Jess Harriton at Razorbill has acquired, at auction, Cosmopolitan senior editor Jessica Goodman's YA debut, The Players' Table. In the story set at an exclusive prep school, high school senior Jill Newman works to uncover the truth about her best friend's death three years ago and the role she and her fellow “players”—members of the secret society that rules the school—may have had in it. Publication is slated for summer 2020; Alyssa Reuben at Paradigm negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Wendy Loggia at Delacorte has bought world rights to three standalone YA novels by Natasha Preston (author of The Cellar and The Cabin), pitched as tense psychological thrillers. The first book is tentatively scheduled for early 2020; Jon Elek at United Agents brokered the deal.
Mabel Hsu at HarperCollins/Tegen has acquired, in a six-figure auction, Lyla Lee's YA romantic comedy celebrating body positivity, I'll Be the One. Pitched as Dumplin' meets When Dimple Met Rishi, the book follows a bisexual Korean-American teen girl who competes on a reality TV show to become the first plus-sized K-pop star, while falling in love with her competitor, Henry Cho, who happens to be a world-famous celebrity. Publication is set for fall 2020; Penny Moore at Aevitas Creative Management did the two-book deal for North American rights.
Anna Roberto at Feiwel and Friends has bought Adrienne Kisner's Six Angry Girls, a story of Mock Trial, feminism, and the inherent power found in a pair of knitting needles. Publication is planned for spring 2020; Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Hannah VanVels at Blink has acquired Laurie Boyle Crompton's YA novel, Freaky in Fresno, about a geeky horror movie buff and a YouTube makeup celebrity who switch bodies during a road trip and have to scramble to make things right, not to mention learn how to get along. Publication is slated for May 2020; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Stacy Abrams at Entangled has bought Die for You and Fall of Grace author Amy Dominy's Announcing Trouble, a contemporary YA romance in which a high school senior who grew up with a father consumed with playing baseball wants nothing to do with the game ever again. When she meets Garrett, a baseball player sidelined with an injury, she must decide whether to help him achieve his dreams, even if it means giving him up forever. Publication is set for summer 2019; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Elise Howard at Algonquin has acquired, at auction, the first three books in Newbery Honor author Amy Timberlake's Skunk & Badger, a middle grade series about an odd-couple friendship between joyful and easygoing Skunk and analytical and set-in-his-ways Badger, who change each other's lives forever. Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen will illustrate. The first book is scheduled for fall 2020; Steven Malk at Writers House represented author and illustrator in the deal for world English rights.
Beverly Horowitz at Delacorte has bought a middle grade adaptation of Mike Massimino's Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe. The book details Massimino's life growing up in a working-class family and his determination to get the education and experience that would lead to his challenging but successful rise to become a NASA astronaut. Publication is planned for spring 2020; Peter McGuigan at Foundry Literary + Media handled the deal for U.S./Canadian/open market rights.
Candice Keimig at Abdo has acquired rights to a four-book chapter book series by Mike Allegra, called Kimmie Tuttle, starring the curious inventress Kimmie Tuttle. Each book will show Kimmie saving the day with her inventions as she faces problems from some mythical sources. The books are all slated for fall 2021; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Rachel Matson at Scholastic has bought for the Acorn line, in a three-book deal, world rights to author-illustrator Janee Trasler's Frog and Dog, an illustrated early reader series. Publication will begin in summer 2020 with Frog Meets Dog; Jamie Weiss Chilton at Andrea Brown represented the author.
Jen Besser at Roaring Brook has acquired author-illustrator Andrew Arnold's Marlo, a picture book about best friends that explores big emotions for little readers, including anger and sadness, and reminds us that these aren't feelings to run away from, but instead to help each other through. Publication is set for spring 2020; Judy Hansen at Hansen Literary Management brokered the deal for world rights.
Katherine Tegen at HarperCollins/Tegen has bought world rights to Newbery Medal-winning author Patricia MacLachlan's The 100 Year Barn, illustrated by Kenard Pak. The picture book tells the story of a beautiful red barn, the people who call it home, and the simple moments that make up a lifetime. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Paulsen has acquired world rights to author Tracey Baptiste's debut picture book, Super Goat Girl, featuring a superhero in a superhero school who is not like the others and feels super strange. Dapo Adeola will illustrate; publication is planned for fall 2021. Marie Lamba at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency represented the author, and Max Edwards at MMB Creative in London represented the illustrator.
