Nicole Ellul at Simon & Schuster has acquired Thirteen Midnights by Isabel Strychacz, a dark romantasy pitched as Labyrinth meets The Cruel Prince. Every 13 years, a resident of Hollow disappears, taken by the mysterious lord of the wood. Violet knows she was raised to be the next taken one, but when her best friend disappears in the night instead, she vows to set things right, and is plunged into a glittering yet treacherous otherworld where nothing is as it seems. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary sold North American rights.
Joy Peskin at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has bought, in an exclusive submission, Imani's First Chance by Kristen R. Lee, a YA novel about what happens when 16-year-old Imani, who has grown up in the church, starts to question if God is real in the wake of her father's death. A relationship with the pastor's son, Miles, seems to ease the ache of her grief, until Miles begins to bring a different sort of pain into Imani's life. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Molly O'Neill at Root Literary negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Tamara Grasty at Page Street has acquired M.J. Beasi's debut, I Was a Teenage Death God, a YA paranormal mystery, in a two-book deal. For Charlie, stealing life from high school randos is an okay price to ensure their twin sister and best friend-slash-crush remain off-limits to Lou, the ghost who's been threatening Charlie their whole life. Charlie's literal road trip to self-discovery sets them and everyone they love on a collision course with a dark family legacy not even their mother's Toyota can outrun. Publication is set for winter 2026; Lee O'Brien at Looking Glass Literary and Media sold world rights.
Samia Garcia-Fakih at First Second has bought, in a preempt, Friday Nights in Chinatown by Michelle Lam (Meesh the Bad Demon), a historical fiction YA graphic novel inspired by her parents' love story and West Side Story, about two teens in 1980s Chinatown who must balance falling in love with the realities of their dreams and the threat of gang violence. Publication is planned for winter 2028; Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.
Clarissa Wong, while at Scholastic, acquired world rights to At Fifteen by Remy Lai (l.), illustrated by Basia Tran; Megan Peace at Graphix will edit. In the YA graphic novel, 15-year-old Frankie tries to escape the realities of her father's cancer diagnosis by throwing herself into her first romantic relationship. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret represented the author, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the artist.
Feather Flores at Atheneum has bought, at auction, in a two-book, six-figure deal, a dystopian middle grade duology by Shanna Upchurch. Pitched as Alone meets The City of Ember, the first book, A Garden Lost, follows a girl with an affinity for gardening as she and other artisan children board a mysterious billionaire's massive ship to survive a world-ending flood—and soon realize the real danger may lie within. Publication will begin in spring 2027; Emily van Beek and Estelle Laure at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Christy Ottaviano at Little, Brown/Ottaviano has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The Book Nobody Could Read by Elise Broach (Masterpiece). When 11-year-old Abby Mendell makes an unlikely discovery in her family's collection of rare books, she accidentally becomes embroiled in a centuries-long mystery involving the Voynich Manuscript, an authentic Renaissance "Book of Wonders" whose meaning remains a secret. Publication is slated for winter 2027; the author represented herself.
Jaime Gelman at Little Bee Books has bought world rights to Austin Gilkeson's Maggie the Dread, a middle grade novel about a vampire-goddess who has no choice but to destroy reality in six days, even though she'd rather eat snacks and watch TV. Publication is planned for summer 2026; the author represented himself.
Kirstie Hudson while at Orca Books, in an exclusive submission, acquired Hot Cities by biologist Alexandra Vivelo, a solution-focused look at the urban heat island effect and eco-friendly ways we can keep our cities cool. Publication is set for fall 2027; Lauren Bieker at FinePrint Literary Management sold world rights.
Melissa Manlove at Sourcebooks Jabberwocky has bought world rights to Birdwhile by author-illustrator Philip Stead, in Manlove's first acquisition at Sourcebooks. The book offers a contemplative exploration of the interaction between poetry and nature. In a world increasingly rushed and fractured by our relationships with screens, Birdwhile is both a tonic and a reminder of the value of slowing down: to think, to observe, to imagine. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management did the deal.
Kelly Barrales-Saylor at Ten Speed Young Readers has acquired, in a preempt, world rights to Lena Podesta's picture book I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log, first in a series playfully pushing back on our assumptions about different corners of the natural world. Publication is scheduled for 2026, with a second title following in 2027; Stephen Barr at Writers House negotiated the deal.
Rotem Moscovich at Knopf has bought North American rights to Welcome to Our Classroom! by Alexandra Penfold (l.), illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman, a picture book set in the All Are Welcome universe that celebrates teachers and reassures students that they will feel included and supported to grow and learn in their teacher's classroom. Publication is set for summer 2026; Susan Ginsburg at Writers House represented the author, and Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary represented the illustrator.
