Natashya Wilson at Harlequin Teen has acquired, at auction, This Just In by debut sibling-writing duo Maika Moulite (l.) and Maritza Moulite. When a teen girl is sent to stay with her aunt in Haiti after a prank goes awry, she uncovers family secrets and the key to her mother's recent meltdown, while embracing her rich Haitian heritage. The story is told in letters, articles, emails, and diary entries. Publication is planned for fall 2019; J.L. Stermer at New Leaf Literary & Media brokered the deal for North American rights.
Holly West at Swoon Reads has bought Going Off-Script, a LGBTQ+ YA contemporary novel by Jen Wilde, author of Queens of Geek and The Brightsiders. A teen gets the TV-writing internship of her dreams, but when her boss rewrites her lesbian character as straight, she and the actress launch a #DontHideYourGays campaign against the studio, and fall for each other along the way. Publication is set for summer 2019; Lauren Spieller at TriadaUS Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Death Prefers Blondes, a YA mystery thriller by Caleb Roehrig. Seventeen-year-old Margo Manning lives a life of spoiled indolence by day, and high crime by night. Aided by a crew of acrobatic young men, she performs a series of jewel heists across the L.A. area. But when her industrialist father dies under suspicious circumstances, the wayward heiress must grow up overnight. The book is scheduled for winter 2019; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for North American rights.
Amy Fitzgerald at Lerner/Carolrhoda Lab has bought Fugly, a debut YA novel by Claire Waller. Shy, overweight, geeky Beth takes refuge in her secret life as an internet troll, targeting the popular people who treat girls like her with contempt in the real world. But then she unexpectedly makes two friends—flirty fellow troll Tori online, and bubbly, pretty Amy IRL—and must decide if she can trust either of them. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Allison Hellegers at Rights People did the deal for world English rights on behalf of Sandra Sawicka at Marjacq Scripts.
David Linker at HarperCollins has acquired world rights to the first two books in a new middle grade series by Austin Aslan. The first book, Turbo Racers: Trailblazer, is about 12-year-old Mace Blazer and his dreams of joining the Turbonauts, who race specialized vehicles that morph between super-powered roadsters, high-powered aircrafts, and torpedo-fast submersibles. Publication is planned for winter 2019, with the second novel to follow in 2020; the deal was co-brokered by Simon Lipskar at Writers House and Paul Lucas at Janklow & Nesbit Associates on behalf of the author.
Aimee Friedman at Scholastic has bought Refugee author Alan Gratz's Grenade, along with two untitled middle grade novels. The first book is about an Okinawan boy and a young American Marine during World War II whose lives intersect amid the battle of Okinawa. Publication is set for fall 2018; Holly Root at Root Literary negotiated the three-book deal for world rights.
Dinah Stevenson at Clarion has acquired, at auction, North American rights to A Talent for Trouble by Natasha Farrant, a middle grade survival adventure in which a fierce protagonist goes to great lengths to pursue her dream, accompanied by two unlikely boy sidekicks. The book is scheduled for fall 2019; Allison Hellegers at Rights People did the deal on behalf of Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan Associates.
John Morgan at Macmillan/Imprint has bought Kevin and Rebecca Kelly's debut picture book, The Awesome, Impossible, Unstoppable Gadget, which stars kid inventor Trixie O'Toole. Publication is projected for fall 2019; Jennifer Weltz at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency represented the authors in the deal for world English rights.
Jeffrey Salane at Little Simon has acquired world rights to two board books by Judy Carey Nevin (l.), illustrated by Susie Hammer: All Kids Are Good Kids and an untitled second book, in a series that celebrates all the sweet, sassy, and kind things children do. The first book is slated for spring 2019; Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary represented the author and the illustrator.
Erin Stein at Macmillan/Imprint has bought world rights to Do Not Go in There!, a picture book by Ariel Horn (l.), illustrated by Marilisa Cotroneo. An anxious monster is convinced something mighty scary is behind a closed door, while his monster friend is certain that something marvelous lies behind the same door. Publication is planned for winter 2020; Mary Cummings at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises represented the author, and Emily Coggins at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Liza Kaplan at Philomel has acquired NBA finalist Carrie Arcos's new YA novel, Skywatchers, pitched as In the Woods meets Stranger Things. Based on the real-life Operation Skywatch program established under President Truman, the book is about a group of teens in 1952 Monterey, Calif., who volunteer to help keep round-the-clock eyes on the sky. When one of them goes missing, the others must figure out what's happening and why. Publication is set for summer 2020; Kerry Sparks at Levine Greenberg Rostan negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Stacey Barney at Putnam has bought HuffPost writer Ryan Douglass's YA debut, Jake in the Box, a Get Out-inspired horror story about the only black kid at an elite suburban Atlanta prep school who is being haunted by the ghost of a school shooter. Publication is planned for spring 2020; Rena Rossner at the Deborah Harris Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Diana M. Pho at Tor Teen has acquired world English rights to The Sound & the Stone, the YA debut by Bethany C. Morrow (author of the forthcoming MEM). The contemporary fantasy about the strength of black sisterhood follows high school best friends as each discovers her true supernatural identity, set against the present-day reality of misogynoir. Publication is scheduled for winter 2020; Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman Agency did the two-book deal.
Karen Wojtyla at S&S/McElderry has bought Love to Everyone, a historical novel by Guardian Children's Fiction Prize winner Hilary McKay. The middle-grade novel follows the childhood and adolescence of Clarry, a girl living in the early years of the 20th century who is determined to get an education and open doors that the world would rather keep closed. Publication is slated for fall 2018; Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Rosemary Brosnan at HarperCollins has acquired world English rights to Christine Day's debut, The Summer of Split Feather Fever. The novel features a 12-year-old artist who draws inspiration from her surroundings. But when she finds artifacts from her mother's adoption and her Native American grandmother's life, she realizes she has much to learn about herself, her family's history, and the place she calls home. The book is planned for winter 2020, with a second, standalone book to follow; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary and Media brokered the two-book deal.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Paulsen has bought, in an exclusive submission, author-illustrator Heidi Sheffield's Ice Cream Face, a picture book homage to the pleasures of the sweet, cold treat as well as to the joy and excitement of sharing. Sheffield is the recipient of the SCBWI 2017 LA Mentorship Award and the SCBWI 2017 NY Portfolio Award, Honorable Mention, among other awards. Publication is set for summer 2021; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Andrea Welch at S&S/Beach Lane has acquired author/photographer April Pulley Sayre's new picture book, Being Frog. Inspired by observing local frogs, the book explores what it means to be a frog, as a breathing, living fellow citizen of the world. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt Agency did the deal for world rights.
Alexis Orgera and Chad Reynolds at Penny Candy Books have bought world rights to Hedy and Her Amazing Invention by Jan Wahl, with art by debut illustrator Morgana Wallace. The early chapter book tells the story of how movie star Hedy Lamarr, known as "the world's most beautiful woman," defied narrow-minded expectations at each stage of her life to become an important inventor. The book will be published in November 2018; Abigail Samoun at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented.
