Katherine Harrison at Knopf has acquired North American rights to Lambda Award finalist and Nommo Award-winning author Tlotlo Tsamaase's The Bloodwinds and its sequel. The YA dystopian fantasy duology features a girl from an underground city beneath post-apocalyptic Botswana who discovers a dangerous secret while on a mission aboveground, a truth that's been buried as deep as the city itself, and a love as fierce as the wind. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary Agency did the six-figure deal on behalf of Dovetail Fiction/Working Partners and Naomi Davis at BookEnds Literary Agency.
Nick Magliato at Penguin Workshop has bought Limelight by Broadway actor Andrew Keenan-Bolger, a YA novel pitched as Fame meets Rent set in 1990s New York City, about a boy beginning his first year at a competitive high school for the performing arts, who must reconcile his insecurity and his identity as he steps into the spotlight. Publication is slated for spring 2026; Jordan Hamessley at JABberwocky Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Ardyce Alspach at Union Square Kids has acquired Unnamed Bones by Bram Stoker winner Lora Senf (The Clackity). Pitched as a YA Inside Out in Hell and set on an island in the Pacific Northwest wilderness that shouldn't exist, it follows four stranded teens who can no longer trust each other or themselves as they fight to survive against an unseen enemy who isn't sharing its agenda or rules, and the broken girl whose emotions have faces and personalities, who make their way to the outside world after they discover they can escape the seedy motel she's built in her mind to lock them away. Publication is set for winter 2027; Ali Herring at Spencerhill Associates did the deal for world rights.
Jessica Smith at Simon Pulse has bought the YA contemporary novel Until Next Summer by Allison Ashley (If Tomorrow Never Comes). In this seaside romance set in a New England town, a girl starts to fall for the boy she and her best friend had long ago agreed was off-limits, while also getting to know a new boy in town who helps her realize she doesn't have to be a side character in her own life. Publication is scheduled for summer 2026; Kim Lionetti at BookEnds Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Krista Marino at Delacorte Press has acquired There Are Ghosts Here by Adrienne Tooley (The Third Daughter), a contemporary speculative thriller in which a girl arrives at a halfway house with no memory, to meet two sinister girls who seem to already know her, for a stay that devolves into horrifying revelations. Publication is planned for summer 2026; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret sold world English rights.
Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire has bought, in an exclusive submission, We're Not Safe Here by Rin Chupeco (The Bone Witch). One teen searches for the truth about his missing younger brother and learns all about his town's literal monsters during the hunt in this chilling horror novel told through video transcripts, online message boards, and news reports. Publication is slated for fall 2025; Rebecca Podos at Neighborhood Literary sold world rights.
Della Farrell at Holiday House has acquired Portraits of Eleanor: Medieval Warrior Queen by Mary Ann Cappiello, a YA biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine that tears away 800 years of mistruths to reveal a complex portrait of a compelling woman who defied expectations of her time. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; Eve Adler at Red Fox Literary sold world rights.
Tricia Lin at Random House has bought North American rights at auction to Echostrike by debut author Yusof Hassan, an action-adventure upper middle grade series for fans of Alex Rider, in which a boy is enlisted by spies to join an elite team of extraordinary kids with the mission to expose a global conspiracy—and in doing so hopefully solve his father's murder. Publication is set for spring 2027; Gemma Cooper at Gemma Cooper Literary did the three-book deal.
Erica Finkel at Abrams Fanfare has acquired the first two books in a middle grade graphic novel series by Tommy Greenwald (l.), illustrated by Berat Pekmezci, which will take place in the same world as Greenwald's Game Changer novels. The Imperfect Season is a story about a high school freshman football team, which is chasing an undefeated season while facing a series of challenges on and off the field. Publication is planned for fall 2027, with the second book to follow in fall 2028; Amy Thrall Flynn at Aevitas Creative Management represented the author, and Emily Fernandez at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Calista Brill at First Second has bought The Monkey King by Alina Chau, a middle grade graphic novel that follows the origin story of Sun Wukong, the iconic Monkey King from the Chinese classic, Journey to the West—Uproar in Heaven; Kiara Valdez will edit. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Justin Krasner at Sourcebooks eXplore has acquired, in an exclusive submission, an as-yet-untitled collection of biographies of notable Jewish Americans, focused on their lives as kids around bar and bat mitzvah age, by National Jewish Book Award winner Joshua S. Levy. Publication is scheduled for summer 2027; Elana Roth Parker at Laura Dail Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Siobhan Ciminera at Simon Spotlight has bought world rights to Sherlock Roach, Bug Detective by Joe McGee (l.), illustrated by Jannie Ho, an early reader graphic novel in which a bug detective takes on the insect underworld and must use his genius to solve the case before he gets sucked inside the dreaded vacuum for good. Publication is set for fall 2026; Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Mela Bolinao at MB Artists represented the illustrator.
Courtney Code at Abrams has acquired Earth: One Planet's Epic Story by Jennifer Thermes (A Place Called America), a picture book that follows the sweeping history of planet Earth and the plant and animal life that has evolved upon it through the ages. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Karen Lotz and Susan Van Metre while at Candlewick bought Lily-May's Joyful Day by Schneider Honor author John Schu (l.), illustrated by Holly Hatam, a celebration of the cascading joy that arises from acts of collective inspiration. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Molly O'Neill at Root Literary sold world English rights for the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency sold world rights for the artist.
Nancy Mercado and Rosie Ahmed while at Dial Books for Young Readers have acquired world rights to Talk to the Hand by Sesame Street puppeteer Megan Piphus (l.), illustrated by Niña Mata. The picture book follows a girl who learns how to use a puppet to be brave and find her voice. Publication is set for summer 2026; Gwen Beal at United Talent Agency represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Suzy Capozzi at Union Square Kids has bought world rights to One Scoop or Two? And Other Ice Cream Questions by Marissa Walsh (l.), illustrated by Alex Willmore, about the seemingly limitless and extremely tasty combinations available at an ice cream stand. Publication is scheduled for winter 2027; Janna Morishima at Janna Co. represented the author, and Nicky Lander at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Lauri Hornik at Penguin/Rocky Pond Books has acquired world rights to I'm Sorry for the Bagel Burps: A Yom Kippur Apology by Jacob Sager Weinstein (l.), illustrated by Jason Kirschner, a picture book about sibling rivalry, forgiveness, and burps that smell like cream cheese and lox, all set against the backdrop of the Jewish Day of Atonement. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Ammi-Joan Paquette while at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary Agency represented the artist.
