Kat Brzozowski at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Hamilton actor Leslie Odom Jr.'s debut, Failing Up: How to Rise Above, Do Better, and Never Stop Learning, a book offering guidance and encouragement for readers of all ages who are on the cusp of something big. Publication is set for March 27, 2018; Creative Artists Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
John Morgan at Macmillan/Imprint has bought Emmy, Writers Guild, and Peabody award-winner David Kreizman's debut YA novel, The Year They Fell. The novel tells the story of five teenagers who used to be best friends in preschool and are now drawn back together after a tragic accident. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Marietta B. Zacker at the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Aimee Friedman at Scholastic has acquired the middle grade novel City of Ghosts by fantasy author Victoria Schwab. Pitched as Stranger Things meets Ghost Hunters, it's the story of a girl who died, the ghost boy who brought her back, and their adventures in one of the world's most haunted cities. Publication is planned for 2018; Holly Root at Root Literary did the two-book deal for world English rights while at Waxman Leavell Literary.
Joan Powers at Candlewick has bought world English rights to Jo Knowles's Where the Heart Is, a middle grade novel about Rachel, who just turned 13 and finds herself questioning everything—her parents' financial stability, whether her best friend wants to be more than friends, her ability to outsmart the conniving pig she's supposed to care for all summer, and her own identity. Publication is slated for fall 2018; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary handled the deal.
Tiffany Liao at Holt has acquired a middle grade fantasy series, Peasprout Chen, by Henry Lien, about a girl determined to take the top ranking at Pearl Famous Academy, where she will study Wu Liu, a form that blends figure skating with martial arts. The first book, Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword, will publish in April 2018; Tina Wexler at ICM Partners sold world English rights in a two-book deal.
Alex Ulyett at Viking has bought Lisa Bunker's Zenobia July, a middle grade novel about a transgender girl with a troubled past and advanced coder/hacker skills, who tackles the mystery of anonymously posted hateful memes on her school's website while wrestling with the challenges of a new school, a new family, and coming to grips with presenting her true gender for the first time. Publication is set for spring 2019; Brianne Johnson at Writers House brokered the deal for North American rights.
Sarah Jane Abbott at S&S/Wiseman has acquired Samantha M. Clark's debut, Wake, a middle grade novel about a boy who wakes up alone on a beach and doesn't know who he is or how he got there, and embarks on a quest to find answers. When he uncovers the terrifying truth, he must face his biggest fear: going home. Publication is planned for summer 2018; Rachel Orr at the Prospect Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kate O'Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has bought in a preempt Becoming, the second picture book collaboration from author Julia Denos (l.) and illustrator E.B. Goodale. The book explores the joy of being present, the wonder of our existence, and the marvel of our ever-connected world. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Lori Kilkelly at Rodeen Literary Management represented both the author and the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Ariel Richardson at Chronicle has acquired world rights to Kristen Fulton's new picture book, Flight for Freedom, the true story of one child, Peter Wetzel, and his family's daring escape from East Berlin to West Berlin via handmade hot air balloon in 1979. Torben Kuhlmann will illustrate. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Kendra Marcus at Bookstop Literary represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Taylor Norman at Chronicle has bought Kate Hoefler's (l.) Rabbit & the Motorbike, a picture book about the relationship between a reserved rabbit and an adventurous dog, and the rewards that lie outside our comfort zones. Sarah Jacoby will illustrate; publication is set for fall 2019. Steven Malk at Writers House represented both the author and the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Kate O'Sullivan at HMH has acquired Geisel Honor author-illustrator Mary Sullivan's new picture book, Up on Bob, which explores the idiosyncrasies of pets and places a spin on the age-old cat and dog rivalry. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates brokered the deal for world rights, all languages.
Emily Easton at Crown has bought Michael Paul's Roar: A Dinosaur Tour, a nonfiction picture book exploring the different types of dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth, and an additional untitled picture book. Publication is planned for spring 2018; Deborah Warren at East-West Literary handled the deal for world rights.
Chris Hernandez at HarperCollins has acquired author-illustrator Cori Doerrfeld's Wild Baby, a picture book about an inquisitive young orangutan who makes a mad dash through the jungle—and the worried mother who must chase after. Publication is slated for winter 2019; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency sold world rights.
Anna Membrino at Random House has bought Glenn Hernandez's The Tortoise and the Bricklayer and On Our Nice Ice Ship. The first is the story of a pig and the wall he builds to keep out a tortoise neighbor. The second is an adventure celebrating friendship and creative problem-solving. Publication is set for summer 2019 and fall 2019, respectively; the author represented himself in the deal for world rights.
Nick Thomas at Scholastic/Levine has bought world rights to Lambda, Stonewall, and PEN Center USA Literary award-winning author Bill Konigsberg's new novel, The Music of What Happens, in Thomas's first acquisition at the imprint. It's the story of two gay teens who meet and fall in love while working on a food truck in Mesa, Ariz. one summer. The novel explores the paradox of how boys are taught to emotionally armor up, but find the power to change their lives through vulnerability. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Linda Epstein at Emerald City Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Beverly Horowitz at Delacorte has acquired Natasha Diaz's Color Me In, a YA novel based on the author's own story, about a mixed-race Jewish girl as she faces coming-of-age issues before she has decided who she is and where she fits within her two very different worlds—one in Harlem and the other in Westchester County. Publication is set for spring 2019; Richard Abate at 3 Arts Entertainment handled the deal for U.S., Canadian, and open market rights.
