Stacey Barney at G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers has bought a picture book by American Ballet Theatre soloist Misty Copeland, which will be illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Christopher Myers. This story of a girl who discovers the magic of ballet for the first time is scheduled for publication in spring 2014. At the same time, Copeland signed with Megan Reid at Touchstone for a memoir for adult readers, which will be co-written with Charisse Jones, and is due out in fall 2014. Steve Troha at Folio Literary Management and Gilda Squire of Gilda Squire Media Relations did the deal.
Putnam's Stacey Barney also acquired two books in a YA thriller series by Gernert Company literary agent Seth Fishman. The first title, The Well's End, follows 16-year-old Mia, who unwilling to let her entire town succumb to a strange illness that ages people years in a matter of hours, resulting in death. She decides it's up to her to break quarantine, escape school grounds, and outsmart armed soldiers to uncover the truth about what's killing them all. It will be published in winter 2014; Kirby Kim at William Morris Endeavor brokered the sale.
Maria Modugno at Random/Golden Books for Young Readers has acquired Books Always Everywhere and Love Always Everywhere, two picture books by Jane Blatt, illustrated by Sarah Massini (at l.). The first book, featuring toddlers and preschoolers celebrating the joy and importance of books, will be published in spring 2014. The books were acquired from Kate Wilson at Nosy Crow in the U.K.
Alexandra Cooper at Simon & Schuster has signed a YA series by Lauren DeStefano, author of the Chemical Garden trilogy. Called The Internment Chronicles, it's a utopian series set on "Internment," a floating island in the clouds. The first book, Perfect Ruin, is due in April 2014; two short stories will be published as e-books to complement the story. Barbara Poelle at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency negotiated the deal for North American and audio rights.
Allyn Johnston and Andrea Welch at Beach Lane Books have acquired world rights to a picture book manuscript from Liz Garton Scanlon (All the World). The new book, In the Canyon, is a tribute to the Grand Canyon and the power of wild and wide-open spaces; it will be released in spring 2016. Already in the works: two more projects in the works at Beach Lane: Thank You, Garden, slated for spring 2015, and The Old Man and the Marvelous Wind, for fall 2015 (the illustrators have not yet been announced); and a picture book for spring 2014 with Cheryl Klein at Scholastic's Arthur A. Levine Books called The Good-Pie Party, illustrated by Kady McDonald Denton. Erin Murphy of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency was the agent.
Georgia McBride of Month9Books has made two book deals. The first is a YA fantasy from Jackie Morse Kessler called To Bear an Iron Key, in which a young and powerful witch is trapped by her grandmother's curse, her mother's love and a promise to marry the wrong boy. Miriam Kriss of Irene Goodman Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights. The second is a YA paranormal romance from debut author Vanessa Barger called A Whispered Darkness, in which a girl and her mother are haunted by spirits who inhabit their new home, and the only way to stop the spirits from possessing her mother is to become one of them. Jennifer Mishler of Literary Counsel did the deal for world rights.
