Tiffany Liao at Zando Young Readers/Sweet July Books has won, in a five-house auction, North American rights to Trisha Tobias's debut novel Honeysuckle and Bone, a YA contemporary meets Gothic ghost story about a teen girl who takes a nanny job on a rich Jamaican estate only to discover buried family secrets, a slow-burn romance, and that even paradise can be haunted. Publication is scheduled for March 2025; Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary Agency brokered the two-book, six-figure deal on behalf of Dovetail Fiction/Working Partners.
Kristin Rens at HarperCollins has acquired world English rights, in a preempt, to locked-room YA fantasy I Killed the King and a sequel, by Andrea Hannah (l.) and Rebecca Mix, pitched as Glass Onion with magic. When the king is murdered on the eve of a historic, war-ending ball, six suspects — one of whom is the killer — will have 12 hours to uncover who killed the king and why the body count keeps rising before a strange winter storm buries the castle at dawn. Publication is tentatively slated for summer 2025; Victoria Marini at High Line Literary Collective represented Hannah, and Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret represented Mix.
Wendy Loggia at Delacorte Romance has bought, in an exclusive submission, All Paths Lead to Paris by Sabrina Fedel, a romance about a Parisian fashion influencer living la vie en rose in Paris while fake-dating her famous musician bestie, until she meets a "normal" guy and begins to date him on the sly, leaving her rethinking whether her lies might have too much truth in them. Publication is planned for summer 2025; Michelle Hauck at Storm Literary Agency sold world and audio rights.
Stacey Barney at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired Bled by Jennifer Banash (The Rise and Fall of Ava Arcana; Silent Alarm), a thriller about two sisters who leave NYC to escape their father's latest public scandal and move to Vienna to attend an all-girl's finishing school in a crumbling castle that once belonged to serial killer Countess Elizabeth Bathory. When the girls find the Countess's diary on campus they become obsessed—that is, until students start disappearing, leaving only a bloody trail behind. Publication is set for summer 2026; Kelly Van Sant at KT Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has bought Wolf Club by James Bird (No Place Like Home), a middle grade novel in which an unlikely trio of misfit kids meet in detention and team up to search for a mysterious wolf they believe has the animal medicine to remedy a secret each harbors. In a race to reach the wolf before local hunters, they learn teamwork, friendship, and the importance of protecting animals. scheduled set for spring 2025; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio sold North American rights.
Amy Cowan at Young Dragons has acquired North American rights to the middle grade series Fang 'N Claw by Richard DuBois, pitched as The Lost Boys for reluctant readers. Book one is about Carl Lamont, a mixed-race Black boy who turns into a werewolf whenever the moon is full. After breaking out of his cage yet again, he and his father must flee to Carl's deceased mother's hometown—the one place she begged them never to venture. Publication is slated for August 2025; Sera Rivers at Speilburg Literary did the three-book deal.
Sunita Apte at Reycraft has bought Darlene Beck Jacobson's My Own Kind of Brave, a middle grade novel pitched as Chris Baron's The Magical Imperfect meets Erin Entrada Kelly's Hello Universe. It features a 10-year-old boy who struggles to communicate as he navigates the constant fears and worries that stop him from doing so many things and wrestles with the feelings that come when a parent is hospitalized. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Jennifer Klonsky at Putnam has acquired world rights to Good Night Thoughts by actor and author Max Greenfield (l.) (I Don't Want to Read This Book), illustrated by James Serafino, a picture book about a child whose racing thoughts keep them awake at night, and how it's only when they reframe those thoughts that they are finally able to quiet their mind and fall asleep. Publication is set for fall 2024; Albert Lee at United Talent Agency represented the author, and Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Lauri Hornik at Penguin/Rocky Pond has bought world rights to Newbery Honor author Ingrid Law's (l.) debut picture book, You Are Not Alone, illustrated by Xin Li. Traveling through a child's home and neighborhood during a long night, the story reminds readers they are not alone, even if it sometimes feels that way. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Daniel Lazar at Writers House represented the author, and Angharad Kowal Stannus at Kowal Stannus Agency represented the illustrator.
