Sarah McCabe at McElderry Books has acquired, in a six-figure, two-book deal, A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury (the Blood Like Magic duology), a YA dark academia fantasy in which a girl must join a secret society that may be responsible for the disappearance of her brother. She teams up with a boy who is only months away from becoming a flesh-eating monster—and in exchange, she must win a deadly competition to master control of his monstrosity. Publication is set for spring 2025; Kristy Hunter at the Knight Agency sold North America rights.
Ruta Rimas at Putnam has bought world English rights to Diana Urban's next YA thriller, Under the Surface, in an exclusive submission. In this survival story, Ruby and three classmates on a senior trip to Paris sneak out to a party in the catacombs, but get lost in the maze of tunnels beneath the city for days as someone sinister chases them deeper underground. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the two-book deal.
Ashley Hearn at Peachtree Teen has acquired A Wild Flame Rises, a queer, anti-capitalist YA fantasy by Maria Ingrande Mora (The Immeasurable Depth of You), in which a girl with the ability to conduct electricity discovers that the powerful House of Industry that raised her is not the benevolent organization they present to be. She teams up with two boys—former lovers—who are standing against the harm the House has caused in the name of progress. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Erica Bauman at Aevitas Creative Management did the deal for world rights.
Britny Perilli at Running Press Kids has bought Zachary Sergi's Don't Love the Player, Love the Game, a YA rom-com adventure in which a group of queer gamers, who know each other from a mythology-inspired online video game, meet up IRL to compete in an augmented-reality tournament where sparks fly as the competition heats up and the team's two lead players try not to fall in love. Publication is slated for summer 2025; Moe Ferrara at BookEnds Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Liz Kossnar at Little, Brown has acquired two books in a new middle-grade fantasy series, The Pumpkin Princess by Steven Banbury. A runaway orphan is adopted by the fabled Pumpkin King and whisked away to a land of undead creatures and all that go bump in the night. Publication is set for fall 2024, and a sequel will follow a year later; Lauren Galit at LKG Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Tracey Keevan at Union Square Kids has bought Bad Badger and a second unnamed middle-grade title by Maryrose Wood (the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series), the story of an unlikely friendship between an enigmatic seagull and a badger who's not very badgerish. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Camille Kellogg at Bloomsbury has acquired world rights to Jaden Powers and the Inheritance Magic by Jamar J. Perry (Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms), a middle grade novel about a Black boy who must attend a school for magic after he causes a mysterious car crash, in order to find his missing best friend. Publication is planned for spring 2024; Caitie Flum at Liza Dawson Associates handled the deal.
Kathleen Keenan at Kids Can Press has bought world rights to the graphic novel Izaak and the Doctor by Amanda West Lewis (l.), illustrated by Abigail Rajunov. Inspired by true stories of so-called "Korczak orphans," this story follows a boy raised in Warsaw between the two world wars by Dr. Korczak, who believed that children should have a say in the rules governing their lives, and ran his orphanage like a democracy. Publication is slated for fall 2025; the author represented herself, and Aliza R. Hoover at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Chris Fernandez at Papercutz has acquired Petectives, a three-volume young graphic novel series by Jason Platt (Middle School Misadventures), featuring private detectives Purrlock and Marlowe, solving mysteries and thwarting Purrlock's arch-nemesis, Meowiarty. Stephanie Brooks will edit; publication is scheduled for spring 2025. Timothy Travaglini at Transatlantic Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Karen Wojtyla at McElderry has bought world rights to Metal Baby by Stephen W. Martin (l.) (Fluffy McWhiskers: Cuteness Explosion), illustrated by Brandon James Scott, which tells the story of a most conventional family… and their most UNconventional baby. Publication is set for spring 2024; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Frances Gilbert at Doubleday has acquired world rights to My Life Is Weird!, a debut picture book series by Bill Canterbury (l.), a former writer for The Simpsons, illustrated by Jeff Harter, in which kids' typical embarrassment about their lives is so much worse when a family member or friend is not human. This three-book deal launches in spring 2025 with My Dad Is a Unicorn and My Mom Is a Mermaid, following in summer 2025 with My Teacher Is a Dinosaur. Lori Steel at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Group represented the illustrator.
