Foyinsi Adegbonmire at Feiwel and Friends has acquired rights, at auction, to Tomi Oyemakinde's YA debut The Changing Man, pitched as Jordan Peele meets Ace of Spades. The novel follows 17-year-old Ife, a scholarship student at a wealthy boarding school investigating a decades-old urban legend after a missing classmate reappears at school glassy-eyed and inexplicably changed. Publication is slated for September 2023; Peter Knapp at Park & Fine Literary and Media did the two-book deal for North American rights on behalf of Claire Wilson at RCW Literary Agency.
Tiffany Liao at Zando Young Readers/Gillian Flynn Books has won, at auction, debut author Wen-yi Lee's The Dark We Know, pitched as Stephen King's It meets Rory Power's Wilder Girls, the first YA title from the Gillian Flynn Books imprint. Forced to return home for her abusive father's funeral, a bisexual Chinese American art student must team up with her last surviving childhood friend to destroy the evil that has been lurking in her town—and refuses to let her escape twice. Publication is set for spring 2024; Isabel Kaufman at Fox Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
Justin Chanda at McElderry Books has bought Michael P. Spradlin's six-title series The Web of the Spider, set in Germany in the years before, during, and immediately following World War II, about a group of heroic German kids who fight against terrible odds to combat the rising evil of the Nazis; Nicole Fiorica will edit. The first title is tentatively titled Rise of the Spider, and is planned for summer 2024; Timothy Travaglini at Transatlantic Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Peter Phillips at Tundra Books has acquired E.K. Johnston's Titan of the Stars in a six-figure preempt, pitched as Alien meets Titanic, in which star-crossed lovers fight for survival aboard the first cruise ship in space when disaster strikes and aliens attack. It's scheduled for 2024; David Purse at Inked Entertainment did the two-book deal for North American and audio rights.
Arthur A. Levine at Levine Querido has bought And Then Comes July by Sarah Jung, a contemporary YA graphic novel that explores two sisters' relationships as they are escaping an unsafe home environment, and their respective immigrant identities. Publication is slated for spring 2025; Shadra Strickland at Painted Words brokered the deal for world rights.
Jess Harold at Henry Holt has acquired, in a preempt, The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky by debut YA author Josh Galarza. Unwilling to face the frightening reality of his mother's cancer, 15-year-old Brett Harrison escapes into the comic-book stories he pens while funneling his anxieties into an escalating eating disorder. When his disorder becomes public knowledge, Brett must find the strength to face even the most unfathomable loss bravely. Publication is set for spring 2024; David Dunton at Harvey Klinger negotiated the deal for world rights.
Camille Kellogg at Bloomsbury has bought world rights to debut author Erin Luken's YA fantasy novel Our Shattered Masks, about a magical thief who cons her way onto an exclusive enchanted island for her biggest heist yet: stealing the source of all magic. But something sinister is happening behind the island's enchantments—and Lucia might not survive the magic long enough to steal it. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Sarah Fisk at the Tobias Agency handled the deal.
Joy Peskin at FSG has acquired, in an exclusive submission, an untitled YA nonfiction book by Jennifer Miller (Rising Class: How Three First-Generation College Students Conquered Their First Year) about three young people from diverse backgrounds who share two vital connections: they're experiencing the current teen mental health crisis personally and they're trying to do something about it. Publication is scheduled for winter 2026; Mollie Glick at CAA did the deal for world rights.
Jennifer Besser and Eleonore Fisher at Roaring Brook have bought Juniper's Christmas, an illustrated middle-grade novel by Artemis Fowl author Eoin Colfer, about 11-year-old Juniper's wild adventure to find her mother and protect a public park just days before Christmas. Publication is slated for fall 2023. Sophie Hicks at the Sophie Hicks Agency sold U.S. and Canadian rights.
Tracy Mack at Scholastic Press has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Deer Run Home, a middle-grade novel in verse by Ann Clare LeZotte (Show Me a Sign). Inspired by a true custody case, it tells the story of a 12-year-old Deaf girl who learns to find solace in poetry; she is isolated at home by her troubled, non-signing family and at school, where her compassionate ASL interpreter fights to adopt her. Publication is expected in fall 2024; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has bought world rights to Sneed B. Collard III's Defending Nature: How the U.S. Military Protects Threatened and Endangered Species, a middle-grade science book about conservation at U.S. military bases around the world. Publication is planned for spring 2024; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary brokered the deal.
Sara Sproull at Abrams has acquired Kitty Camp by Drew Brockington in an exclusive submission. In this picture book, a girl is about to spend her first night away from home at sleepaway camp, but upon arrival, she discovers the entire camp is populated by fuzzy, cute kitties. Publication is set for spring 2025; Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties negotiated the deal for world rights.
Megan Ilnitzki at HarperCollins has bought, in an exclusive submission, Breanna Carzoo's The Squish, a picture book about a sandcastle that tries to protect itself from being constantly knocked down by all of life's squishes until it discovers the value in resiliency, rebuilding, and reaching out to others. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Alexandra McKenzie, while at Charlesbridge, acquired world rights To Beansprout, a picture book by Sarah Lynne Reul (The Breaking News); Eileen Robinson will edit. The story centers on a boy whose classroom seed-growing experiment just doesn't work out—even though he did everything right—and helps young readers work through an answer to the hard question, "Why did this happen?" A spring 2025 publication is slated; Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt brokered the deal.