Tundra Books has acquired world rights to a new edition of Good Families Don't by Robert Munsch (l.) (Love You Forever), newly illustrated by Joy Ang. The picture book tells the story about a girl who finds a big, colorful fart lying on her bed. Publication is planned for summer 2026; the author was unagented, and Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has bought world rights for Brontosaurus Is Back!, a nonfiction picture book by Sarah Albee (l.), and Diane Earley has acquired world rights for illustrations by Chris Hsu. Many people's favorite dinosaur—Brontosaurus—is back and separate from Apatosaurus after being discovered, discontinued, and then reinstated again. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Andy Lopez Soberano at Scholastic has acquired, in an exclusive submission, world rights to two bilingual board books by Grammy Award-winning duo 123 Andrés (l.), based on the artists' own song adaptations, titled One Elephant/Un Elefante, illustrated by Eduardo Marticorena (c.), and Colors of My Heart/Colores de mi corazón, illustrated by Maria Gabriela Gama (r.). Publication is slated for fall 2025 and spring 2026 respectively; Adriana Domínguez at Aevitas Creative Management represented the authors, Alexandra Gehringer at the Bright Agency represented Marticorena, and Emily Fernandez at the Bright Agency represented Gama.
Emilia Sowersby at Roaring Brook Press has acquired When Shadows Burn by Vanessa Le (The Last Bloodcarver). This YA/adult crossover dark fantasy duology follows a demon caller and a demon slayer who partner together to solve a string of occult murders at their university. Publication of the first book is scheduled for fall 2026; Ramona Pina at BookEnds Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Alex Borbolla at Bloomsbury has bought, in an exclusive submission, Your Boyfriend Needs an Exorcist by Stonewall Honor author Justine Pucella Winans (How to Survive a Slasher), a paranormal YA novel pitched as a genderqueer Jennifer's Body, in which an evil spirit accidentally possesses her crush's terrible boyfriend, giving her a second chance at love and life. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Patricia Nelson at Looking Glass Literary & Media did the deal for world English rights while at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
Zareen Jaffery at Kokila has acquired The Oks Are Not O.K. by Grace K. Shim, pitched as Schitt's Creek meets Minari, a YA novel about 17-year-old Elena Ok and her fast fashion empire family who lose their fortune overnight and move from L.A. to a California farming town and reconnect with their Korean farming heritage—and each other—while discovering how to help their new community and themselves thrive along the way. Publication is set for spring 2026; Andrea Morrison at Writers House brokered the deal for world rights.
Katherine Harrison at Knopf has bought world rights to Pura Belpré winner Karla Arenas Valenti's next middle-grade novel, Quetzal's Labyrinth, about a 13-year-old boy thrust into a prophetic role he cannot escape, who must venture into the heart of Quetzalcoatl's labyrinth to confront an ancient god or risk bringing about the end of humankind. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Ammi-Joan Paquette handled the deal while at Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has acquired, in a preempt, Ilona Bray (l.) and Stephen Soong's middle grade debut Cat Takes Queen, in which a witty stray cat, having learned chess from an elderly man, must team up with his granddaughter to ward off family efforts to send him to a senior facility, elude a catnapper, and create a "found family" of chess enthusiasts. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Kristen Terrette at Martin Literary Management sold world English rights.
Heidi Gordon and Lisa Mangum at Shadow Mountain have bought The In-Between Museum by Frank L. Cole (The Legend of the Last Library). In this middle grade adventure, a group of brilliant tween misfits must stop a shadowy figure from stealing from the "In-Between Museum," a sanctuary hidden in the folds of time that preserves lost masterpieces, vanished inventions, and forgotten books with the power to shift the course of history, pitched for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society. Publication is set for 2027; Shannon Hassan at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency did the two-book deal for world rights.
Tara Walker at Tundra Books has acquired Fox Fairies by Elly MacKay, a picture book about sisters Celeste and Miriam and their search for magic, and The Island of Wild Horses, a picture book about the horses who call Sable Island home. Publication is planned for summer 2027 and 2028 respectively; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management sold world rights.
Ann Kelley at Random House Studio has bought world rights to The Woman Under the El, a debut picture book by Roze Nwoga (l.), illustrated by Daniel Miyares, about a child's compassion for a homeless woman who sits in front of the train station and how she contemplates ways to help her and ultimately, dreams of a world where the two can share happiness together. Publication is slated for fall 2028; Joyce Sweeney at the Seymour Agency represented the author, and Studio Goodwin Sturges represented the illustrator.
Laura Godwin at Holt/Godwin Books has acquired world rights to Muslim American-Bengali journalist and storyteller Tasmiha Khan's debut picture book, What Is a Tupi?, illustrated by Hatem Aly. While visiting relatives in Bangladesh, two brothers discover that the hats they to love to play with actually have a special role in their family's faith and culture. Publication is scheduled for winter 2028; Lilly Ghahremani at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and James Burns at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Karen Li at Groundwood Books has bought world rights to Ah Ma's Home by Gillian Sze (l.) (I Drew a Heart), illustrated by Leah Hong, about a grandmother who shares memories of village life in China with her granddaughter, against the backdrop of the changing season and animals preparing for the winter. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.
Deidra Purvis at Free Spirit has acquired world rights to My Life as an Asthmanaut by Jacob Lockett (l.), illustrated by Adriana Predoi, a first-person picture book offering an empowering look at life with asthma. Using a metaphor of an astronaut adrift in space, the narrator shares his experiences with asthma attacks, his strategies for staying calm, and his pride in all that makes him who he is. Cassie Labriola-Sitzman will edit; publication is set for winter 2026. The author represented himself, and Tina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator.
