Neal Porter has acquired for his imprint at Holiday House The Word Pirates, a picture book by Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper, illustrated by Steven Kellogg. The book features a band of ravenous pirates who gobble up words from favorite stories and are foiled by a Word Wizard from New Zealand; it was conceived by its creators as a tribute to their good friend, the celebrated author Margaret Mahy. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content represented the author and the artist in the deal for world rights.
Megan Tingley at Little, Brown has bought world rights to No More Poems! by singer-songwriter of the Old 97's Rhett Miller (l.), with art by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat. It's a collection of irreverent poems taking on the foibles of modern family life, from being consumed by your device to being fed up with your rock star dad. Publication is planned for spring 2019; Jennifer Gates at Aevitas Creative Management represented the author, and Jodi Reamer at Writers House represented the artist.
Lee Wade at Random House/Schwartz and Wade has acquired a picture book by Guojing, creator of New York Times Best Illustrated The Only Child. Stormy: A Story About Finding a Forever Home is about a stray dog, a lonely woman, and the storm that brings them together. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors handled the deal for world English rights.
Nancy Inteli at HarperCollins has bought world rights to Anika Aldamuy Denise's Rosita Rising, a nonfiction picture book manuscript about EGOT winner Rita Moreno. The story follows young Rita from Juncos, Puerto Rico, through her discombobulating arrival in New York all the way to Hollywood, where she lands her iconic role in West Side Story, and finally, her groundbreaking Oscar. Publication is set for winter 2020; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal.
Christina Pulles at Sterling has bought world rights to Jamie L.B. Deenihan's (l.) When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox, illustrated by Lorraine Rocha, in which a boy who wants a dollhouse doesn't quite get what he asked for. Publication is planned for spring 2020; Linda Camacho at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency represented the author, and Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the illustrator.
Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to Barry Wittenstein's (l.) picture book, Sonny's Bridge, illustrated by Keith Mallett. The book follows jazz legend Sonny Rollins's rise to fame, his two-year self-imposed sabbatical (during which he played his sax on the Williamsburg Bridge), and his eventual return to the recording studio. Publication is set for summer 2019; the author and the illustrator represented themselves.
Joni Sussman at Kar-Ben has bought world rights to Mitzvah Pizza by Sarah Lynn Scheerger (l.), illustrated by Deborah Melmon. The picture book is inspired by the real life "pay it forward" pizza program started by Mason Wartman in Philadelphia and featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Kate DePalma and Lisa Rosinsky at Barefoot Books have acquired world rights to Here and There by Tamara Ellis Smith (l.), illustrated by Evelyn Daviddi. The picture book explores a boy's experience of his parents' separation, and the healing that his family finds in music. Publication is planned for spring 2019; Kate DePalma will edit and art direct. Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary represented the author, and the artist represented herself.
Andrew Karre at Dutton has bought Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner A.S. King's Dig, about the far-flung teenage grandchildren of the Hemmings family, who find their way back to each other in time to uncover the terrible cost of maintaining the family name. The book takes a surreal dive into three generations of polite, affluent white supremacy and how one determined generation can save themselves. Publication is set for spring 2019; Michael Bourret at Dystel, Goderich and Bourret brokered the deal for world rights.
Rosemary Brosnan and Jessica MacLeish at HarperTeen have acquired The Word for Yes author Claire Needell's new novel, The First True Thing. The book explores the risk of substance abuse, and what it means to take control of one's life when it seems like the only path forward is the one that will take all of one's courage. Publication is slated for April 2019; Alice Tasman at the Jean Naggar Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Ben Rosenthal at HarperCollins/Tegen has bought Kyrie McCauley's debut novel, If These Wings Could Fly, set in a town that has been invaded by thousands of crows. The novel features a girl who navigates this strange phenomenon during her senior year and confronts domestic violence at home, where she must choose between acceptance to her dream college or abandoning that lifeline to protect her sisters. Publication is planned for winter 2020; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Media & Literary negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Lauren Knowles at Page Street has acquired Beyond the Shadowed Earth by Joanna Meyer, a YA fantasy set in the world of the author's debut novel, Beneath the Haunting Sea. The story tells of a girl who, as a child, did a deal with the gods to make herself Empress, but didn’t know what it would cost her. Now, with the Empire collapsing and her best friend gone, she embarks on a journey to find the god of the mountain and demand retribution. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary did the deal for world rights.
