Olivia Valcarce at Inkyard Press has acquired Compass and Blade and two additional books in a YA fantasy series by Rachel Greenlaw. Mira, who lives on a remote island, survives by luring ships to their doom and plundering the wrecks, but when her father is taken away, her quest to save him is an adventure filled with sirens and mysterious magic, family secrets and first loves, danger and cutthroat betrayals. Publication of the first book is scheduled for winter 2024; Maddalena Cavaciuti at David Higham Associates sold North American rights.
Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books has bought, in a preempt, Oxford Slays by Rachael Davis-Featherstone. For fans of Ace of Spades and The Secret History, Oxford Slays is a high-stakes, kill-or-be-killed YA murder mystery set at a fictional Oxford University about a girl who has been accused of murdering her best friend, and must prove her innocence before an anonymous social media account ruins her. Publication is set for spring 2025; Allison Hellegers at Stimola Literary Studio did the two-book deal for North American rights on behalf of U.K. packager Storymix.
Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends has acquired All's Fair(y) in Love & War by Alechia Dow. The novel follows sworn enemies Darling, a plucky fairy, and Calamity, an agent of misfortune, as they insert themselves into a mortal girl's life in a competition to either rescue or ruin her happily-ever-after, though the biggest battle of all may be resisting their growing feelings for one another. Publication is slated for spring/summer 2025; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management sold North American rights.
Wendy Loggia at Delacorte has bought world rights to Katrina Emmel's debut YA novel Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses, a contemporary dual POV romance set on the American prairie in which a young woman from California forced on a family bonding trip finds herself in the company of the tall, dark, and irksome cowboy who's along for the ride. Publication is planned for summer 2024. Jordan Hamessley at New Leaf Literary & Media negotiated the deal.
Alexandra Hightower at Little, Brown has acquired The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones, a YA fantasy set in the same world as The Bone Houses and The Drowned Woods, about a monster-hunting girl who teams up with a prince to win the dangerous tournament known as the Wild Hunt. But unbeknownst to the two of them, the hunt is far more dangerous to win than to lose. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord Literistic brokered the deal for world rights.
Margaret Ferguson at Holiday House/Ferguson has bought, at auction, world rights to Megan Wagner Lloyd (l.) (Allergic) and illustrator Erin Kubo's YA graphic novel, The Empty House. When family circumstances force misfit Ada and her mother to relocate, Ada finds herself drawn to a deserted and decaying mansion and a decades-old murder—and becomes determined to discover the secrets hidden within it. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author and illustrator.
Wesley Adams at FSG has acquired the middle-grade novel Maybe It's a Sign by E.L. Shen (The Comeback; The Queens of New York). After the sudden loss of her father, seventh-grader Freya June Sun discovers that the superstitions and expectations inherited from him are getting in the way of moving on from her loss and finding out who she really is. Publication is set for winter 2024; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Jenne Abramowitz at Scholastic Press has bought Frazzled author Booki Vivat's graphic/illustrated middle grade novel, Meet Me on Mercer Street. The book follows aspiring artist Kacie who must use her sketchbooks and observational skills to figure out where her best friend has disappeared to, why her neighborhood is changing, and what, if anything, she can do about it. Publication is planned for spring 2024; Steven Malk at Writers House handled the deal for world rights.
Elizabeth Stranahan at Random House has acquired contemporary middle grade novel Bea Mullins Takes a Shot by debut author Emily Deibert. Sixth-grader Bea Mullins freezes in the spotlight. But when low funding puts her new hockey team at risk of never playing again—and Bea never seeing co-captain Gabi again—she'll have to decide if some goals are worth facing the fear of failing. Publication is scheduled for spring 2025; Kurestin Armada at Root Literary sold world English rights.
Bobbie Bensur at Paw Prints has bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to Dream Warriors, a graphic novel series about magical beings who battle "nap to night" to keep sleeping people safe from bad dreams, from author Jesse Byrd (l.) and illustrator Yonson Carbonell. In Dream Warriors: Khi's New Beginning, the Bad Dreams have teamed up to conduct a multi-layer plan to convert all dreams into nightmares and permanently scar the human race; it's up to the Dream Warriors to defeat them. Publication is set for spring 2024; Jesse B. Creative represented the author and illustrator in the two-book deal.
Laura Kincaid at Holiday House has acquired an untitled early reader by debut author-illustrator Diana Castillo based on her Cuban immigrant family's experiences, in an exclusive submission, for publication in 2024. Saritza Hernández at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Sonali Fry at Crown has bought India on a Plate! by Archana Sreenivasan in her debut as author-illustrator. This rhyming board book takes the reader on a tour of Indian food from A to Z. Publication is planned for spring 2024; Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary sold world rights.