Emma Ledbetter at Abrams has acquired world rights to Body Beautiful, a picture book by Susan Verde (l.), illustrated by Steph Littlebird (My Powerful Hair), a celebration and reclamation of our bodies as beautiful, strong, miraculous parts of nature. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Lois Evans at Make Me a World has bought world rights to Together We Remember by Jackie Morera (l.), illustrated by Violeta Encarnación, in which a girl and her father honor her mother by embarking on an imagination adventure that includes rainforest hikes, intergalactic planet-hopping, and most of all, remembering Mami through her favorite activity—creating stories and memories together. Publication is set for summer 2025; Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, who is now represented by Ashley Reisinger at Triada US, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Nancy Mercado at Dial has acquired world rights, in a two-book deal, to The Warmest Light, a picture book by Pura Belpré, Schneider Family Honor, and International Latino Book Award winning author Natalia Sylvester (l.) (Breathe and Count Back from Ten), illustrated by Ziyue Chen. The book offers reassurance for a child in pain or in the hospital, and answers uncertainty with love and a reminder of their inherent wholeness. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Laura Dail at Laura Dail Literary Agency represented the author, and Mela Bolinao at MB Artists represented the artist.
Danielle Collins at S&S/Paula Wiseman Books has bought world rights to Not a Spot to Spot by Elizabeth Verdick (l.), illustrated by Zoe Waring. The picture book celebrates the joys of being unique in a story inspired by true events, when a rare reticulated giraffe born without spots captured the world's heart. Publication is planned for summer 2025; Mary Cummings at Great River Literary represented the author, and Susan Penny at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Want Chyi at Philomel has acquired world rights to My Strange Friend: A Lullaby on Grief by Jenny Torres Sanchez (l.), illustrated by Andy Chou Musser, a picture book about navigating the ebbs and flows of loss. Publication is scheduled for summer 2026; Kerry Sparks at Levine, Greenberg, and Rostan Literary Agency represented the author, and Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Arthur A. Levine at Levine Querido has bought Sunflower Seeds by Ellen Heck, a picture book that follows a kindergartner's experience growing sunflowers for a class project, observing every stage of the process and learning about the life cycle of sunflowers, a metaphor for our own growth and transitions. Publication is slated for spring 2026; Jordan Hamessley at JABberwocky Literary Agency sold world rights.
Aneeka Kalia at Viking has acquired world rights to author-illustrator Maddie Frost's Cats on Cats on Cats, about the bond between a granddaughter and her quirky grandmother, and their cycle of giving each other gifts that just happen to be cats in a tale of crossed wires and the best of intentions. Publication is set for 2025; Andrea Morrison at Writers House negotiated the deal.
Karen Boersma and Jennifer Stokes at Owlkids Books have bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to Stick Bug Rules by Naseem Hrab (l.) (How to Party Like a Snail), illustrated by Kelly Collier (Otis & Peanut), a picture book about a bunch of hide-and-seek-loving stick bugs and the one outlier in the bunch who hates playing by the rules. A fall 2026 publication is planned; the author represented herself, and Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink Literary represented the illustrator.
Autumn Allen at Barefoot Books has acquired world rights to Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim by debut author Kobina Commeh (l.), illustrated by Bárbara Quintino (Neguinha, Sim!). Kwesi is afraid of the water, but when Nana Ruby confides that she is also afraid of swimming, they both find courage in the West African legend of Mami Wata to face their fear. Publication is scheduled for spring 2025; the author represented himself, and Xando Franzolim at OIO Agency represented the illustrator.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Carolrhoda has bought world rights to A Home on the Page by Kao Kalia Yang (l.), author of the Asian/Pacific American Award-winning From the Tops of the Trees. Seo Kim, who previously illustrated Yang's A Map into the World, will illustrate, for a fall 2025 publication. In the picture book, a girl yearns for a sense of belonging in the U.S., where her people, the Hmong, are often subjected to stereotypes and racism, and begins to build a home for herself through the written word. Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Sandra Sutter at Gnome Road has acquired world rights to Dexter: The Stand Up Dog by Bonnie Kelso (l.) (Nudi Gill; Quail Trail) and Kentee Pasek, dog mom to @DexterDogOuray. The nonfiction picture book tells the story of how the three-legged internet sensation taught himself to walk upright like a human after an accident, and shares a message of resilience, joy, and how to take challenging situations "one Dexter step at a time." Publication is set for fall 2025; Liz Nealon at Great Dog Literary represented Kelso, and Ismita Hussain at Great Dog Literary represented Pasek.
Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins/Quill Tree has acquired, at auction, Tamara Cole's debut novel We Kill the Flame, pitched as We Were Liars meets Euphoria in the vein of Gillian Flynn for Gen Z, a YA psychological thriller about a Black girl from a wealthy family built on a legacy of lies who must unravel the dark truths leading up to and after the night of her debutante ball where she was almost murdered, before the killer strikes again. Publication is set for 2025; Natalie Lakosil at Looking Glass Literary & Media negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Vanessa Aguirre at Wednesday Books has bought, in a preempt, debut author and Pitch Wars alum Tesia Tsai's Deathly Fates. Siying, a priestess who reanimates the dead to shepherd them home, accepts a risky job guiding a prince's corpse from a battlefield––only to find that he awakens more alive than dead. But as they work together to strengthen and preserve what life he has left, the truth of his death becomes a threat to the fate of the entire kingdom. Publication is slated for winter 2026; Laura Crockett at Triada US did the two-book deal for North American rights.
Irene Vázquez at Levine Querido has acquired D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by debut author Abby White. The YA novel follows Jewish teenager D.J., whose beloved cousin Rachel allegedly died by suicide—but whom D.J. is convinced was murdered. When she moves to Rachel's hometown, D.J. must juggle prepping for her Bat Mitzvah with investigating Rachel's death. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold world rights.
Krista Vitola at Simon & Schuster has bought North American rights to The House of Found Objects by debut middle-grade author Jo Beckett-King, first in the Bea Bellerose Mysteries, for fans of The Swifts and The Lost Library, featuring clever 12-year-old Bea, who must embark on a city-wide search of Paris, deciphering riddles, solving puzzles, and cracking codes to locate her grandmother's most precious heirloom and find a thief. Publication is planned for summer 2025; Elise Howard at DeFiore & Company brokered the two-book deal.
Chris Duffy at Union Square Kids has acquired, at auction, world English rights to The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James, a middle grade graphic novel by Eisner-nominated author-illustrator Mike Dawson. Pitched as a neurodiverse Charlotte's Web meets The Breakfast Club, the story follows an anxious sixth grader assigned a group science project as a final chance of improving his grades when a pig escapes a local slaughterhouse, calling into question our place in this world and our relationship with what we can and can't control. Publication is set for spring 2026; Gordon Warnock at Fuse Literary handled the deal.
Krista Vitola at S&S/Salaam Reads has bought Aarzu Raza Extra No More! by Marzieh Abbas, a middle grade novel-in-verse about 12-year-old Aarzu, who dreams of playing cricket and earning enough money to help with her sister's medical treatments, and takes a chance to save her sibling and her own aspirations. Publication is scheduled for summer 2025; Lynnette Novak at the Seymour Agency sold world rights.
Alex Borbolla at Bloomsbury has acquired My Vampire vs. Your Werewolf by Paul Tobin, the first book in a new paperback original series pitched as The Last Kids on Earth meets Goosebumps. In each book, two monsters are brought out of hiding by young trainers to compete in a no-holds-barred battle, sanctioned by a mysterious organization called the Crafters Guild, daring to answer the question: who would win in a fight? Publication for the first book is slated for fall 2024; Jenny Bent at the Bent Agency did the four-book deal for world rights.