Emma Ledbetter at Abrams has bought world rights to The Bunny Ballet by Too Early creators Nora Ericson (l.) and Elly MacKay, a picture book about a dreamy troupe of bunnies, their dazzling ballet performance, and their enraptured audience. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Sara Crowe at Sara Crowe Literary represented the author, and Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Dana Chidiac at Henry Holt has acquired world rights to Rima and the Painter, a picture book inspired by Bob Ross, by Leila Boukarim (l.), illustrated by Melissa Iwai. When Rima and Mama move across the world to a new home, Rima aches for the way things used to be when Mama wasn't so sad. But soon, Rima discovers the painter on television, and his soft voice and crunching brush inspire her to help Mama find her smile by making art. Publication is slated for summer 2025; Hannah VanVels Ausbury at Belcastro Agency represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Renee Kelly at Penguin Workshop has bought world rights to Use Your Voice by Alice Paul Tapper (l.), illustrated by Fanny Liem, a picture book that delves into the story of the author's time spent in the hospital, and how she learned to advocate for herself. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Robert Barnett at Williams & Connolly represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Kristie Choi at Atheneum has acquired world rights to Where They Gather by debut author Teresa Rodrigues (l.), illustrated by Jamiel Law. Spanning more than a century up to the present day, this picture book tells the story of a resilient Black family from the perspective of a pecan tree growing alongside each new generation, mirroring the strength and celebration of the family through changing seasons—and throughout time. Publication is set for spring 2026; Christie Megill at the CAT Agency represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Maggie Rosenthal at Viking has bought world rights to When We Find Her by M. García Peña (l.), illustrated by André Ceolin, a picture book about a girl and her abuelo setting out to make a dish from her late abuela's recipe book only to find that the recipe, like her memories, is faded. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Kerry Sparks at Levine Greenberg Rostan represented the author, and Mela Bolinao at MB Artists represented the illustrator.
Sarah Rockett at Tillbury House has acquired Quiet Night, My Astronaut by Oksana Lushevska (l.), illustrated by Kateryna Stepanishcheva. This picture book, which won the 2022 All-Ukrainian Best Book Award, is about a child's perspective of the first days of the war in Ukraine. She becomes fixated on an imagined astronaut in the sky, as a beacon of hope, light, and safety. Publication is slated for winter 2024, to mark the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Allison Remcheck at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author and the illustrator in the deal for North American rights.
Margaret Quinlin at Peachtree/Margaret Quinlin Books has bought world rights to The Blue Jays That Grew a Forest by debut author Lynn Street (l.), illustrated by Anne Hunter (No, No, Baby!), a nonfiction picture book about the symbiotic relationship between blue jays and oak trees. Publication is set for late summer 2025; Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented the illustrator.
Andrea Posner-Sanchez at Random House has acquired world rights to Henry Winkler: A Little Golden Book Biography by former HMH publisher Betsy Groban (l.), illustrated by Kayla Harren. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; the author represented herself, and Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the artist.
Amy Novesky at Cameron Kids has bought world rights to the picture book Mama's Library Summers by Melvina Noel (l.) (Chef Edna), illustrated by Daria Peoples, a tribute to a strong Black mother, libraries, and the power of reading and of seeing oneself in books. Amy Novesky and Nina Gruener are editing; publication is slated for March 2024. The author represented herself, and Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Kelly Barrales-Saylor at Sourcebooks eXplore has acquired world rights to two titles from Chris Ferrie (l.) (the Baby University series), illustrated by Melanie Mikecz. The books—Night Night Ladybug and Night Night Tyrannosaurus—kick off a new bedtime rhyming board book series. Publication is planned for August 2025; the author was unagented, and Christina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Jeannette Larson, consulting for Flyaway Books, has bought world rights to Saving Delicia by Laura Gehl (l.), illustrated by Patricia Metola, creators of Apple & Magnolia. The picture book highlights how we are all connected with the world and how one person taking action can make a difference. Publication is scheduled for spring 2024; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink Literary Studio represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Megan Abbate at Bloomsbury has acquired world rights to Celebrating Dong Zhi by Michelle Jing Chan, in a two-book deal. After a family moves across state lines, a girl can't help but compare the different winters. It isn't until Yeye convinces her to celebrate Dong Zhi on the longest, cold night that winter symbolizes hope and rebirth, and no matter where they are, a home is rooted in family. Publication is set for fall 2025; Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal.
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has bought Anonymoose, a picture book by Shawna J.C. Tenney, in which Ana Moose goes to increasingly creative lengths not to be noticed, but starts to wonder if all the blending in has her missing out. Publication is planned for August 2024; Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.
