Caitlyn Dlouhy at Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books has acquired North American rights to a graphic novel edition of Jason Reynolds's Newbery Honor– and Printz Honor–winning Long Way Down (which Dlouhy published in 2017); Danica Novgorodoff will illustrate. Publication is planned for fall 2019. Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties represented the author, and Tanya McKinnon at McKinnon McIntyre represented the artist.
Maggie Lehrman at Amulet has bought Mirror Lens, a YA graphic novel written by Ignatz Award winners Ananth Hirsh and Yuko Ota, illustrated by J.R. Doyle, about two young photographers, one an augmented human and the other an AI, who chooses to appear human, who must overcome their bitter rivalry to collaborate on an art project. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary sold world rights.
Monica Jean at Delacorte has acquired The Last Thing I Told You author Emily Arsenault's untitled new YA mystery, pitched as Adventureland meets One of Us Is Lying. It's the story of a girl whose father owns an amusement park and a boy that turns up dead under mysterious circumstances, prompting her investigation that reveals how everyone has a secret to hide in their small town. Publication is set for spring 2020; Laura Langlie of the Laura Langlie Agency handled the deal for world English rights.
Marisa DiNovis at Knopf has bought The Cardboard Kingdom illustrator and co-author Chad Sell's middle grade graphic novel Doodleville plus a sequel. Set in a world where art lives both on and off the page, Drew and her friends must work together to defeat a monster of Drew's own creation. Publication is slated for early 2020, with the sequel to follow in 2021; Daniel Lazar at Writers House negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Catherine Onder at HMH has acquired, in a preempt, YA author Erin Bow's middle grade debut, Stand on the Sky, about a Kazakh girl who defies expectations and odds to teach an orphaned eagle to fly, in an attempt to save her brother's life. Publication is planned for spring 2019; Jane Putch at Eyebait Management brokered the deal for world rights, excluding Canada.
Krystena Lypen at Algonquin Young Readers has bought Sarah Jean Horwitz's Dark Lord Clementine. When the official Dark Lord of a small village is laid low by a rival's curse, his good-hearted young daughter must take over his magical evil-doing duties to maintain the town's livelihood and try to save her father. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman did the deal for world English rights.
Sarah McCabe at Pulse has acquired The Last Magician author Lisa Maxwell's debut middle grade novel, Xavier T. Fletcher, about a budding young naturalist who has no real experience with nature outside of his quiet suburb. When his family moves to his grandmother's goat farm, he discovers a rip in the sky and befriends the strange girl who battles the dangerous creature that lives behind it. The six-figure deal also includes two untitled YA titles. Publication is set for summer 2020; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold world rights.
Kelly Loughman at Holiday House has bought two middle grade novels by debut author Gail Zhuang Schmidt. The first book, tentatively titled Candlelight, tells the story of a magical snow globe that sends a boy through time whenever he shakes it, and connects him to strangers with pasts interwoven with his own. Publication for the book is scheduled for fall 2020; the second, still untitled book is slated for fall 2021. Adria Goetz at Martin Literary Management negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
Brian Geffen at Henry Holt has acquired The Middler, a debut middle-grade novel by Kirsty Applebaum, winner of the 2016 United Agents Prize for Most Promising Writing for Young People. Set in a near future world in which birth order determines social status, this story of forbidden friendship, loyalty, and courage follows 11-year old Maggie, who begins to dig for truth in a xenophobic community whose leaders and founding beliefs have gone unquestioned for far too long. Publication is planned for winter 2020, with an untitled standalone novel to follow. Kate Wilson at Nosy Crow brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.
Stacey Barney at Putnam has bought Tracy Holczer's Braving the Woods, a middle grade novel about a girl named Juniper, who sets out to recover her brother's military service dog after he is killed in Afghanistan. Shadowed by a ghostly buck that seems intent on communicating something important, she is looking to break what she believes might be a family curse. It's slated for summer 2020; Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio did the deal for North American rights.
