Dinah Stevenson at Clarion Books has acquired and will edit two books by Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park. The first, Nya's Story, is a picture book based on Park's bestselling novel, A Long Walk to Water, and is due out in fall 2019. The second book is an untitled middle grade novel planned for spring 2019; Ginger Knowlton at Curtis Brown Ltd. handled the two-book deal for U.S., Canadian, and Philippine rights.
Ben Schrank and Jessica Almon at Razorbill have bought Thirteen Reasons Why author Jay Asher (l.) and Jessica Freeburg's Piper, a graphic novel based on the legend of the Pied Piper, about a lonely deaf girl named Maggie who dreams of true love and falls hard for the Piper, who turns out to have a magical dark side. Jeff Stokely will illustrate; publication is set for October 2017. Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented Asher and Freedburg, and Charlie Olsen at InkWell Management represented Stokely.
Martha Mihalick at Greenwillow has acquired in a two-book deal Knights vs. Dinosaurs, an illustrated middle grade novel by Matt Phelan. Pitched as Monty Python for the elementary school set, this quest pits boastful Knights of the Round Table against the Terrible Lizards, since dragons are rather scarce. Publication is slated for fall 2018; Rebecca Sherman at Writers House did the deal for North American rights.
Sylvie Frank at S&S/Paula Wiseman Books has acquired The Amelia Six, a middle grade mystery by Vilonia Beebe Takes Charge author Kristin L. Gray. When an 11-year-old girl who loves airplanes and Rubik's speed-cubing, and five other aviation and science-minded girls, are chosen to spend the night at the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, a valuable and historic object goes missing and mayhem ensues. Publication is expected in fall 2018; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Maria Barbo at HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books has bought Kim Tomsic's middle grade debut, The 11:11 Wish, about a math whiz who uses a magical cat clock in an attempt to fit in at her new school. Publication is scheduled for 2018; Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the two-book deal for world rights.
Becky Herrick at Sky Pony Press has bought a middle grade novel by Jerry Mahoney. Buttheads from Outer Space follows two boys and their encounter with the butthead aliens, who offer to help them get revenge on a mean kid—but who turn out to have a secret plan for world domination. Publication is planned for spring 2018; Laurie Abkemeier at DeFiore and Company did the deal for world rights.
Andrea Welch at S&S/Beach Lane has acquired world rights to It's Not Easy Being Mimi and Nobody but Mimi by Linda Davick, the first two illustrated chapter books in the It's Mimi's World! series, about a cat-loving, on-the-go-girl and her quirky crew of friends. Publication is slated for fall 2018 and spring 2019, respectively; Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content represented the author-illustrator.
Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow has bought author/photographer April Pulley Sayre's Thank You, Earth, a photo-illustrated love letter to the planet and all its wonders. The book is set for winter 2018 publication, to coincide with Earth Day; Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt brokered the deal for North American English rights.
Eliza Berkowitz at Sterling has acquired world rights to Casey Lyall's Inky's Great Escape, a picture book about an adventurous octopus who can't resist a challenge to escape from the aquarium he calls home. Sebastià Serra will illustrate; publication is planned for fall 2017. Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency represented the author and Studio Goodwin Sturges represented the illustrator.
Allison Moore at Little, Brown has bought world rights to City Shapes author Diana Murray's (l.) picture book, Summer Color!, an exploration of the outdoors and all the wonder and colors that can be found when heading off on an adventure. Zoe Persico will illustrate; publication is scheduled for spring 2018. Brianne Johnson at Writers House represented the author and Anne Moore Armstrong at Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Christy Ottaviano at Macmillan/Christy Ottaviano Books has acquired North American rights to Snow Friends, a winter-themed picture book about dogs and friendship by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. The book is slated for 2019; Tracey Adams at Adams Literary represented the author and Brenda Bowen at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates represented the illustrator.
Ann Rider at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has bought world rights to Natascha Biebow's picture book biography of Crayola Crayons inventor Edwin Binney, The Crayon Man, to be illustrated by The Kid from Diamond Street illustrator Steven Salerno. Publication is set for spring 2019; Victoria Wells Arms at Wells Arms Literary negotiated the deal for the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Sonali Fry at Little Bee Books has acquired world rights to Miranda Paul (l.) and Baptiste Paul's co-authored picture book, Adventures to School, inspired by children in 14 countries who make extraordinary treks to get an education. Isabel Munoz will illustrate; the book is slated for summer 2018. Karen Grencik brokered the deal on behalf of the co-authors, and James Burns at Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Anne Heltzel at Abrams/Amulet has acquired world English rights to two books in the Bookish Boyfriends series by Tiffany Schmidt, about a girl who thinks "boys are so much better in books," until the heroes from the classic novels she's studying in English class start to show up in her life. The first book will be published in spring 2018; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary brokered the deal.
