Alyza Liu at Simon & Schuster has acquired, in a two-book deal, We Were Never Here by Sophia Hannan. The YA sapphic debut follows a group of ghost hunters who used their viral show as a front for stealing priceless art, until the night the job goes catastrophically wrong and ends in a murder. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Jenissa Graham at Bookends Literary Agency sold world English rights.
Brian Geffen at Henry Holt has bought world rights to Remy Lai's new middle grade graphic novel, Me and My Pet Demon, in an exclusive submission. When apathetic 13-year-old Dom Noir accidentally summons a demon, she has no choice but to take him in as a pet. Just as she starts to genuinely care for the demon, ominous signs of an apocalypse start appearing all over town, and she might have to send her new friend back where he came from. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal.
Ben Rosenthal at HarperCollins has acquired world rights, at auction, for two books, the middle grade mystery series Opal Watson Private Eye by Brittany J. Thurman. An adaptation of the original podcast from Pinna, the book series follows an 11-year-old Black girl with a degenerative eye disease who has a thriving detective business, but is pushed to her limits when her sleuthing uncovers a family secret. Publication is set for February 2025; Jessica Regel at Helm Literary did the deal for Pinna/Realm, and Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the author.
Taylor Norman at Holiday House/Neal Porter Books has bought H.M. Bouwman's Scattergood, a middle grade novel set in rural Iowa, in which precocious but awkward Peggy faces a year of difficulties, in a story set against the landscape of WWII—and an influx of European war refugees into the community. Publication is slated for spring 2025; Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary Agency sold world rights.
Jill Davis at Astra/Hippo Park has acquired Dog Days, a middle grade graphic novel series by author-illustrator Claudia Boldt. Three stories per book follow two best dog friends, Sausage and Mia, through funny, awkward situations in middle school and at home. Publication for the first book is scheduled for fall 2025; Debbie Bibo at the Debbie Bibo Agency sold world rights.
Katherine Easter at Zonderkidz has bought world rights to The Bug Bandits by Jenni L. Walsh (Operation: Happy). In this middle grade novel inspired by true events—the heist of thousands of dollars' worth of rare insects from the Philadelphia Insectarium—a girl and her friends must protect her father's museum from "buglars," using their knowledge of science and some Home Alone-type shenanigans. Publication is planned for 2025; Shannon Hassan at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency brokered the deal.
Sara Sproull at Abrams has acquired world rights to the first two books in a new early reader graphic novel series titled Once Upon a Tail by Audrey Perrott (l.) (Moo Hoo; A Hat for House) and Charlene Chua (the Amy Wu series). Wallace, a knightly horse, and Poppy, an eccentric dragon, are the best of friends who end up in the silliest of situations in their fantastical medieval land of La Dee Dah. Publication is set for spring 2026 and fall 2026; James McGowan at BookEnds Literary represented the author, and Tracy Marchini at BookEnds Literary represented the illustrator.
Erinn Pascal at Andrews McMeel has bought Hedgehog Whodunit by Heather Preusser and Gal Weizman, a chapter book series about a sleepy hedgehog and tireless rat solving animal antics in City Zoo. Book one is slated to publish in fall 2024; Janine Le at Janine Le Literary Agency represented the author, and Tina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator in the three-book deal.
Christy Ottaviano at Little, Brown/Ottaviano has acquired, in an exclusive submission, world rights to Fish Don't Go to School by author-illustrator Deb Pilutti. Henry battles his first day of school jitters by wearing his favorite sparkly fish costume in this picture book about the importance of staying true to yourself when facing challenging new experiences. Publication is scheduled for summer 2025; Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
Yolanda Scott at Charlesbridge Press has bought The Aliens Are Not Ready to Go Home by Adam Gustavson (The Froggies Do Not Want to Sleep), about a group of young aliens visiting Earth who explain to their alien parents why they aren't ready to leave Earth yet. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Abigail Samoun at Red Fox Literary sold world rights.
