whose Prints? by Kari Allen (l.) (The Boy Who Loved Maps), illustrated by Kim Smith, an interactive board book where a child explores a maze of prints in the snow as winter animals move and scurry about the pages. Publication is set for fall 2023; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink Literary Studio represented the author, and Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