Anne Hoppe at Clarion Books has bought world rights to The Sky's the Limit, a middle grade memoir by rocket scientist and interim CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA Sylvia Acevedo. The book is a personal account of how Acevedo overcame childhood poverty through her involvement with the Girl Scouts and Head Start, to become one of the first Hispanics to receive a post-graduate degree in engineering from Stanford University. The book will be simultaneously published in English and Spanish, in fall 2018; Adriana Dominguez at Full Circle Literary handled the deal.
Krista Vitola at Simon & Schuster has acquired at auction Beth Turley's middle grade debut, If This Were a Story, a coming-of-age novel about 11-year-old Hannah, whose method of survival is internalizing all of her grief, and how this pain finally surfaces when confronted with a terrible note left on her classroom floor. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Zoe Sandler at ICM negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Eric Wight at Rodale Kids has bought world rights to the Wild Fairies chapter book series by Brandi Dougherty (l.). In the first book, Daisy's Decorating Dilemma, due out in spring 2018, Daisy needs the help of all of her flower fairy friends to make this year's Blossom Bash a big success; Renée Kurilla will illustrate. Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the three-book deal for the author and illustrator.
Katie Cunningham at Candlewick has acquired world rights to Matt Tavares's Dasher, the story of a brave young reindeer in search of something more, and of how Santa's reindeer came to be. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal.
Reka Simonsen at S&S/Atheneum has bought Stephen Costanza's picture book biography, Scott Joplin, King of Ragtime. The story of America's greatest musical pioneers follows Joplin from his first meeting with a piano to the creation of his record-breaking hit, “Maple Leaf Rag.” The book is set for spring 2019; Claire Easton at Painted Words represented Costanza in the deal for world rights.
Andrea Welch at S&S/Beach Lane has acquired world rights to mother-son team Surishtha Sehgal (l.) and Kabir Sehgal's Thread of Love, to be illustrated by Zara Gonzalez Hoang. The picture book is a sibling-love and Indian-holiday story told to the tune of the classic song "Frére Jacques." Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; the authors were unagented, and Andrea Morrison at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Emma Ledbetter at S&S/Atheneum has bought world rights to How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine by Amy Guglielmo (l.) and Jacqueline Tourville (center), illustrated by Giselle Potter. This biographical picture book tells the story of Dr. Temple Grandin and her invention as a young woman of a "hug machine," which eventually would be used as a therapeutic device offering sensory relief for those with autism spectrum disorders. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management represented Guglielmo, Brianne Johnson at Writers House represented Tourville, and Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented Potter.
Jenna Pocius at Little Bee has acquired world rights to Coyote Moon author Maria Gianferrari's (l.) Operation Rescue Dog, a story told from two points of view: that of a girl on her way to meet her new rescue puppy, and the puppy itself as she approaches their meeting place. Luisa Uribe will illustrate; publication is slated for summer 2018. Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Alli Brydon at Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Nina Gruener at Cameron Kids has bought world rights to Ode to an Onion, written by Alex Giardino (l.) and illustrated by Felicita Sala, a picture book about poet Pablo Neruda and his muse Matilde. Publication is set for fall 2018; the author was unagented, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Alexis Orgera and Chad Reynolds at Penny Candy Books has acquired global rights to a trilogy of picture books by Odetta: Queen of Folk author Samantha Thornhill and illustrator Zac Murphy, exploring the lasting effects, big and small, of a father's incarceration on his first-grade daughter. Publication of the first title, A Card for My Father, is scheduled for spring 2018; both the author and the illustrator were unagented.
Ada Zhang at Sterling has bought world rights to What's on Your Plate?, an exploration of food from around the world written by Meditation Is an Open Sky: Mindfulness for Kids author Whitney Stewart (l.), illustrated by ABC Love author-illustrator Christiane Engel. Publication is planned for spring 2018; Erzsi Deàk at Hen & Ink Literary Studio represented the author, and Tom Thorogood at Good Illustration represented the illustrator.
Callie Metler-Smith at Spork has acquired debut author Jessie Burnam's (l.) Trumpet Song, a contemporary retelling of The Ugly Duckling, with Lisa M. Griffin illustrating. Publication is slated for 2018; Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency negotiated the deal for the illustrator for world English rights.