Caitlin Johnson at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired world rights to No Way, Wash Day by debut author Adrienne Thurman (l.), illustrated by Coretta Scott King Honor winner Kaylani Juanita, in which a girl tries to outmaneuver Mama to avoid the time-honored tradition in Black households of wash day. Publication is set for winter 2025; Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, who is now represented by Melanie Figueroa at Root Literary, and Charlotte Sheedy at Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Celia Lee at Simon and Schuster has bought world English rights to Imagine New Suns, a picture book by Gwendolyn Wallace (l.), illustrated by Hayden Goodman, about the life of Octavia Butler inspired by words from Butler's own journals. The book follows a young dyslexic Butler who through books about science, robots, space, and aliens at her local library finds belonging, enabling her to imagine powerful new universes in her writing. Publication is slated for summer 2026; Wendi Gu at GreenburgerKids represented the author, and Jessica Saint Jean at Jill Grinberg Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Sally Morgridge at Holiday House has acquired world rights to Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? by Brianna Caplan Sayres (l.), illustrated by Mark Fearing. Detective H. Poulet is on the case in this spoofy noir-esque barnyard mystery full of eggcellent puns. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary represented the author, and Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Emily Feinberg at Roaring Brook Press has bought world rights to Clam Moon, a picture book by Kaitlyn Wells (l.), illustrated by Mariyah Rahman, about a child and their uncle who search for "doughnuts" along the beach that lead them to clams, creating a core childhood memory from the wonders of the natural world. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Dorothy Vickery and Jane Startz at Jane Startz Productions represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Danielle Collins at S&S/Beach Lane Books has acquired world rights to One Grain of Sand by Judy Bryan (l.), illustrated by Laura Ramos. This nonfiction picture book explores the lifecycle of individual grains of sand and encourages readers to imagine where each grain might have come from. Publication is slated for summer 2026; Heather Cashman at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has bought North American rights to School Spirits by Charlotte Gunnufson (l.), illustrated by Rebecca Crane. In this playfully spooky rhyming picture book, ghosts are floating around the school making mischief, and it's up to the kids to set a good example for their unexpected new classmates. Publication is set for summer 2026; Sam Farkas at Jill Grinberg Literary Management represented the author, and Jessica Saint Jean at Jill Grinberg Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Marfé Ferguson Delano at National Geographic Kids has acquired world rights to Photo Ark 1-2-3: An Animal Counting Book in Poetry and Pictures by Debbie Levy and Joel Sartore. The picture book features poems by Levy and photos from Sartore's Photo Ark, a decades-long project to photograph every animal species in human care, with special attention given to rare and endangered species. Publication is scheduled for March 2025; Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and the photographer represented himself.
Christianne Jones at Capstone has bought world rights to Write Here, Write Now! by Rebecca Gardyn Levington (l.) (Brainstorm!; Whatever Comes Tomorrow), illustrated by Andreana Boatta, a picture book using rhyming text to celebrate the joys of writing. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Kaitlyn Sanchez while at Context Literary Agency represented the author, and Emily Fernandez at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Lisa Rosinsky at Barefoot Books has acquired world rights to The Remembering Candle by Alison Goldberg (l.) (Bottle Tops: The Art of El Anatsui), illustrated by Selina Alko (I Is for Immigrants). A child lights a yahrzeit candle on the anniversary of his grandfather's death, in the Jewish tradition of remembrance, and discovers how old memories can bring new blessings. Publication is set for fall 2025; the author represented herself and Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Charlotte Greenbaum and Mariko Tamaki at Abrams ComicArts/Surely have bought world rights to NBA-winning author Kacen Callender's (l.) Theo Page's Guide to Being a Guy, illustrated by Teo Duvall, about an 18-year-old transgender teen who, because of struggles with transphobia and misgendering, takes notes on how to be seen as a man as he seeks validation from his cis boyfriend but learns to battle his own toxic masculinity with the help of a new crush, ultimately realizing that there is an infinite number of ways to be a guy. Publication is set for fall 2026; Beth Phelan at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency represented the author, and Allison Hellegers at Stimola Literary Studio represented the illustrator.
