Maggie Rosenthal at Viking has acquired Queen of Hearts by Jenna Voris, pitched as a sapphic To All the Boys I've Loved Before, in which a high school senior, after a devastating breakup, decides to interview every boy who's ever broken her heart in an attempt to win back her ex, only to realize she might have feelings for the girl he dumped her for. Publication is planned for summer 2027; Claire Friedman at InkWell Management sold North American and Spanish rights.
Alessandra Balzer while at HarperCollins bought, in an exclusive submission, To Our Untamed Core by National Book Award finalist Sonido Reyes. The YA dystopian novel follows a boy who survives by hiding his truth until his boyfriend is sentenced to El Torneo—a brutal, fight-to-the-death game—where he must risk everything to save him. Carolina Mancheno Ortiz will edit; publication under the Versify imprint is set for fall 2026. Alexandra Levick at Writers House did the deal for North American rights.
Alyza Liu at Simon & Schuster and Alison Dougal and Olive Childs at S&S UK have acquired, in a six-figure preempt, author-illustrator Beck Kubric's debut YA graphic novel, Dead Girls, pitched as a campy, feminist love letter to slashers. It follows a foster kid who decides to hunt down a local serial killer, only to stumble upon a much darker conspiracy. Publication is scheduled for September 2026; Jessica Mileo at InkWell Management and Louise Lamont at LBA (UK) sold world rights.
Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has bought, in an exclusive submission, Summer and Winter by Daron Nefcy, Emmy-winning creator of Star vs. the Forces of Evil. In this middle grade graphic novel, 11-year-old Winter is a devoted magical‑creature conservationist who trusts only the monstrously lovable animals she protects—until she moves next door to extroverted Summer, who tags along on a mission to save a rare species and begins to thaw Winter's icy shell. Publication is slated for spring 2028; Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management sold world rights.
Amy Fitzgerald at Lerner/Carolrhoda has acquired Diamond Girls, a middle grade novel by Heather Murphy Capps (The Rule of Three), in the spirit of Field of Dreams and A League of Their Own. Allie's dreams of playing baseball feel out of reach, until some mysterious figures, including 1950s trailblazer Toni "Tomboy" Stone, emerge from the fog of the local baseball diamond to coach her. Publication is planned for spring 2028; Shannon Hassan at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Elizabeth Barton at Simon Spotlight has bought Pinky Paws Rides the A Train by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (l.) (Biscuit; Katy Duck), illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld (The Rabbit Listened). In this Level 1 Reader, Pinky Paws loves to solve mysteries, and while on a crowded New York City subway, she puts her detective skills to work aided by her curiosity and power of observation, while taking notes on her pink pad. Publication is set for spring 2027; Liza Voges at Eden Street represented the author, and Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the illustrator.
Angela Quezada Padron at Dream Jar/Yellow Brick Books has acquired world rights to Prehistoric Place: Escape from the Tyrant Lizard by debut author Thornton W. Blease (l.), illustrated by Anthony Lewis. This first book in the young middle grade series is about two stepsiblings who move to a new home on Prehistoric Place, where they uncover a secret fossil room and a magic field guide with the power to bring their dinosaur toys to life and send the siblings on adventurous missions back in time. Publication is scheduled for summer 2028; Joyce Sweeney at the Seymour Agency represented the author, and Mela Bolinao at MB Artists represented the illustrator.
Siobhan Ciminera at Simon Spotlight has bought the first two titles in an early reader spinoff series from Alex Willan's Gilbert the Goblin's the Worst picture book series, kicking off with Pigeons Are the Worst, in which using magic to duplicate a pizza seems like a great idea, until he finds himself in a feathery fiasco. Lisa Lauria will edit; publication is slated for fall 2026 and spring 2027. Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Mark Podesta at Henry Holt has acquired DeAnn Wiley's next picture book, Much Too Much, about a girl excited to wear all of her favorite clothing, except that her family keeps telling her it's too over the top, too mature, too everything! Publication is planned for fall 2027; James McGowan at BookEnds Literary Agency sold world rights.
Ann Kelley at Random House Studio has bought world rights to The Hill by Kyo Maclear (l.), illustrated by Audrey Helen Weber, in which two friends spend a snowy day searching their neighborhood for the tallest hill, not realizing they are already climbing it. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and Hannah Mann at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Mekisha Telfer at Roaring Brook has acquired world rights to Judy and the Mural Makers by Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book winner Michael Genhart (l.) (Spanish Is the Language of My Family), illustrated by Pura Belpré Award Honor and Robert F. Sibert Honor winner Pablo Leon (Silenced Voices). This picture book reveals how Dr. Judith F. Baca, a Chicana activist and muralist, empowered the youth of L.A., gave voice to the marginalized, and shared their collective history through the world's longest mural: The Great Wall of Los Angeles. Publication is set for fall 2027; Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management represented the illustrator.
Rebekah Lovato Piatte at Collective Book Studio/Tiny Torch Books has bought Little Bee and the Bloom, a picture book by Carly Kremer (l.), illustrated by Katie Hunt, a rhyming journey of discovery exploring the wonders of pollination and the vital role bees play in our world. Publication is slated for September 2026; the author and artist were unagented.