Wendy McClure at Albert Whitman has bought world rights to a nonfiction picture book by 2018 South Asia Book Award winner Nancy Churnin (l.), illustrated by Olga Baumert. For Spacious Skies tells the story of how Katharine Lee Bates, determined to heal the Civil War wounds and gender inequities that tore people apart when she was a child, grew up to create a poem, “America the Beautiful,” that united the country from sea to shining sea. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Alexandra Gehringer at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Jennifer Newens at West Margin Press has acquired world rights to Odin: Dog Hero of the Fires by Emma Bland Smith (l.), author of Journey: Based on the True Story of OR7, the Most Famous Wolf in the West. Carrie Salazar will illustrate. The nonfiction picture book details the true story of the fearless and faithful dog, who refused to leave his home when his family fled a devastating wildfire, choosing to stay behind to guard his herd of goats. Publication is set for May 2020; Essie White at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and Janet DeCarlo at Storybook Arts represented the illustrator.
Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books has acquired, at auction, visual artist Mercedes Helnwein's YA contemporary debut, Slingshot, set in a Florida boarding school. When Grace accidentally saves the new kid from being beat up, her life changes with the single aim of a slingshot. What follows is a story about two people finding each other and then messing it all up. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Elizabeth Bewley at Sterling Lord Literistic negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Whitney Leopard at Random House Graphic has bought Blue Delliquanti's YA graphic novel Across a Field of Starlight. The sci-fi journey follows two protagonists figuring out their places in the solar system as their very different worlds collide. Publication is planned for 2022; Jennifer Linnan at Linnan Literary Management sold world rights.
Tiffany Liao at Holt has acquired Andre Norton Award finalist Jenn Reese's A Game of Fox and Squirrels, a middle grade novel pitched as Pan's Labyrinth meets Anne Ursu. Following a domestic violence incident, Sam and her sister Caitlin are sent to live with an estranged aunt in rural Oregon. When Sam is given a mysterious card game, she's charmed by the whimsical animal characters, especially Ashander the Fox. Until one day, Ashander appears in her room, sweeping Sam into a game she may not be ready to play. Publication is set for winter 2020; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt brokered the deal for world English rights.
Brian Geffen at Holt has bought, in an exclusive submission, Rise Up!: How You Can Join the Fight Against Racism by sociology professor Crystal M. Fleming. The upper middle grade nonfiction book examines the roots of racial discrimination and white supremacy, the history of civil rights groups that have fought against oppression, and offers kids ways they can join the struggle against racism. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Michael Bourret at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret did the deal for world English rights.
Emma Ledbetter (prior to her departure) and Julia McCarthy at Atheneum have bought @Inkpug creator Lauren Stohler's debut picture book, The Best Worst Poet Ever, about two furry rival poets whose attempts to outdo each other result in outrageous scenarios, ultimately leading to an unexpected friendship. Publication is planned for summer 2020; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has acquired Old Macdonald Had a Babyauthor Emily Snape's solo debut, An Alphabet of Hugs, which shares all sorts of hugs from A to Z. Publication is slated for winter 2020; John Rudolph at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret brokered the deal for North American rights.
Rebecca Davis at Boyds Mills Press has bought Sometimes It's Bright, a debut solo picture book by Annie Ruygt. In this ode to creativity, when a girl spends a day in the city with her mother she finds brightness in everything around her—and, ultimately, within herself. Publication is set for spring 2021; Andrea Morrison at Writers House did the deal for world rights.
Allison Moore at Bloomsbury has acquired world rights to Jasmine Stirling's (l.) picture book debut, A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice, illustrated by Vesper Stamper, winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award. The story spotlights how the beloved author bucked convention and expectations of women in her time and injected her unique perspective, humor, and wit into her writing. Publication is planned for winter 2021; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author and Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Stacey Barney at Putnam bought world rights to Irene Latham's (l.) Twelve Days of Kindness, illustrated by Susie Ghahremani. The cumulative tale is based on the classic Christmas song celebrating the different ways of giving and showing kindness. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020. Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and the illustrator was represented by Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel at Full Circle Literary.
Andrea Colvin at Lion Forge/CubHouse has acquired the first two books in Georgia Clark's (l.) Stacey Tomato Is in Charge picture book series, illustrated by Shelley Couvillion. The books follow a feisty girl who wants to grow up to be fearless and in charge just like Mummy and Mommy, who are both CEOs of their respective companies. Publication is set for spring 2020; Wendi Gu at Janklow & Nesbit represented the author in the deal for world rights, and Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary represented the illustrator.
Sue Tarsky at Albert Whitman has bought world rights to Sue Fliess's The Princess and the Petri Dish, illustrated by Petros Bouloubasis, a picture book about a science-loving princess who creates a new kind of pea in her Petri dish. Publication is slated for April 2020; Jennifer Unter at the Unter Agency represented the author, and Samantha Groff at Advocate Art USA represented the illustrator.
Haven Iverson at Sounds True has acquired world rights to Christine Evans's (l.) picture book, Emily's Idea, about a girl who makes a chain of paper dolls that symbolize how we are all different, but the same, and how her message spreads across the globe. Marta Alvarez Miguens will illustrate; publication is scheduled for March 2020. Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and Kate Kendrick at Astound US represented the illustrator.