Katherine Harrison at Knopf has acquired world rights to A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim, a YA novel set in the same world as Six Crimson Cranes, plus two more untitled works. The story, a reimagining of "Beauty and the Beast," centers on a young art forger who enters a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord to pay off her family's debts, and finds herself entangled in a web of divine assassinations and intrigue. Publication is planned for summer 2025; Gina Maccoby at Gina Maccoby Literary Agency represented the author.
Stacy Abrams at Entangled Teen has bought world rights to Repeat After Me by Jessica Warman, a sex-positive, darkly comedic contemporary YA novel with a time loop twist pitched as Palm Springs meets the surrealist humor of A.S. King. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger Agency brokered the deal.
Kade Dishmon at Holiday House has acquired This Raging Sea by De Elizabeth, a dark YA fantasy about popular but haunted 18-year-old Briar, who must untangle the horrifying secrets of her picture-perfect coastal town in order to save Finn, her more-than-best-friend, after he disappears from the seaside carnival (and maybe from time itself). Publication is slated for fall 2025; Samantha Fabien at Root Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Robert Lastner and Elizabeth Clementson at Ig Publishing have bought North American rights to debut middle grade novel My Life as a Chameleon by Diana Anyakwo, in which 16-year-old protagonist Lily, in 1990, looks back on her life between 1980s Lagos, Nigeria and Manchester, England, as she must confront trauma that turned her childhood upside down. Publication is set for fall 2024; Jessica Craig at Craig Literary handled the deal.
Alexandra Aceves at Holiday House has acquired world rights to The Wild Mile by Alison Pearce Stevens (Animal Climate Heroes) as part of the publisher's Books for a Better Earth collection. Set in downtown Chicago, this nonfiction middle grade book highlights the efforts to transform urban waterways into wildlife sanctuaries and promote access to green spaces within big cities. Publication is planned for summer 2025; Alexandra Weiss at Azantian Literary brokered the deal.
Kristen Mohn at Capstone has bought world rights to 100th Day of School with Yasmin, first in a new Holidays with Yasmin series by Saadia Faruqi (l.), illustrated by Debby Rahmalia. This chapter book follows second-grader Yasmin as she finds the perfect way to celebrate 100th Day, teach her Nani and Nana about the holiday, and honor an ancestor all at once. Other holidays in the series debut include Juneteenth, Eid al-Adha, and Indigenous People's Day. Publication is slated for spring 2025; Kari Sutherland at KT Literary represented the author, and Emily Fernandez at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Luana Kay Horry at HarperCollins has acquired Poppy's Umbrella, Heather Brockman Lee's debut as an author-illustrator, a picture book that celebrates the rainbow of friendship as Poppy and Umbrella stick together on sunny days and stormy ones, even when the wind tries to separate them. Publication is scheduled for summer 2026; Deborah Warren at East/West Literary sold world rights.
Nicole Fox of RISE x Penguin Workshop has bought author-illustrator Rob Hodgson's picture book When Tree Became a Tree, which details the life cycle of a tree's growth and the science behind it. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Andrea Morrison at Writers House negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Taylor Norman at Holiday House/Neal Porter Books has acquired world rights to two picture books in the new School Heroes series by Chelsea Lin Wallace (l.), illustrated by Thyra Heder. On Our Way with Mr. Jay, about a bus driver getting kids to school on time no matter how far away they live, will publish in summer 2025, and Emergencies with Ms. Bernice, about a custodian handling the unexpected problems that arise during the school day, will publish in summer 2026. Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Stephen Barr at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Andrea Welch at S&S/Beach Lane Books has bought world rights to Trapped in the Tar Pit by Jessica Stremer (l.) (Great Carrier Reef), illustrated by Alexander Vidal. When a crack in the Earth's crust causes sticky tar to seep up to the surface, an unsuspecting animal finds itself in a perilous predicament, and thousands of years later scientists make a mammoth discovery. Publication is set for fall 2025; Natascha Morris at the Tobias Literary Agency represented the author, and Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel at Full Circle Literary represented the illustrator.
Harold Underdown at Kane Press has acquired world rights to NBA finalist Beth Kephart's (l.) The Many Lives of…, a four-book picture book series about the origins and uses of basic materials. The first book, The Many Lives of Paper, will be illustrated by Julia Breckenreid. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and the artist represented herself.