Sarah Mackenzie at Waxwing Books has acquired world rights to Writing Beauty by Katie Wray Schon (Painting Wonder), a picture book biography of Anna Sewell, who, after a childhood injury left her dependent on horses to explore the world, went on to pour her convinctions about equine welfare into the classic children's novel Black Beauty. Publication is planned to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Black Beauty in November 2027; Jennifer Mattson at Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold world rights.
Megan Nicolay at Workman has bought author-illustrator and graphic designer Chiêu Anh Urban's die-cut board book series, in which die-cuts reveal hidden shapes of animals and more when the page is turned. Publication will begin in 2027; Jamie Weiss Chilton at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Lois Evans at Knopf has acquired, in a seven-way auction, Trouble the Waters by Bayana A. Davis, a YA historical fantasy debut in which a Black teenager from the antebellum South, bound by her masters' blood-magic, escapes with her sister to a mystical maroon settlement deep in the Dismal Swamp, only to discover that her very presence threatens the newfound freedom and community she holds dear. Publication is slated for spring 2028; Ernie Chiara at Fuse Literary did the six-figure, two-book deal for North American rights.
Stefanie Chin at Union Square & Co. has bought Scream, Queen! by Sujin Witherspoon, a YA rom-com/thriller about rival cheerleaders whose brazen attempts to win over the quarterback result in his death. Forced to team up, they must bury the crime and their growing feelings for each other before someone unearths their secrets—secrets they'd kill to keep hidden. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Maeve MacLysaght at Aevitas Creative Management brokered the deal for world English rights.
Suzy Capozzi at Union Square & Co. has acquired Deep in the Heart, the debut YA by middle grade author Jeramey Kraatz, pitched as a queer, Texan The Summer I Turned Pretty. When 17-year-old Riley tries to surprise his long-distance crush Tanner with an impromptu visit to his hometown of Marfa, Tex., he finds himself stranded overnight with Tanner's wild—and beautiful—stepbrother. Abby Ranger will edit; publication is set for summer 2027. John Cusick at Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal on behalf of Kraatz and Bittersweet Books.
Jessica Smith at Aladdin has bought world English rights in Once Upon a Dreamboat by Chantel Acevedo (l.) and Natalia Sylvester (co-authors of No Way Never Sisters), a middle grade romantic comedy about two cousins who meet a romance novelist aboard a cruise ship and use her expertise to try to land dates to the ship's teen dance. Publication is planned for spring 2028; Stéphanie Abou at Massie, McQuilkin & Altman represented Acevedo, and Laura Dail at Laura Dail Literary Agency represented Sylvester.
Tara Walker at Tundra Books has acquired Whatever You Do... by Luke Pearson, the creator of Hilda, the award-winning comics and Netflix series. In this picture book, a tiny troublemaker turns a family's peaceful morning upside down and sends them on a chaotic adventure. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Steven Malk at Writers House sold world rights excluding UK in a two-book deal.
Margaret Anastas at Flamingo Books has bought, in a preempt, a 10-book series of humorous picture books by Ben Okon called Mythical Feasts, starring food-obsessed mythical creatures and the treats they love most. The first book is titled Dinos Love Donuts; a pub date has not been announced. Vicky Weber at Creative Media Agency sold world rights.
Grace Kendall at FSG has acquired world English rights to Welcome to Sabor! by James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Rick Bayless (l.), illustrated by John Sandford (Brindlefox), a picture book that takes readers behind the scenes on a restaurant's busy night, through the eyes of the chef 's son. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; Abigail Samoun at Red Fox Literary represented the author and illustrator.
Meredith Mundy at Abrams has bought world rights to I Love This Scarf, a picture book by Tammi Sauer (l.) (Wordy Birdy; Pizzasaurus), illustrated by Marie Létourneau (Argyle Fox). In this friendship story, Gary, who is usually a very nice bunny, finds a scarf at the park. Instead of trying to figure out whom it belongs to, he tries to justify to himself all the reasons he should keep it, until he encounters the scarf's true owner. Publication is set for fall 2027; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Heather and Ethan Long at Tugeau 2 represented the illustrator.
Courtney Code at Abrams has acquired world rights to A Hero Named Stormé by Joanna McClintick (l.), illustrated by Loveis Wise. This picture book shares the life and impact of queer icon Stormé DeLarverie, a person of many titles including singer, traveling performer, activist, protector, vigilante, and now hero. Publication is planned for spring 2028; James McGowan at BookEnds represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
Michael Yuen-Killick at Red Comet Press has bought world rights to Scoop! by Elyssa Gavin (l.), illustrated by Ricky De Los Angeles, a picture book about a little excavator who follows his dreams all the way from the construction site to the ice cream shop. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Dan Cramer at Page Turner Literary Agency represented the author, and Gary Swift at Lemonade Illustration Agency represented the illustrator.
Nick Magliato at Grosset & Dunlap has acquired world rights to Pumpkin Spies by Suzy Levinson (l.), illustrated by Samantha Kay Davies. In this rhyming, lift-the-flap board book, two jack-o'-lanterns in full spy regalia investigate their creepy neighborhood on Halloween night. Publication is slated for summer 2027; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