Alex Borbolla at Atheneum has acquired, in a preempt, Booler by Margaret Finnegan, a middle grade novel about Hank, a boy with autism, and Maisie, a girl with a secret, who team up to save Booler, a dog with epilepsy whose owner keeps him chained to a tree. Through a scheme involving brown-nosing, dognapping, and cow milking, Hank and Maisie discover that not everything is as it seems, and learn what it really means to be a friend. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Tracy Marchini at BookEnds Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Mary Kate Castellani at Bloomsbury Children's and Pari Thomason at Bloomsbury UK have bought Lucy Morris's The Little Window, a picture book about how music lifts the spirits of passers-by in a town. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr. / Folio Literary Management negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Karen Lotz at Candlewick has acquired world rights to, and will edit, Love Is Powerful, a debut picture book by Heather Brewer (l.), illustrated by LeUyen Pham. The book was inspired by a girl holding a “Love Is Powerful” sign during the January 2017 Women's March in New York City. Publication is set for 2020; Rebecca Angus at Golden Wheat Literary represented the author, and Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt represented the illustrator.
Justin Chanda at Simon & Schuster has bought world rights to Rescuing Ms. Birdley, a picture book by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by British illustrator Emma Reynolds (no relation). Miranda Montgomery fancies herself an animal rescue expert, so when she spots her teacher outside of school in the supermarket, Miranda knows she must return Ms. Birdley “to her natural habitat.” The book pubs in summer 2020. Jodi Reamer at Writers House represented the author, and Thao Le at the Sandra Dijkstra Agency represented the illustrator.
Andrew DeYoung at Beaming Books has acquired On Your Way, a picture book written by John Coy and illustrated by Talitha Shipman. Told in the voice of a parent recalling a child's first wobbly steps as baby animals waddle, ramble, and trot nearby, the book is a meditation on childhood, growth, and the magic of life's little milestones. The book is planned for fall 2019; Andrea Cascardi of the Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and Alison Berson of Astound represented the illustrator.
Mark Siegel at First Second Books has acquired Plain Jane, Vera Brosgol's fantasy middle grade graphic novel about a girl who puts aside her insecurities and dives into the sea to rescue the guy she likes from a beautiful mermaid. Publication is scheduled for 2021; Judy Hansen at Hansen Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Donna Bray at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought three full-color graphic novel hybrids by Terri Libenson, author of Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy. The first book, Just Jasmine, tells a story of two friends that unfolds on the last day of seventh grade. Publication is slated for spring 2019; Daniel Lazar at Writers House handled the deal for North American rights.
Nick Thomas at Scholastic/Levine has acquired The Moon Within author Aida Salazar's novel, The Land of the Cranes, a story inspired in part by her own childhood as an undocumented immigrant. The free verse middle grade novel tells the story of nine-year-old Betita, who believes that she and other migrants follow an Aztec prophecy to fly as free as cranes. When her father is deported to Mexico and she and her mother are detained by ICE, she turns to writing picture poems as her own way to fly above the deplorable conditions that she and other cranes experience while they are caged. Publication is set for spring 2020; Marietta B. Zacker at the Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency did the deal for North American English and Spanish rights.
Margaret Raymo and Kwame Alexander at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have bought, at auction, Aimee Lucido's debut, Emmy in the Key of Code. The middle grade novel in verse merges the languages of poetry and computer code to tell the story of a 12-year-old girl who finds her place in the world of computers after failing to live up to her parents' musical legacy—until secrets from both her new best friend and her new favorite teacher threaten to destroy her sense of home. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Jessica Garrison at Dial has acquired at auction debut author Helena Fox's How It Feels to Float, a hopeful portrayal of living with mental illness and grief. Publication is scheduled for summer 2019; Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management negotiated the deal for world English rights, excluding Australia/New Zealand.
Anne Schwartz at Random House/Schwartz & Wade has bought Emily Jenkins's One Hundred Days of School, an illustrated chapter book that follows Hopper—day by day—through all the twists and turns of the first 100 days of an urban school. Publication is set for summer 2020; Elizabeth Kaplan at the Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Karen Lotz at Candlewick Press has bought world rights in all languages to A Piglet Named Mercy, author Kate DiCamillo and illustrator Chris Van Dusen's picture book origin story of porcine wonder Mercy Watson. A prequel to the bestselling Mercy Watson series, the book celebrates the joy of a new arrival; Andrea Tompa will edit and Ann Stott will art direct. Publication is slated for April 2019; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties represented the author, and Steve Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Neal Porter at Holiday House/Neal Porter Books has acquired world rights to poet Jordan Scott's (l.) debut picture book, I Talk Like a River, illustrated by Greenaway Medalist Sydney Smith. The book is about a boy who stutters and the father who empowers him to endure it. Publication is planned for fall 2020; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the illustrator.