Tracey Keevan and Emily Duffy at Union Square Kids have acquired, at auction, world rights to author-illustrator Brooke Bourgeois's picture book Penelope's Balloons, about a shy elephant who loves 10 special balloons with all her heart and does everything to protect them, until they blow away, and she rediscovers the support of the friends who have been there all along. Publication is slated for spring 2024; Gwen Beal at UTA negotiated the two-book deal.
Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow has bought, at auction, world Rights to It's Powwow Time! , a joyful story about a boy learning how to dance at a powwow, and Today I Am Loved, the story of a family undoing the bounds of the Canadian Indian residential school, told through the eyes of a child experiencing unconditional love, both by Martha Troian (l.) (Lac Seul First Nation). It's Powwow Time! will be illustrated by Hawlii Pichette (Mushkego Cree), and is set for fall 2024; Carolyn Forde and Amy Tompkins at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Elizabeth Lee at Penguin Workshop has acquired world rights to two books by Bob McKinnon (l.) (Three Little Engines). The first, America's Dreaming, illustrated by Thai My Phuong, follows a child named America who is nervous for the first day of school in a new town but is buoyed by historical figures who come to life in their dreams. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Dana Chidiac at Henry Holt has bought world rights to Don't Wanna Hibernate! by debut author and poet Anna Ouchchy (l.), illustrated by Raahat Kaduji. When winter comes, one little groundhog insists, "I don't wanna hibernate!" but bedtime—and Groundhog Day—are on their way in this rhyming picture book. Publication is slated for winter 2025; Ana Crespo at East West Literary Agency represented the author, and Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Ann Marie Wong and Kate Farrell at Henry Holt have acquired, at auction, two picture books from Scott Hoying (l.) and Mark Manio (c.). How Lucky Am I? follows a mayfly as he sets out to explore all the beauty and wonder this big world has to offer, and perhaps find love along the way, all within his brief 24-hour lifespan, illustrated by Steph Lew (r.). Publication is planned for spring 2024, and a second untitled Christmas book is planned for fall 2025; Carlos Segarra and Alex Rice at CAA represented Hoying and Manio, and Kate Powell at Astound US represented Lew.
Daria Harper at Chronicle has bought world rights to Lost & Found Hanukkah by Joy Preble (l.), illustrated by Lisa Anchin, about a boy who recently moved and is missing everything about his old home, including his menorah that was lost in the move, but discovers that like in the story of Hanukkah, everything in his new home can be made right again, too. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Andrea Morrison at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has acquired world rights to The Sole Man by Shana Keller (l.), illustrated by Stephen Costanza, celebrating an important, lesser-known figure in Black history. Jan Matzeliger immigrated to America as a young man in 1873, and despite many obstacles, went on to invent and patent a machine that had a revolutionary effect on everyday life—and changed the shoe industry forever. Publication is set for fall 2024; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Claire Morance at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Mark Podesta at Henry Holt has acquired Lucas Soto and Samuel Soto-Saines's The Street King, a debut YA graphic novel about 17-year-old Manny Valdez—years after witnessing his father's death in an MMA match—as he grapples with grief and trauma while rising to stardom as an eSports star in a bid to secure enough prize money to save his uncle's arcade, aimed at fans of Haikyu!!, In Real Life, and Fence. Publication is slated for fall 2025; Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Erica Sussman at HarperTeen has bought Return to Sender, a YA mystery/romance by Australian author Lauren Draper. When 17-year-old Brodie returns to the small town of her childhood, she reunites with her best friend and her old nemesis. The trio throws themselves into the mystery of some dead letters, uncovering clues, memories and a path that seems to lead them to the truth—one closer to home than they ever imagined. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Annabel Barker at Annabel Barker Agency did the deal for world English rights excluding ANZ.
Erin Clarke at Knopf has acquired, at auction, The Queen of Ocean Parkway and an untitled companion novel by Sarvenaz Tash. Pitched as part Only Murders in the Building and part When You Reach Me, the middle-grade novels feature the 11-year-old daughter of a Brooklyn apartment-building superintendent drawn into the disappearance of one of her favorite tenants; solving the mystery takes her all the way to Coney Island and an enigmatic fortune-telling machine. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.
