Brian Geffen and Carina Licon at Henry Holt have acquired, in an exclusive submission, North American rights to I'll Meet You Last Year, a rivals-to-lovers YA contemporary romance by Eva Des Lauriers, set at an elite boarding school that follows new girl Chloe and the school's infamous heartbreaker, Lincoln, as they uncover a time-bending secret that could rewrite tragedy. But as chemistry flares and fate circles back, they'll learn that a love forged by fire may come at the ultimate cost. Publication is set for winter 2028; Chelsea Eberly at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management did the deal while at Greenhouse Literary Agency.
Polo Orozco at Putnam has bought The Divinity Thieves by Aislinn Brophy (Spells to Forget Us), a sapphic YA high fantasy for fans of Lightlark and Lore. When the God of Merriment announces a dangerous competition in which demigods will vie to inherit his power, rival con artists Fawn and Mackie scam their way in to try to take divinity for themselves. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Sarah Fisk at Tobias Literary Agency sold world rights.
Lisa Sandell at Scholastic has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Up from the Ashes by Sharon Cameron. The YA novel tells the story of Selma and Chaim Engel, who meet and fall in love in the Sobibor death camp, where they fight to survive and ultimately take part in the prisoner revolt, based on a true story. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Lydia Gregovic at Delacorte Press has bought Wrong Cowboy Crush by Sara Ney, in which city girl Daisy McCoy retreats to her grandparents' ranch to recover from the sting of an unrequited crush, only to find her carefully curated solitude disrupted by a charming ranch hand living in the bunkhouse. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Michelle Wolfson at Wolfson Literary Agency sold North American rights.
Kiara Valdez while at First Second has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The Sea-Ice Sings by Anna Meyer (Saint Catherine), a coming-of-age YA historical fantasy about a polar maritime crew on the hunt for an arctic cryptid. Ari Yarwood will edit; publication is planned for fall 2028. Alexander Slater while at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates sold North American rights, now moving to Clare Mao.
Claire Stetzer at Amulet has bought Like and Subscribe, a middle grade series written and illustrated by Jarrett Lerner that follows a fictional group of kid YouTubers as they plan and execute their latest video. In the first book, Chocolate Pudding Pool Party, they see if they can belly-flop into a pool filled with chocolate pudding. Publication is set for spring 2027; Myrsini Stephanides at Arc Literary Management brokered the deal for world rights.
Janine O'Malley at FSG has acquired world rights to graphic novel editions of two of middle grade author Barbara O'Connor's (l.) bestselling novels, Wish and How to Steal a Dog, adapted and illustrated by Maggie Edkins Willis (Smaller Sister), for publication starting in fall 2027. Erin Murphy represented O'Connor while at Erin Murphy Literary Agency, and Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented Willis.
David Linker at HarperCollins has bought, in a preempt, world rights to the first two books in Ryan Rimmel's middle grade LitRPG series Plus One Hatchett of Awesomeness, about a boy thrust into a fantasy realm who just wants to get home. The first book is scheduled for summer 2027; Lenny Herbert at Maximum Orbit handled the deal.
Jennifer Besser and Hana Tzou at Feiwel and Friends have acquired Cottontail by Delilah S. Dawson, a middle grade horror novel in which a 12-year-old moves to Cottontail, Ga., home of Peter Cottontail, and discovers that the town's annual hunt for the Golden Egg is threatened by a killer in a bunny suit. Publication is slated for winter 2028; Stacia Decker at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner sold world rights.
Caitlyn Dlouhy at Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books has bought Dirt by Zoey Abbott, a contemplative picture book in which Dirt spends his days happily working underground in the dark until stories of the majestic and colorful world above make him start to question his own meaning and purpose. Publication is planned for spring 2028; Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary & Media brokered the deal for North American English rights.
Rotem Moscovich at Knopf has acquired world rights to two picture books by Traci N. Todd (l.). I Dreamed I Saw Paul Robeson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (c.), is a biography about singer and activist Paul Robeson written in song form from the perspective of a child's dream; Love, Peace, and Soul, illustrated by Frank Morrison (r.), is about Don Cornelius and the birth of his legendary television program Soul Train. Publication is set for fall 2027 and summer 2028 respectively; Steven Malk at Writers House represented Todd, Christie represented himself, and Lori Nowicki at Painted Words represented Morrison.
Feather Flores while at Atheneum bought, in a preempt, world rights to My Block Is Black Like Me, a picture book by PB Rising Stars Mentorship Program co-founder Ebony Lynn Mudd (l.) (Just Like Tina); Coretta Scott King Honoree Raissa Figueroa (We Wait for the Sun) will illustrate, and Kristie Choi will edit. The book follows a narrator who may be the only Black kid at school but fills up on the sounds, smells, and energy of his block, where a community that looks and sounds like him reflects his joy back to him. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Erin Murphy while at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Natascha Morris at Tobias Literary Agency represented the artist.
Sylvie Frank at Penguin/Flamingo has acquired world rights to Danielle Mund's (l.) debut picture book, Winnie and the New Kid, illustrated by Jessica Goecke. When a new girl arrives at school with a one-eyed stuffed koala dangling from her backpack, Winnie must choose between following her unkind friend's lead or forging her own path to new friendship. Publication is scheduled for summer 2028; the author represented herself, and Christie Megill at the CAT Agency represented the artist.