Dainese Santos at Simon & Schuster has bought Katie Tsang (l.) and Kevin Tsang's Dragon Force: Infinity's Secret, a middle grade fantasy in which a group of heart-bonded humans and dragons must protect the world from dangerous magical creatures, and two additional books in the series. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Pete Knapp at Park & Fine Literary and Media negotiated the deal for North American rights on behalf of Claire Wilson at RCW Literary.
Paula Wiseman at S&S/Paula Wiseman Books has acquired, in an exclusive submission, This Moment Is Special by author-illustrator John Parra (Growing an Artist). The story follows a boy who is mindful of all the moments of his day, both large and small, as he prepares for a Day of the Dead celebration, reminding young readers to savor all the moments in their lives. Publication is set for summer 2025; Adriana Dominguez at Aevitas Creative Management brokered the two-book deal for world rights.
Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has bought Liftoff! Alma Thomas and the Apollo Moon Missions by Nina Crews, a nonfiction picture book about African American abstract painter Alma Thomas, who created more than 20 paintings inspired by the Apollo program. The dual narrative describes the creation of Thomas's "Snoopy Sees a Sunrise" and the Apollo 10 mission. Publication is scheduled for fall 2025; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency sold North American rights.
Mark Podesta at Henry Holt has acquired world rights to two picture books, Falling Star and I Guess I'll Go Eat Worms, written and illustrated by Linda Liu. Falling Star follows a star suffering from burnout that finds a new meaning in life with a little patience and support from an unlikely source, and I Guess I'll Go Eat Worms refreshes the old nursery rhyme with a story of new friendship between two misfits. Publication is slated for spring 2025 and fall 2026; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Sylvie Frank at Disney Hyperion has bought world rights to The Day the Books Disappeared by Joanna Ho (l.) (Eyes That Kiss in the Corners) and Caroline Kusin Pritchard (c.) (Where Is Poppy?) illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat (r.), about a boy who makes all the books in his class disappear—even, to his surprise, his favorites—subtly addressing intolerance and book banning. Publication is planned for fall 2025; Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented Ho, Ginger Knowlton at Curtis Brown represented Pritchard, and Jodi Reamer at Writers House represented Santat.
Alexandra Cooper at HarperCollins/Quill Tree has acquired The Deepest Blue, a picture book by Shauntay Grant (l.), illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Daniel Minter. It follows a girl on a diving expedition who discovers a sunken slave ship and forges a connection to the memories of those who perished on board. Publication is set for fall 2025; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Rick Margolis at Rising Bear Literary represented the illustrator.
Luana Kay Horry at HarperCollins has bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to Whirby, Fully Charged by Molly Harris (l.), illustrated by Jacob Souva, a picture book about an eager robot who is so excited about his upcoming bot battle, he refuses to recharge his batteries at night, spins out of control the next day and crashes before his turn—and ultimately learns a healthier nightly algorithm to make sure that he is fully charged for a successful day. Publication is slated for winter 2026; Sera Rivers at Speilburg Literary represented the author, and Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Tamar Brazis at Viking has acquired world rights to Beyond Alaska's Window by Patrice Gopo (l.), illustrated by Monica Mikai. Based on the author's childhood, the picture book celebrates how a child and her family weave together their lives in Alaska and their ties to their distant home in Jamaica. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Keely Boeving at WordServe Literary represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Karen Lotz at Candlewick has bought world rights to Meet Me in Your Heart by Heather Brewer (l.) (Love Is Powerful), illustrated by Raissa Figueroa. In this reassuring picture book for very young children, we learn that even when we can't be physically with those we love, our bonds of connection and affection will survive distance and time until we can meet again. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Hilary Harwell at KT Literary represented the author, and Natascha Morris at Tobias Literary Agency represented the Illustrator.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired world rights to Everything You Need to Know About Life You Can Learn from a Dog by Bruce Littlefield (l.), illustrated by Maribel Lechuga, a book of doggy wisdom to help humans live life to the fullest. Publication is slated for summer 2026; the author represented himself, and Aurora Barlam at Astound US represented the illustrator.