Arianna Robinson at Greenwillow has bought, in a two-book deal, Rougarou by Rachel M. Marsh. In her second year of living in freezing Boston, 11-year-old Louisiana transplant Feliciana Fruge misses everything about home: the food, Grandma, and above all, feeling proud of her Cajun heritage. Desperate to prove to her bully that she's more than a backwoods bayou kid, she decides to enter an art competition that could make everyone forget about her Southern roots if she wins, but her plans are complicated by the arrival of Roux, a swamp monster with magical powers. Publication is set for fall 2024; Larissa Melo Pienkowski at Jill Grinberg Literary Management did the deal for North American rights.
Ruta Rimas at Razorbill has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Leslie Vedder's (The Bone Spindle trilogy) debut middle grade novel, Ix Tatterfall and the Labyrinth of Souls. Twelve-year-old Ix has two gifts: she can see Nightmare creatures and can pass into the forbidden Labyrinth of Souls, a dark ethereal maze that's home to the seven Sorrows. An ancient evil has begun to stir and the key to saving her kingdom—and finding her father's lost soul—lies deep within the Labyrinth. Publication is scheduled for spring 2025; Carrie Hannigan and Ellen Goff at HG Literary handled the deal for North American rights.
Emilia Rhodes at HarperCollins has bought middle grade novel We Are Not Alone by Katryn Bury (Drew Leclair Gets a Clue). After his best friend dies, cancer survivor Sam is given a notebook filled with his friend's mysterious theories about the universe, which sends loner Sam and popular girl Cat on a journey to find the secrets of the unknown—only to discover that the answers are closer than they think. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Mary Lee Donovan at Candlewick Press has acquired Tove Grows a Tree, a young chapter book by Larissa Theule (l.), illustrated by Julie Benbassat. In this modern fantasy, when city arborists cut down the giant ficus tree on Tove's street, she rescues a small branch and plants it on her head. What transpires is a community coming together for the girl they admire and the tree that they realize they love and miss. Publication is set for fall 2025; Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt Agency sold world English rights for the author, and Rebecca Sherman at Writers House sold world rights for the illustrator.
Neal Porter and Taylor Norman at Holiday House/Neal Porter Books have bought, in a preempt, Jessixa Bagley's The Back of the Universe, a guided journey that takes readers on a trip from the darkest corner of space into their own room to help us understand we are part of something larger but that largeness also lives inside of us. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired, in a preempt, world rights to Food Is Love, a picture book by Orbis Pictus Award winner Barry Wittenstein (l.) (A Place to Land), illustrated by Sara Palacios, a look at humanitarian Chef José Andres and his heroic and global work with World Central Kitchen. Publication is slated for fall 2025; Mona Kanin at Great Dog Literary represented the author, and Kendra Marcus and Minju Chang at BookStop Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Maria Modugno at Random House Studio has bought, in a preempt, world rights to Governor General Award-winning author Jon-Erik Lappano's (l.) The Language of Birds, a picture book about a girl named Mira who speaks the language of birds better than that of humans, until she meets a like-minded friend who has his own language with the trees. Zach Manbeck will illustrate; publication is scheduled for summer 2025. Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Agency represented the illustrator.
Meredith Mundy at Abrams Appleseed has acquired world rights to The ABCs of Persian Food by Sunny Sanaz Shokrae (l.), illustrated by Ly Ngo Heisig, a bilingual celebration of Persian cuisine and culture, featuring a favorite food item for each letter of the alphabet and backmatter that includes a pronunciation guide and a description of each food. Publication is planned for spring 2024; the author and illustrator were unagented.
Anna Sargeant at Sourcebooks has bought world rights to A Stray Dog for Christmas, a picture book by Jack Jokinen, illustrated by Wendy Tan, that tells the true story of a stray dog who wandered into Jack's house two weeks before Christmas to find her forever home. Publication is set for fall 2024; Regina Brooks and Kelly Thomas at Serendipity Agency represented the author, and Tina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has acquired world rights to Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's Baby Bat Bedtime by Paige Towler (l.), illustrated by Gavin Scott. In this picture book based on Smithsonian science, a baby bat does not want to go to bed but her mother bat knows just what to do. Publication is slated for fall 2024; Jill Corcoran represented Smithsonian Institution and the author, and Robyn Newton at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Yael Berstein at Tapioca Stories has bought world English rights to the picture book Marcelo, Martello, Marshmallow by Ruth Rocha (l.), originally published in Brazil in 1976; Ana Matsusaki will illustrate. Marcelo is a curious and inventive boy, who has a lot of questions about the meaning and origins of words; he decides to create his own vocabulary, which leads to a series of unexpected events. Publication is scheduled for 2024; Pablo de la Vega at Base Tres represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