Lauri Hornik at Penguin/Rocky Pond Books has bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to Hello, Ocean!, written and illustrated by Corinna Luyken, a picture book celebration of the ocean and everything it offers. Publication is planned for summer 2025; Steven Malk at Writers House handled the deal for world rights.
Elizabeth Law at Holiday House has acquired world rights to The Gift of Eid by book blogger Shifa Saltagi Safadi (l.), illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel (Under My Hijab). In this Syrian twist on O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" set in Souq al-Hamidiyyeh and in the Ummayad Mosque of Damascus, Yasmine wants to buy her mother a beautiful mosaic box for her bracelet but must give up something precious to raise the money. Publication is set for winter 2025; Janine Le at Janine Le Literary Agency represented the author, and Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Maria Russo at Astra/Minerva has bought world rights to The Wishing Well by Gideon Sterer (l.) (The Midnight Fair), illustrated by Emily Hughes (The Snail). The picture book is a monologue delivered by a monster who lives at the bottom of a wishing well, knee-deep in coins, revealing his conflicted feelings about all the wishes he overhears and how they've helped shape his own hopes and dreams. Publication is scheduled for spring 2025; Stephen Barr at Writers House represented the author and illustrator.
Neal Porter at Holiday House/Neal Porter Books has acquired world rights to How to Grow a Family Tree by Bea Birdsong (l.), illustrated by Jasu Hu, a picture book about a child with a small family realizing that chosen family can be just as important when filling in the branches on a family tree. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Melissa Edwards at Stonesong represented the author, and Marzena Torzecka at the Marlena Agency represented the illustrator.
Denene Millner at S&S/Denene Millner Books has bought world English rights to The Blue Velvet Chair by poet Rio Cortez (l.), illustrated by Aaron Marin, about a child who observes the city's changes throughout the year perched from her favorite spot in the apartment. Publication is set for summer 2025; Wendi Gu at GreenburgerKids represented the author, and Susan Penny at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Simon Boughton at Norton Young Readers has acquired world rights to A Place for Rain by Michelle Schaub (l.), illustrated by Blanca Gómez, a rain garden adventure. Publication is scheduled for winter 2024; Lisa Amstutz at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Tamar Mays at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Wonder Why by Lisa Varchol Perron (l.) (Patterns Everywhere), illustrated by Nik Henderson (Trucks on Trucks), a picture book in which a curious child wonders about everything—from why the sky is blue to why thunder rumbles—receiving answers directly from the sky, thunder, and more. Publication is planned for winter 2025; Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary represented the author, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Cheryl Eissing at Penguin/Flamingo Books has acquired world rights to Lighthouse and the Little Boat author Katie Frawley's (l.) Porcupine & Cactus, a Prickly Pair, in which an enthusiastic porcupine tries to befriend a cactus, despite the cactus's prickly demeanor, illustrated by Alex Willmore. Publication is slated for 2024; Curtis Russell at P.S. Literary Agency represented the author, and Freddie Dawson at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Christianne Jones at Capstone has bought world rights to Paper Wishes by Tara Knudson (l.), a picture book about a child's creative use of origami to stay connected to grandparents who live far away; Kirsti Beautyman will illustrate. Publication is set for spring 2024; Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and Freddie Dawson at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Sarah Howden at Orca Books has acquired world rights in a two-book deal to The Barefoot Skateboarders by Rina Singh (l.), illustrated by Sophie Casson. This picture book tells the story of Janwaar, a remote and tribal village in Madhya Pradesh, India where skateboarding became an unlikely but powerful tool in blurring caste barriers, and empowering children to become the driving force behind the social change. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Essie White at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Wiley Blevins at Reycraft Books has bought worldwide rights for the picture book Love of the Half-Eaten Peach by Lee Wind (l.), illustrated by Jieting Chen, an epic take on Yuan (Duke Ling of Wei) and his beloved Mi Zi Xia who shared a peach circa 500 BCE, inspiring generations of people to use the expression "Love of the Half-Eaten Peach" in Chinese to describe romantic love between men. Publication is scheduled for spring 2024; Marietta Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the author, and Alex Gehringer at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has acquired world rights to Kaho'olawe by Kamalani Hurley (l.), illustrated by Harinani Orme. This nonfiction picture book chronicles the history of the island of Kaho'olawe, from the arrival of the first Polynesian voyagers to the island's seizure by the U.S. military during World War II to present-day restoration efforts by Native Hawaiians. Publication is set for fall 2024; James McGowan at BookEnds represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has bought world rights for Huck and Loona by Emily Kilgore (l.), illustrated by Florence Weiser, in which two unlikely friends—a bear and a loon—learn to get along even though they have different perspectives on the world. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Adria Goetz at P.S. Literary Agency represented the author, and Lucie Luddington at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has acquired world rights to Little Red Chair, a picture book by Cathy Stefanec Ogren (l.) (PEW! The Stinky and Legen-Dairy Gift from Colonel Thomas S. Meacham), illustrated by Alexandra Thompson. When Mia scooches into the fluffy tufts of the Little Red Chair, love at first "sit," but after the chair is lost in a move, fate reunites them in a special way. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Victoria Selvaggio at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and Hannah Mann at Writers House represented the illustrator.