Rosemary Brosnan and Cynthia Leitich Smith at HarperCollins/Heartdrum have bought world rights to Free to Fly by Karina Iceberg (Aleut/Alutiiq) (l,), illustrated by Steph Littlebird (Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde). When a child visits their grandfather while he works on his art, he demonstrates how strength of mind and the ability to dream is a way to reclaim power and feel free, informed by the author and illustrator's family's experiences in residential boarding schools. Publication is slated for winter 2026; Melanie Figueroa at Root Literary represented the author, and Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has acquired world rights to Cyndi Lauper: Like a Rainbow from the team behind Pocket Full of Colors, written by Amy Guglielmo (l.) and Jacqueline Tourville (c.), illustrated by Brigette Barrager (r.). This picture book biography explores how singer and activist Cyndi Lauper stayed true to her dreams and made a difference in the world through art and acceptance. Publication is set for fall 2025; Stephen Barbara at Inkwell Management represented the authors, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Marilyn Brigham at Amazon Crossing Kids has bought How to Reach the Moon by Nicolás Schuff (l.), illustrated by Ana Sender (c.), and translated from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel (r.). In this picture book first published in Argentina, Emilio and his abuelo go on a nighttime summer adventure to see the moon and take a dip in the lake before falling asleep beneath the stars. Publication is scheduled for spring 2025; Florence Pariente at TTIPI Agency represented publisher Lecturita, and the translator represented himself in the deal for world English rights.
Lauri Hornik at Penguin/Rocky Pond has acquired world rights to Becca and Bubbe's Bucket List by Laura Gehl (l.) (Saving Delicia), illustrated by debut illustrator Sarah Lynn Baker, a picture book about a girl who creates her own summer bucket list and then helps her grandmother check off one of the items from her bucket list. Publication is planned for summer 2026; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink Literary represented the author, and Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio represented the illustrator.
Naomi Kirsten at Chronicle has bought world rights to If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean, a nonfiction picture book debut by Brooke McIntyre (l,) illustrated by Gordy Wright, which invites readers to dive from the surface to the ocean's deepest depths. Publication is slated for spring 2026; Mona Kanin at Great Dog Literary represented the author, and Susan Penny at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Sue Tarsky at Albert Whitman has acquired world rights to Elephants Trumpet by Sue Fliess (l.) (Octopus Acrobatics), illustrated by Gareth Lucas, a rhyming picture book filled with facts that follows a herd of our largest living land mammals across the savanna. Publication is set for spring 2025; Jennifer Unter at the Unter Agency represented the author, and Alice Wilkinson at Meiklejohn represented the illustrator.
Kristine Enderle at Magination Press has bought world rights to Abuela's Letter by Debbie Zapata (l.), illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz, a picture book that follows a girl who, after the loss of her grandmother, finds comfort in the cards and letters she gave her all her life. Publication is scheduled for October 2024; James McGowan at BookEnds represented the author, and Aurora Barlem at Astound represented the illustrator.
David Behrman at Apples & Honey Press has acquired world rights to two picture books by David Sherrin (l.): The Baddest Wolf of All?, set for fall 2024, and The Pirate Rabbi, set for fall 2025. The Baddest Wolf of All?, a fractured fairy tale illustrated by Martín Morón (c.), finds a slightly uncertain Big Bad Wolf seeking help from Snow White's Evil Queen to get better at being bad. The Pirate Rabbi, illustrated by Barbara DiLorenzo (r.), is inspired by a true story of a 16th-century Dutch rabbi who sailed the seas to rescue captives seized by pirates, and became known as a pirate himself, but a benevolent one. Sherrin represented himself, Mela Bolinao at MB Artists represented Morón, and Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented DiLorenzo.
Michele McAvoy at The Little Press has bought world rights to Mack & Fred: Side by Side, a debut picture book by Erin Larivee (l.), illustrated by Kaitlin Oesterreicher. Best friends Mack and Fred always did everything side by side, including build their houses. But when Fred adds a new porch, jealousy fuels a race to build the most impressive house. Publication is scheduled for spring 2026; the author and illustrator represented themselves.