Bryce Carlson at Boom! Studios has bought world rights to a new supernatural middle grade series of graphic novels by Goosebumps and Fear Street creator R.L. Stine. Under the four-book deal, Stine will release the horror titles under the company's KaBoom! imprint, with the first book set for fall 2019; Bryce Carlson at Boom! brokered the deal directly with Stine.
Alessandra Balzer at Balzer + Bray has acquired at auction the debut middle grade novel by Maulik Pancholy, known for his roles on 30 Rock and Phineas and Ferb, and for serving on President Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The. Best. At. It. is about a gay Indian-American boy growing up in a small town in Indiana, dealing with the shifting dynamics of friendship and bullying in middle school, who has decided that everything in his life will get better if he can just find that one special thing he's the best at. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Jessica Regel at Foundry Literary + Media sold North American rights, on behalf of In This Together Media.
Lois Bridges at Scholastic Professional has bought Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids by literacy advocates, educators, and co-founders of the Nerdy Book Club, Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp. Part call-to-action and part practical toolset for educators, Game Changer!champions the power of book access as an essential aspect of learning and student growth potential. The book is scheduled for fall 2018; Molly O'Neill at Root Literary represented both authors in the deal for world rights.
Simon Boughton at W.W. Norton has acquired world rights to David Shannon's Mr. Nogginbody Gets a Hammer, part of a two-book deal that brings the picture book creator of the Caldecott Honor-winning No, David!and its sequels to the company's new children's imprint, Norton Young Readers. The new book introduces the theatrically ignorant Mr. Nogginbody, who gets carried away by his success in fixing a loose floorboard with his new hammer and starts imagining that anything resembling a nail can be fixed with a sturdy "whack." Mr. Nogginbody Gets a Hammer will be published as part of the imprint's inaugural list in fall 2019, with the second book to follow approximately a year later. Steven Malk at Writers House brokered the deal.
Jessica Harriton at Razorbill has bought the YA horror novel The Haunted and an untitled sequel by Danielle Vega, author of the Merciless series and Survive the Night. Written in the spirit of horror classics like The Conjuring, the book follows 17-year-old Hendricks and mysterious boy-next-door Eddie as they uncover the truth of her home’s dark past and the ghosts there who seek revenge. Publication for the first book is slated for summer 2019, followed by the second title in summer 2020; Josh Bank and Joelle Hobeika at Alloy Entertainment negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kristin Rens at Balzer + Bray has acquired a YA fantasy novel by Cruel Beauty author Rosamund Hodge. The book, What Monstrous Gods, starts where “Sleeping Beauty” leaves off, as Lia, a girl chosen by the gods of Runakhia, releases the royal family from 500 years of enchanted sleep and kills the heretic sorcerer who trapped them—only to find that the gods are not as benevolent as they appear, and the ghost of the sorcerer she killed may be her only help to protect her life and country. Publication is planned for winter 2020; Hannah Bowman at Liza Dawson Associates did the deal for world rights.
Ashley Hearn at Page Street has bought Sonia Hartl's debut contemporary YA novel, Have a Little Faith in Me, pitched as Firsts meets Saved! When CeCe's born-again boyfriend dumps her after they have sex, she follows him to Jesus camp to win him back, though she knows nothing about Christianity. But when he shows up with a new girlfriend—a True Believer—she must face the truth about her feelings, and about the night she lost her virginity. Publication is set for fall 2019; Rebecca Podos at the Rees Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has acquired world rights to the first middle grade novel by Blood, Water, Paint author Joy McCullough. In A Field Guide to Getting Lost, 10-year-olds Luis and Sutton have only two things in common: they're super indoorsy, and their parents are dating. So when his mother and her father decide that the perfect first family date would be a hike in the great outdoors, it's a map to disaster. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal.