Alvina Ling at Little, Brown has bought Lev Rosen's Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts), written under L.C. Rosen. This YA contemporary novel is about an unapologetically sexually active gay teenager who writes a sex advice column and is anonymously stalked by someone who wants to blackmail him back into the closet. Publication is slated for fall 2018; Joy Tutela at David Black Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
alista Brill at First Second has acquired Sloane Leong's YA graphic novel, A Map to the Sun, a coming-of age-story about the struggling girls' basketball team of a fictional neighborhood in the Los Angeles area. Publication is planned for 2019; Jennifer Linnan at Linnan Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
Sarah Ketchersid at Candlewick has bought world English rights to Geisel Honor Award-winner Kara LaReau's Rise of Zombert as well as two untitled sequels. The middle grade trilogy follows best friends Emmeline "Mellie" Gore and Danny Hurley, who seek the truth about their discovery behind the mysterious Yummo Foods factory: a cat who may or may not be a zombie. The first book is scheduled for summer 2019; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary brokered the deal.
Kate Prosswimmer at Sourcebooks Jabberwocky has acquired Jen Calonita's new Royal Academy Rebels series, in a three-book deal. Set in the same world as Calonita's Fairy Tale Reform School, these new middle-grade novels follow a group of descendants of fairy tale royalty as they attend Royal Academy, the training ground for the fairytale leaders of tomorrow. But not everyone born royal is meant to rule. The first book is set for fall 2018; Dan Mandel at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates did the deal for world English rights.
Lisa Yoskowitz at Little, Brown has bought at auction world English rights to Survival Tails, a middle grade adventure series by Katrina Charman that depicts historical events from animals' perspectives. In the first book, The Titanic, a stowaway dog and the Captain's cat have to work together in spite of their differences to save themselves and three abandoned kittens when the doomed ship hits the iceberg. Book one is slated for spring 2018; Gemma Cooper at the Bent Agency represented the author.
Anne Hoppe at Clarion has acquired Sarah Beth Durst's Storm Guardians, a middle-grade fantasy starring a girl and her lightning beast who confront the secret behind their country's idyllic existence. Publication is planned for spring 2019; Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger negotiated the deal for world rights.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has bought author Patti Kim's debut middle-grade novel, I'm Ok, about a Korean American boy named Ok whose get-rich-quick schemes of starting a hair-braiding business and winning the school talent competition hide the fact that he's struggling to cope with the loss of his father and the poverty that he and his mother are now living in. Publication is set for fall 2018; Michelle Humphrey at the Martha Kaplan Agency did the deal for world rights.
Karen Nagel at Aladdin has acquired in a two-book deal Ollie & Moon creator Diane Kredensor's chapter book, Superbuns, about a superhero bunny whose special power is being nice. But her bossy sister doesn't appreciate this power until she's the beneficiary of a nice surprise. The first book is scheduled for September 2018; Jennifer Rofé at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Maria Modugno at Random House has bought This Is Not That Kind of Book by Christopher Healy (l.), illustrated by Ben Mantle. In his picture book debut, Healy introduces his protagonists to a series of humorous encounters as they try to figure out the kind of book in which they're appearing. Publication is slated for spring 2018; Cheryl Pientka at Jill Grinberg Literary Management represented the author and Arabella Stein at the Bright Group represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Kristen Nobles at Page Street Kids has acquired world rights to Oliver, the Second-Largest Living Thing on Earth by debut author Josh Crute (l.) and debut illustrator John Taesoo Kim. In this picture book, a giant sequoia tree is tall and majestic, beautiful and strong, a wonder of the planet—and second best. The book is scheduled for fall 2018; the author and illustrator represented themselves.
Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Kathleen Krull's untitled biography of John Glenn, about his life, his work as a U.S. Senator, and his contribution to NASA. Maurizio Quarello will illustrate; publication is set for fall 2019. Susan Cohen at Writers House represented the author, and Gail Gaynin at Morgan Gaynin represented the illustrator.
Carter Hasegawa at Candlewick has acquired at auction Mexican author-illustrator Tania de Regil's picture-book debut, A New Home. The book tells the story of a boy's move from New York City to Mexico City and a girl's simultaneous move from Mexico City to New York City, and of the feelings associated with those places. Publication is slated for spring 2019; Adriana Dominguez at Full Circle Literary brokered the two-book deal for world rights.
Talia Benamy at Philomel has bought author-illustrator Sarah Brannen's picture book, Bear Needs Help, the story of a bear whose shoe laces have come undone, and his search for someone to help him and show some kindness. Publication is planned for summer 2019; Steven Chudney at the Chudney Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Rob Broder at Ripple Grove has acquired world rights to a debut picture book, The Coconut, by Nicole Löbart, in which a fussy squirrel is determined to bring home a mysterious treat without anyone's help. Publication is set for 2019; the author-illustrator was unagented.
