Marissa Grossman at Razorbill has acquired When the Sky Fell on Splendorby Emily Henry, author of The Love That Split the World and A Million Junes. Pitched as The Serpent King meets Stranger Things, the YA novel follows a group of friends in a small town who find themselves dealing with unexpected powers after a cosmic event. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Lana Popovic at Chalberg & Sussman negotiated the deal for world rights.
Simon Boughton, in his first purchase at Norton Young Readers, has bought Paula Yoo's debut YA nonfiction book about Vincent Chin, a Chinese American whose beating death at the hands of two white autoworkers in Detroit in 1982 galvanized the Asian-American civil rights movement and led to stronger federal hate crime legislation. The book is slated for publication in 2020; Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary brokered the deal for North American rights.
Catherine Wallace at HarperTeen has acquired North American rights to U.K. author Laura Steven's debut, The Exact Opposite of Okay, which features an aspiring screenwriter/comedienne who finds herself in the middle of a national scandal when an anonymous website leaks a photo of her in a compromising position with a politician's son. The novel released in the U.K. in March and is set for North American publication in summer 2019; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media did the deal.
Maggie Lehrman at Amulet has bought On the Edge of Gone author Corinne Duyvis's new YA novel, The Art of Saving the World, a speculative novel about a girl who has grown up near the site of an interdimensional rift. Things get complicated on her 16th birthday when a multitude of strange things—and people—start coming through the rift, threatening everything and everyone around. Publication is planned for summer 2019; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Ashley Hearn at Page Street has acquired world rights to Breeana Shields's The Bone Charmer. Pitched as a magical Sliding Doors, the book is about a young diviner who trains to perform readings for the townsfolk using the bones of their deceased loved ones. But when a broken bone leads to her own path being fractured, she must live out her two possible futures simultaneously; her life is in danger in both, and only one path can survive. Publication is scheduled for spring/summer 2019; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency handled the deal.
Elise Howard at Algonquin Young Readers has bought, in a four-book preempt, a middle grade mystery series by Elizabeth C. Bunce, beginning with Premeditated Myrtle. Bunce was the inaugural winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award for A Curse Dark ss Gold, and this is her first foray into middle grade. Pitched as Miss Fisher or Flavia de Luce for tweens, the books follow an irrepressible 12-year-old protagonist and her adventures in Victorian criminology. The series will launch in spring 2020; Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
Jessica MacLeish at HarperCollins has acquired, in a two-book deal, Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros. The #ownvoices middle grade debut novel follows middle schooler Efrén as he takes on increased home responsibilities, while also dealing with a contentious school election and a fight with his best friend, after his mother is deported to Mexico and his father takes on a second job to earn the money to bring her back to the U.S. Publication is slated for early 2020, with an untitled second novel to follow in 2021; Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Cassandra Pelham Fulton at Scholastic/Graphix has bought Timid by Jonathan Todd, a debut middle-grade graphic novel. The story features Cecil, an African-American boy from the Boston suburbs who likes to draw, is very shy, and feels like a complete outsider at his middle school. Things are looking up until a new "friend" pats his head and calls him "Fuzzy," and one of his drawings is used for a prank that gets him into trouble. Publication is set for 2021; Denis Kitchen and John Lind at Kitchen, Lind & Associates negotiated the deal for world rights.
Amy Fitzgerald at Lerner/Carolrhoda has acquired Lois Ruby's middle grade novel, Red Menace. In the summer of 1953, 13-year-old Marty Rafner's world shifts when his professor parents are accused of being communist sympathizers—putting them at risk for imprisonment, deportation, or worse. Publication is planned for spring 2020; Susan Cohen at Writers House brokered the deal for world rights.
Wesley Adams at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has acquired Mike Ciccotello's author-illustrator picture book debut, Twins, a celebration of the bond between an unlikely pair of siblings who may be literal twins or more twins-in-spirit. The book will launch in fall 2019; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Maria Modugno at Random House has acquired world rights to It's Not My Fault! by Jory John (l.), illustrated by Jared Chapman. In this mash-up of “The dog ate my homework” and The Day the Crayons Quit, a boy blames his various school supplies and other inanimate objects for anything that goes wrong, until the unjustly accused rise up in protest. Publication is scheduled for summer 2020; Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the author, and Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has bought world rights to Brianna Caplan Sayres's Night, Night Curiosity, a picture book about an inquisitive girl pretending to land on Mars as she's put to bed. Ryan O'Rourke will illustrate; publication is set for spring 2020. Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary represented the author, and Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt represented the illustrator.
