Kieran Viola at Disney Hyperion has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The Storm Dragon Saga by Julie Kagawa, a middle grade fantasy trilogy set in a world of floating islands where only the rich own dragons, until a poor boy named Remy finds an orphaned baby dragon and becomes the focus of a mission to save his realm from destruction. Publication will begin in 2024; Laurie McLean at Fuse Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
Alison Romig at Delacorte Press has bought world English rights to Love Is in the Hair by Gemma Cary, pitched as Sex Education meets Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. This feminist comedy follows the endless humiliations, unrequited obsessions, and all-consuming friendships of 15-year-old Evia Birtwhistle as she leads a body-hair positive revolution at her school. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Rachel Hamilton at the Ben Illis Agency did the deal.
Elizabeth Lee at Penguin Workshop has acquired First Love Language by Stefany Valentine, a YA romantic dramedy about Taiwanese American teen Catie, who longs to connect with her heritage after her father dies. When her coworker offers to teach her Mandarin in exchange for fake dates, the couple ends up tongue-tied in more ways than one. Publication is slated for summer 2025; Ann Rose at the Tobias Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Alex Borbolla at Bloomsbury has bought, at auction, Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield, a fellow of Reese's Book Club's LitUp program. The queer YA romance follows two disabled teens in a time loop: Phoebe, who has been stuck for 26 days, and Jess, who comes crashing in (literally) after hitting Phoebe with their car. They start to fall for each other, but how do you plan for a future together when tomorrow may never come? Publication is set for spring 2024; Natascha Morris at the Tobias Literary Agency handled the six-figure, two-book deal for world English rights.
Dana Chidiac at Henry Holt has acquired, at auction, A Banh Mi for Two by debut author Trinity Nguyen, a sapphic contemporary YA novel in which a Vietnamese American student fakes a study abroad trip to Saigon and crosses paths with a local banh mi seller who dreams of seeing the world, embarking on a food tour around Saigon that connects them with the city and each other. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Naomi Davis at BookEnds Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Catherine Frank at Peachtree has bought an untitled middle grade novel by Ann Dee Ellis (You May Already Be a Winner), pitched for fans of Lisa Fipps and Corey Ann Haydu. Eloise is "super good" with adults, Tilly is not, but the pair team up anyway to launch a cookie baking business, and draft a random assortment of classmates. It should be a recipe for disaster, but it leads to unexpectedly sweet results. Publication is scheduled for summer 2025; John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management did the deal for world rights.
Brian Geffen at Henry Holt has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The Chainbreakers, a middle-grade fantasy novel by Julian Randall (Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa). Thirteen-year-old grim reaper Violet Moon must unexpectedly captain her father's otherworldly crew and harness the ship's magic to rescue him after he's taken overboard, but to save him she must also save the souls trapped beneath the waves in a world created centuries ago after an uprising led by the enslaved on a ship in the Middle Passage. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Patrice Caldwell at New Leaf Literary & Media sold North American rights.
Tiffany Colón at Scholastic Press has bought world rights to Paige Not Found by Jen Wilde (Queens of Geek), a debut middle-grade novel that follows Paige as she learns that her mind is under the control of an impulsive billionaire who thinks her autism needs a "cure" and joins forces with the other children involved to shut the experiment down before it's too late—all while exploring her queerness and gender identity. Publication is set for spring 2024; Lauren Spieller, now at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management, negotiated the deal for world rights while at TriadaUS.
Megan Abbate at Bloomsbury has acquired, at auction, Everything but Typical, a nonfiction middle grade collection from Margeaux Weston, nonfiction editor at the Hugo Award-winning FIYAH literary magazine, highlighting the lives of a diverse group of influential people who happen to be neurodivergent, including Simone Biles, Armani Williams, Greta Thunberg, Octavia Butler, and more. Publication is planned for winter 2025; Eric Smith at P.S. Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Maggie Lehrman at Abrams has bought a middle-grade adventure, The Shape of Time by Ryan Calejo (Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows). Pitched as a Latinx A Wrinkle in Time, it features 14-year-old Antares De La Vega, who is kidnapped and locked away in a secret prison in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, where he meets 13-year-old Magdavellía. They must wield both geometry and alchemy, outsmart molemen and mermaids, and outrun fiendish outer space aliens—all while attempting to solve a riddle as old and mystifying as the sun. Publication is slated for fall 2023; Rena Rossner at the Deborah Harris Agency handled the two-book deal for world rights.
Della Farrell at Holiday House has acquired, in a two-book deal, debut author Jennifer Ann Richter's Bird Nerd. This contemporary middle grade novel follows the growing pains of city girl Nyla, a bird enthusiast who tries leading her fifth-grade classmates to victory in a birding contest against suburban kids while also navigating changing friendship dynamics closer to home. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Amy Thrall Flynn at Rubin Pfeffer Content negotiated the deal for world rights.