Karen Smith at Workman Kids has bought world rights to Snorkel Pig by Danna Smith (l.), illustrated by Troy Cummings. In this picture book, a scared piggy must overcome his fear of the water to join his friends and learn to swim. Publication is set for summer 2027; Tracy Marchini at Tracy Marchini Literary represented the author, and Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Elizabeth Patterson at Beaming Books has acquired world rights to School Is Where We Grow, a picture book by Rachel Tawil Kenyon (l.), illustrated by Bella Ansori, about the uncertainties and anxieties of starting school, as children shift to the joys of friendships, helping hands, discoveries, and challenges. Publication is planned for fall 2027; Mary Cummings at Great River Literary represented the author, and Christina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Rachel Diebel at Feiwel and Friends has acquired A Different Kind of Murder, a contemporary YA horror novel by Racquel Marie, in which a shy, bird-loving girl's local murder of crows starts acting upon her violent, intrusive thoughts. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency sold North American rights.
Joshua Dean Perry at Tiny Ghost Press has bought How to Kill a Chupacabras by USA Today editor Joshuan Rivera Jiménez, a YA horror/adventure novel set in the Puerto Rican jungle. When a reclusive billionaire offers a financial reward to anyone who can bring him proof of the existence of the legendary chupacabras, journalism major Lucas Ramírez Berdecía, desperate to help pay for his father's mounting medical bills jumps at the chance, but hunting mythical creatures is harder than he expected and every minute spent in the jungle is a minute away from his dying father. Publication is set for summer 2027; the author was unagented.
Kate Egan at Pixel+Ink has acquired world rights to Paradise by Claudia Gabel, pitched as an upper middle grade spin on The White Lotus, in which three cousins take an all-expenses-paid vacation at an exclusive resort, funded by their wealthy estranged grandmother, only to discover that dangerous secrets are lurking behind the beautiful scenery and within their family. Publication is planned for fall 2026, with a sequel to follow in winter 2028; the author represented herself.
Sarah Alpert at Norton Young Readers has bought Mossy's Quest: The Portal of Gloom, a middle grade graphic novel by debut author-illustrator Kristin Marine, in which Mossy, a creature known as a gloomie, sets out on a quest to prove she can do more than spread doubt and despair, but when a portal malfunctions and the residents of Kismet Forest begin to disappear, she'll need to muster all her courage to set things right. Publication is scheduled for winter 2029; Courtney Donovan at Writers House did the deal for world rights.
Siobhan Ciminera and Elizabeth Barton at Simon Spotlight have bought, in a three-book deal, world rights to Percy and Speck by David McMullin (l.), an early reader series featuring a dog named Percy and a bug named Speck. The book can be read three times: from Percy's point of view, from Speck's point of view, and with both characters together. Publication of the first book, The Nose, in which Speck the bug flies up Percy's nose by mistake, is planned for fall 2026, illustrated by Lauren Stohler. Kaitlyn Sanchez at Bradford Literary Agency represented the author, and Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Cindy Loh at Scholastic has acquired world rights to Blabby Crabby, a picture book written and illustrated by Meg Auchenbach (If You Are an Artist; When Night Sleeps). Blabby Crabby has the gift of gab, but his inability to stop talking keeps landing him in hot water—could the library (of all places) be the perfect place for Blabby Crabby's talents to shine? Publication is set for summer 2027; John Rudolph at Dystel, Goderich and Bourret brokered the deal.
Emma Parkin at Barefoot Books has bought Barefoot Books So Many Things by Maya Hanisch (Follow the Flyway), originally published as So Many Things/Son tantas cosas in bilingual Spanish by Editorial Amanuta, an exploration of hundreds of labeled things from animals to household items. Bree Reyes will edit; publication is scheduled for fall 2026. Marina Huguet at Marina Books Literary Agency sold world English rights.
Shannon Pennefeather at Minnesota Historical Society Press has acquired A Garden for All by Colleen Muske, a picture book that follows a mother and daughter who cultivate a garden together across the seasons, celebrating the rhythms of the natural world and the way a garden sustains not only its growers but also the soil, insects, and animals that help it thrive. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Kelly Dyksterhouse at Tobias Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has bought This Is Our Family Table by Sherry Fellores (l.) illustrated by Gabriella Galvez, a picture book celebration of many feelings and activities centered around the heart of the home—the table. Publication is planned for fall 2027; Miranda Paul at Aevitas Creative Management represented the author, and Jessie Fitzgerald at Advocate Art represented the illustrator.
Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has acquired world rights to Ssstanley, the Christmas Sssnake by Diane Muldrow (l.) (Meowloween), illustrated by Alex Patrick, which tells the story of Stanley, a down-on-his luck snake who braves much adversity to become Santa's pet at the North Pole. Publication is set for fall 2027; Jennifer Unter at the Unter Agency represented the author, and Nicky Lander at Bright Agency UK represented the illustrator.
Sarah Mackenzie at Waxwing Books has bought world rights to A Hike, A Tree, for You and Me by debut author Katie Schwartz (l.), illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. This rhyming picture book follows three children as they hike up a mountain in search for the perfect place to plant a sapling, serving as a reminder that even the smallest hands can make a lasting difference. Publication is scheduled for spring 2028; Anjanette Barr at Dunham Literary represented the author, and Claire Morance at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Naomi Shulman at PJ Publishing has acquired world rights to I See a Tree by pseudonymous author Bara Bat-Shem, illustrated by Nathalie Belhassen. This illustrated board book highlights different aspects of a tree in anticipation of the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat, also known as the New Year of the Trees. Publication is tentatively slated for winter 2028; the author represented herself, and Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented the illustrator.