Anne Schwartz at Schwartz & Wade Books has acquired world rights to Deborah Hopkinson's Only One, illustrated by Chuck Groenink, a nonfiction picture book about how the Big Bang led to the creation of our Earth, and everything (and everyone) on it. Publication is planned for summer 2020; Steven Malk at Writers House represented the author, and Stephen Barr at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Charlotte Wenger at Page Street has bought world rights to Lindsay Leslie's (l.) Wanted: Dusk Raiders!, illustrated by Ellen Rooney. In the picture book ode to summertime, the search is on for tree climbers, firefly catchers, and hide-and-seekers to steal away to the outside world as dusk falls to night. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary handled the deal for the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
Jennifer Ung at Simon Pulse has acquired A Pho Love Story by Loan Le, a YA romantic comedy about two Vietnamese-American teens who fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid the whirlwind caused by their respective families' age-old feud about their competing neighboring restaurants. Publication is set for spring 2020; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret brokered the deal for world rights.
Alex Sanchez at Razorbill has bought Tarot, a YA fantasy by Marissa Kennerson. The novel reimagines the world of the tarot as the invention of 16-year-old Anna, the fugitive daughter of a tyrannical king. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Beverly Horowitz and Alexandra Hightower at Delacorte have acquired, in a preempt, Onjali Q. Raúf's debut middle grade novel, The Boy at the Back of the Class, about a nine-year-old student's plan to befriend the new kid in class—Ahmet, a refugee boy from Syria. Raúf is the founder and CEO of Making Herstory, a U.K. nonprofit working to fight human trafficking and gender-based abuses and crimes. Publication is slated for summer 2019; Silvia Molteni at Peter Fraser + Dunlop did the deal for U.S. rights.
Ann Rider at HMH has bought, in an exclusive submission, Dog Driven, a middle grade novel by Ice Dogs author Terry Lynn Johnson. A 14-year old girl fears that she is losing her sight to Stargardt's Disease, as her sister did. Despite her sight impairment, she enters a dogsled race which follows the historic Canadian dogsled mail along Lake Superior, with unexpected results. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has acquired R Is for Rebel author J. Anderson Coats's new middle grade historical novel, The Green Children of Woolpit. Inspired by true 12th-century accounts, it tells the story of a girl who comes upon two mysterious, green-skinned children, only to learn their terrible secret and become caught up in their dark past. Publication is set for fall 2019; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Susan Dobinick at Bloomsbury has bought Stolen Science by Ella Schwartz. The middle grade book tells the stories of marginalized and underrepresented scientists and inventors whose contributions have been stolen or overlooked. The book is scheduled for publication in winter 2020; Clelia Gore at Martin Literary & Media Management did the deal for world rights.
Kathleen Merz at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers has acquired North American rights to No Place Like Home by Ronojoy Ghosh. The picture book is about a polar bear searching for his home, even though he doesn't know yet what it might look like. Publication is planned for spring 2019; Allison Hellegers at Rights People brokered the deal on behalf of Eleanor Shorne Holden at Random House Australia.
Kristen Nobles at Page Street Kids has bought Rebecca Walsh's Amadou's Zoo, a picture book about a child who relates to the caged animals in the zoo as he struggles to stay in an orderly line and follow the rules during a field trip. Publication is slated for winter 2020; the author-illustrator represented herself in the deal for world rights.
Jill Santopolo at Philomel has acquired world rights to Sorry, Not Sorry by children's book editor Joanna Cotler, a picture book about how to show empathy and kindness in the face of reactivity. Cow's nasty mood sets off a chain reaction of grumpiness among a group of farmyard animals, the day being ultimately saved by a lick from a friendly Dog. Bestselling artist Harry Bliss will illustrate; publication is set for spring 2020. Elena Giovinazzo represented the author and Holly McGhee represented the illustrator, both at Pippin Properties.
Frances Gilbert at Doubleday has signed Emergency Kittens! by Jody Jensen Shaffer, illustrated by Dave Mottram, the story of a trio of hero kittens who save the day each and every time with their irresistible adorableness. The book is scheduled for spring 2020; Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at Bright USA represented the illustrator, for world rights.
Eliza Berkowitz at Sterling has bought world rights to The End of Something Wonderful: A Practical Guide to a Backyard Funeral by Stephanie Lucianovic, illustrated by George Ermos. The picture book is a humorous how-to that guides readers through the choice of burial box, why it's rude to bury something alive, and grieving the loss of a beloved pet. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Jordan Hamessley at New Leaf Literary & Media represented the author, and Alex Gehringer at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Asia Citro at the Innovation Press has acquired Joy Keller's (l.) Fungus Is Among Us!, a humorous nonfiction hybrid picture book with the feel of a 1950s horror film that follows a child's journey from fleeing fungi in abject terror to appreciating their role in our world. Erica Salcedo will illustrate; publication is planned for fall 2019. The author and the illustrator represented themselves in the deal for world rights.
Celia Lee at Scholastic/Cartwheel has bought world rights to Lori Alexander's (l.) board book series, Future Babies, illustrated by Allison Black. The series starts with Future Astronaut, to be followed by three additional titles featuring high-interest careers and the babies who may one day pursue them. The first book is scheduled for 2019; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown represented the illustrator.