Tara Walker at Tundra Books has bought, in an exclusive submission, author-illustrator Danielle Daniel's debut MG novel-in-verse Reasons to Look at the Night Sky. Eleven-year-old Luna, space enthusiast and future astronaut, is determined to secure a spot in NASA's summer space camp, but when Luna's home and beloved science classroom undergo significant changes, she must learn to adapt to new things, embrace new people, and celebrate new ways of seeing the world around her—including the way she once viewed her beloved night sky. Publication is set for fall 2024; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Caitlyn Dlouhy at Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books has acquired, in a two-book deal, world rights to Mai's Áo Dài, a picture book by fashion designer Thai Nguyen (l.) and novelist Monique Truong (c.), in her picture book debut, about a Vietnamese American girl who discovers the vibrant meaning of wearing an áo dài, a traditional Vietnamese garment, as well as the love and family history that surrounds her; Dung Ho (r.) will illustrate. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Andrianna deLone at ICM Partners and Janet Silver at Aevitas Creative Management represented the authors, and the artist was unagented.
Kendra Levin at Simon & Schuster has bought world rights to Monty & the Mushrooms and a second untitled book by Dev Petty (l.) (I Don't Want to Be a Frog), illustrated by Jared Chapman (Vegetables in Underwear), in a two-book deal. It tells the story of a troupe of cheerful, noisy mushrooms who clash with a grouchy marmot in the forest. Publication is slated for spring 2025; Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Aneeka Kalia at Viking has acquired, at auction, This Land by Jyoti Rajan Gopal (l.), illustrated by Baljinder Kaur, a picture book that follows the true story of Sikh immigrants who left British colonial rule in Punjab for work in the American West during the late 19th century, who left an indelible mark on the land they eventually called their home. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Wendi Gu at GreenburgerKids negotiated the deal for world rights.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has bought Action Jasmine, a picture book by Kristen Mai Giang (l.), illustrated by A.N. Kang, about a shy girl discovering the action superhero inside her, for publication in fall 2025. Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Clarissa Wong at Scholastic has acquired world rights to Dreaming of a Quinceañera, a picture book by Pura Belpré Award winner Yamile Saied Méndez (l.), illustrated by Christine Almeda, about a girl who attends her sister's quinceañera celebration. Publication is set for spring 2025; Linda Camacho at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency represented the author, and Stefanie Sanchez von Borstel at Full Circle Literary represented the illustrator.
Dani Valladares at Mayo Clinic Press Kids has bought world rights to Wash Day by Tiffany Golden (l.), illustrated by Lhaiza Morena. Young Black sisters Jaz and Jelaya brave wash day together in this story celebrating Black hair, sisterhood, and self-care. Publication is planned for fall 2023; Christa Heschke and Daniele Hunter at McIntosh & Otis represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Celia Lee at Simon and Schuster has acquired world rights to Our Favorite Day of the Week by Ashley Franklin (l.), illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell, in which a child and his friends share what's special about their favorite day as they walk to school, but it's their teacher who helps them realize that any day can be a favorite as long as it's spent with someone special or doing something you love, and a sequel. Publication is slated for fall 2024. Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Kate Fletcher at Candlewick has bought world rights, in a preempt, to Sarang Saves the School by debut author Korena Di Roma Howley (l.), illustrated by Joowon Oh, a story about how South Korean grandmothers saved a school. Publication is scheduled for spring 2025; Lisa Amstutz at Storm Literary represented the author, and Steven Chudney at the Chudney Agency represented the illustrator.
Arthur Levine at Levine Querido has acquired world rights to The Not So Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau, a picture book that tells the story of Marceau's early life as a sensitive Jewish boy enduring Nazi persecution and how he became the famous mime we know, co-authored by Jenn Bailey (l.) and Sherry Bushue, illustrated by two-time Caldecott Honoree Pamela Zagarenski. Publication is set for spring 2024; Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio represented the authors, and the illustrator represented herself.
Amy Novesky at Cameron Kids has bought world rights to How to Love the Whole World, a picture book collaboration by Henry Martin (l.) (Agnes Martin: Pioneer, Painter, Icon) and illustrator Shelley Hampe, about abstract artist Agnes Martin and how she painted the world she loved by embracing her unique sensibilities. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Kate Johnson at Wolf Literary Services represented the author, and Elizabeth Rudnick at Gillian MacKenzie Agency represented the illustrator.
Michelle Frey at Knopf has acquired world rights to Houdini's Library by Barb Rosenstock (l.), illustrated by cut-paper artist Mar Delmar, a picture book weaving the life of Harry Houdini into his lifelong obsession with the magic of books and book collecting. Publication is slated for spring 2026, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Houdini's death. Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and the artist represented herself.
Kate DePalma at Barefoot Books has bought world rights to Benita and the Night Creatures by Mariana Llanos (l.) (Run, Little Chaski!), illustrated by Cocoretto; DePalma and Bree Reyes will edit. Benita loves to read but keeps getting interrupted by a whistling Tunche, a scary Supay and other spooky creatures from Peruvian lore. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Sera Rivers while at Martin Literary Management represented the author, and Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio represented the illustrator.
Meredith Mundy at Abrams Appleseed has acquired Stella Hong's interactive board book Lunartale, a celebration of the Lunar New Year featuring die-cut pages, gatefolds, and illustrations centered around different aspects of the holiday including the animals of the zodiac and festive foods. Publication is planned for fall 2023; Moe Ferrara at BookEnds Literary did the deal for world rights.
