Viking Crosses Goudeau’s Border
Activist and writer Jessica Goudeau sold After the Last Border, a history of the U.S. refugee resettlement program, to Emily Wunderlich at Viking. Mackenzie Brady Watson at the Stuart Krichevsky Agency, who sold North American rights on Goudeau’s behalf, said the book examines the program “through the lives of two families, one from Myanmar and one from Syria.” Goudeau’s writing has appeared in, among other outlets, the Washington Post, the Atlantic, and Vox.
Bloomsbury Grabs Migration Book
In another deal for a book about refugees, Nancy Miller at Bloomsbury bought Sonia Shah’s The Next Great Migration. The book, set for fall 2019, is, the publisher said, a detailed and timely look at the recent dislocation of millions of people due to political turmoil and natural disasters. It argues that, in contrast to “centuries-old, politically expedient theories, migration is not a crisis, but a solution.” Charlotte Sheedy, who has an eponymous shingle, represented Shah, an investigative journalist and author.
Piontek’s ‘Spirit’ Preempted
Scholastic’s Mallory Kass preempted world rights to Victoria Piontek’s middle grade debut,The Spirit of Cattail County. The Everglades-set novel, which Laura Rennert at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold, is slated for summer 2018. Rennert said the book blends “magic realism with a hint of Southern gothic” in its tale of a 12-year-old girl named Sparrow who tries to unveil the secrets in her Florida town in an attempt to convince her best friend, a ghost no one else can see, to get a message to Sparrow's recently deceased mother. Piontek, who works as a literary associate for Rennert, was formerly a middle school teacher, and has an M.F.A. in creative writing from Hollins University.
Tippett’s ‘Letters’ Land at Atria
Peter Borland at Atria bought North American rights to Krista Tippett’s Letters to a Young Citizen. Tippett is a Peabody-winning broadcaster and bestselling author (Speaking of Faith), and the book will be built off of conversations she’s had on her popular public radio show, On Being. Elaborating on the book, Atria said it will be “a field guide for discovering the creative possibilities of this global moment” and will explain to readers how they can “reclaim lost social arts like conversation and civility when the very nature of truth is in question.” Tippett was represented by Sarah Chalfant at the Wylie Agency. Letters is set for a fall 2018 release.
Putnam Lands New Robert B. Parker
In a deal struck with Robert B. Parker’s estate, Ivan Held at G.P. Putnam’s Sons bought a new book in the bestselling author’s Sunny Randall series. The series, which currently features six titles, was launched in 1999, but has not seen a new entry since 2007. (Parker died in 2010.) Sports journalist and author Mike Lupica, who was a friend of Parker’s, will be writing the book, which is set for 2018. Esther Newberg at ICM Partners handled the North American rights sale on behalf of the estate.
Transgender Picture Book to FSG Kids
Rachel Lyons and Jessica Verdi’s debut picture book, about a transgender boy coming out to his family, was acquired by Megan Abbate at FSG Books for Young Readers. Abbate took world rights to The Haircut, which is among only a handful of picture books to address the subject, from Kate McKean at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. McKean said the book turns on the central character’s desire to get “a haircut that reflects his identity.” Lyons, who is co-writing the book with Verdi, is a pseudonym; McKean said the author opted to remain anonymous because the book is based on an experience her son had, and she wants to protect his privacy. Verdi is a YA author whose forthcoming novel And She Was (Point, Mar. 2018) is about a teenager who discovers her mother is transgender. The Haircut does not yet have an illustrator attached.
Correction: The name of Victoria Piontek's book was incorrect and has been changed and the plot summary revised.