Alyson Heller at Aladdin has bought world rights to Stephanie Faris's middle grade novel, tentatively titled SlamBook. The book is about 12-year-old Faith, who participates in school gossip on the SlamBook site until she finds herself the focus, and uses her hacking skills to retaliate. When her plan backfires and a girl becomes suicidal, Faith has to track down the girl and turn around the SlamBook trend once and for all. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency did the deal.
Hannah Allaman and Emily Meehan at Disney Hyperion have acquired world rights to the graphic novel adaptation of Melissa de la Cruz's The Isle of the Lost, book one of the Descendants series, adapted by Robert Venditti, illustrated by Kat Fajardo. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Jason Grode at Grodehouse Management and Production represented Venditti, and Linda Camacho at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency represented Fajardo.
Keith Garton at Red Chair Press has bought world rights in a four-book deal to Dana Sullivan's graphic novel, Dead Max Comix, about a budding 12-year-old cartoonist whose dog Max gets hit by a car and comes back as a ghost with some beyond-the-grave advice. The pub date for the first and second books is January 2020; Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented the author-illustrator.
Alex Arnold at HarperCollins/Tegen has acquired Corey Ann Haydu's debut chapter book series, Hand-Me-Down Magic, about two very different cousins teaming up for tall tales and adventures through stoop sales, flea markets, and lost and founds when they discover that there may be magic in the knick-knacks collected at their Abuelita's secondhand shop. The first book is set for winter 2020; Victoria Marini brokered the four-book deal for world English rights.
Neal Porter has bought at auction world rights to two picture books by Andrea Wang, author of The Nian Monster, for his imprint at Holiday House. Based on a memory from the author's childhood with Chinese immigrant parents, Watercress is scheduled for spring 2020; Jason Chin, Caldecott Honor and Sibert Honor creator of Grand Canyon, will illustrate. The book will be followed by Luli and the Language of Tea, showing that tea is a universal drink that can unite immigrant children from around the world. Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Stephen Sheppard at CDAS represented the artist.
Karen Wojtyla at McElderry has acquired Jason Gallaher's picture book, Porcupine Cupid, illustrated by Lori Richmond. Porcupine's matchmaking efforts need no bow and arrow in this Valentine's Day love story. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary represented the author, and Lori Kilkelly at Rodeen Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Kate Jacobs at Roaring Brook has bought world rights to Goodnight, Alligator!, a picture book by Lexie the Word Wrangler author Rebecca Van Slyke, illustrated by Mike Boldt. The book tells the story of a spirited young character, who is full of alligator-specific reasons why she absolutely cannot be expected to go to bed. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Kristine Enderle at Magination Press has acquired world rights to Pat Mora's (l.) Singing Nana, illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez. The picture book, about a Latina grandmother who is showing early signs of dementia, has sprinklings of Spanish and a recipe for cherry empanadas. The book will release in September 2019; Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown represented the author, and Claire Easton at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Anna Roberto at Feiwel and Friends has bought world rights in a preempt to Cate Berry's (l.) Chicken Break. The Ocean's Eleven-style, barnyard break-out picture book follows the rhyming antics of a flock of fowl counting up to 10 and back again. Charlie Alder will illustrate; publication is set for fall 2019. Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Ariel Richardson at Chronicle has bought world rights to Serena Gingold Allen's (l.) board books, Morning Romp and Nighttime Boogie, illustrated by Teagan White. In Morning Romp, animals dance their way through getting ready in the morning, and Nighttime Boogie imagines the antics of nocturnal animals. Publication is slated for spring 2021; Clelia Gore at Martin Literary & Media Management represented the author, and Nicole Tugeau at Tugeau 2 represented the illustrator.