Lauri Hornik at Dial has acquired world rights to Fran Manushkin's (l.) Plenty of Hugs, a picture book appreciation of birds, bugs, hugs and a family's love, with an emphasis on LGBTQ inclusivity. Kate Alizadeh will illustrate; publication is scheduled for summer 2020. Brianne Johnson at Writers House represented the author, and Mandy Suhr at Miles Stott Agency represented the artist.
Joy Bean at Kane Press/StarBerry Books has bought world rights to debut author Andrea Denish's picture book, Everyone Loves a Parade!*, illustrated by Guilherme Franco. The story features some of the country's most popular parades, while showing that maybe not everyone loves a parade. Publication is slated for spring 2020; the author represented herself, and Alison Berson at Astound represented the illustrator.
Celia Lee at Cartwheel has acquired world rights to Bedtime for Cranky Crab by debut author Cristina Ergunay (l.), illustrated by Heather Sketcheroos. The padded board book tells the rhyming story of ocean creatures getting ready for bed—except for one little cranky crab, who refuses to settle down. Publication is set for 2019; Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Christina Pulles at Sterling has bought world rights to Teresa Robeson's (l.) picture book, Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom. The book offers a glimpse into the life and achievements of the Chinese-American woman physicist once called “the Chinese Marie Curie.” Rebecca Huangwill illustrate; publication is planned for fall 2019. Natascha Morris at BookEnds Literary Agency represented the author, and Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the illustrator.
Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to Nine: A Book of Nonets by Irene Latham (l.), illustrated by Amy Huntington. The collection is a celebration of the number nine through nine-line poems (called nonets), on topics such as Pluto (the ninth planet), cloud nine, baseball (nine players), and the nine-banded armadillo. The book is scheduled for spring 2020; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and Erzsi Deàk at Hen&ink Literary represented the illustrator.
Tom Peterson at the Creative Company has bought world rights to the picture book Lights Out!, by Marsha Diane Arnold (l.), illustrated by Susan Reagan (You and Me). As night gets brighter, a band of animals goes in search of the dark in this modern fable that calls out light pollution and celebrates the necessity and wonder of darkness. Publication is slated in fall 2020; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Lisa Rosinsky at Barefoot Books has acquired the picture book That's Not My Bed by debut author Erin Gunti (l.). Pitched via #KidPit on Twitter, the book is about a girl who is spending her first night at a homeless shelter with her mother, and who takes comfort in imagining they are on a fantastical adventure. Gunti drew on her experience as a child abuse and neglect investigator. Mexican artist Esteli Meza will illustrate; publication is set for fall 2019. Both author and illustrator represented themselves in the deal for world rights.
Nina Gruener at Cameron Kids has bought world rights to Like by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard. A boy’s boredom leads him to the playground, where he meets a girl on a swing on a warm summer day. The picture book is planned for spring 2020; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator.
Alyson Heller at Aladdin has acquired, in a four-book deal, Dee Romito's Fort Builders series. Two best friends, who are determined to earn some spending money, start a fort-building company and must navigate the challenges of being pint-size business owners. Publication of book one is scheduled for summer 2020; Uwe Stender at Triada US Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kait Feldmann at Scholastic/Levine has bought U.S./Canada English rights to What Could That Be? (previously titled Etwas Schwarzes) by Reza Dalvand, translated from its original Farsi by Nazli Hodaie. The picture book is about a curious object in the woods that leads to mystery and mayhem. Publication is slated for 2020; Sonja Matheson brokered the deal for Baobab Books, based in Switzerland.
Kristen Nobles at Page Street Kids has acquired Ioana Hobai's A Whale of a Mistake, a picture book about the feelings that come with making mistakes and learning to let go of them. Publication is planned for winter 2020; the author-illustrator represented herself in the deal for world rights.
