Children's and YA Division News |
June 2021 | New Deals and Notable Publicity
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NORTH AMERICAN AND WORLD RIGHTS DEALS |
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Meredith Mundy at Abrams Appleseed has bought Squeak-a-Boo!, a lift-the-flap board book of rhyming riddles in which many different animals, including a mouse and a chicken, play peek-a-boo with the reader, written by Natasha Wing. Andrea Cascardi represented the author in the world rights deal. Publication is planned for Fall 2022.
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Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has acquired THE RIVER THAT WOLVES MOVED by Mary Kay Carson, illustrated by David Hohn, a nonfiction picture book that uses the structure of “The House that Jack Built” to show the interconnectedness of the plants and animals that live in a place and the power of a single species (wolves) to bring about ecosystem changes so profound that the physical landscape itself (river) is transformed. Publication is planned for Fall 2022. Andrea Cascardi represented the author in the world rights deal.
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Dani Valladares at Rodale Kids has bought world rights to HAIR TO SHARE a picture book about the joys of friendship, kindness and giving, by author/illustrator Sylvia Walker. Publication is scheduled for summer 2022. Elizabeth Bennett negotiated the deal.
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Sue Tarsky at Albert Whitman has signed Charles Beyl to write and illustrate two more books in the MY FRIEND BEN series: MY FRIEND BEN AND THE BIG RACE and MY FRIEND BEN AND THE FIRST SNOW to be published in March 2022 and September 2022. The two-book deal for world rights was negotiated by Elizabeth Bennett.
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Kyra Teis will illustrate SOMETIMES WHEN I’M BORED, a picture book by Deborah Serani exploring the emotion of boredom for Free Spirit Publishing. This is the third book acquired by Gino Perfetti following Sometimes When I’m Mad, and Sometimes When I’m Sad, for publication in 2022. Elizabeth Bennett did the deal.
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World rights to Cyndi Marko's GILLY AND THE MONSTER OF MUSTACHE BAY, about a spunky, water-loving girl who won't let anything—not even a huge, terrifying monster—keep her from swimming in Mustache Bay, were acquired by Catherine Laudone at Simon & Schuster, for publication in April 2023, by Elizabeth Bennett.
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Kate O’Sullivan, at HMH, has acquired a second book by author/illustrator Russ Willms. PARKER’S PLACE is about a dinosaur who visits a farm and struggles to find the perfect way to fit in with all the farm animals. Publication is scheduled for Spring 2023. Russ is represented by Elizabeth Bennett.
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Award-winning journalist, essayist, and author of four books, Stacey May Fowles's debut picture book text for THE INVITATION, a vibrant, heart-warming story about anxiety, friendship and the importance of being present in the moment, sold to Karen Li at Groundwood Books by Samantha Haywood (world).
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World rights to THE STRUGGLE BUS by Julie Koons sold to Patricia Stockwell at Kind World Publishing. With naive-style illustrations and charming color palette and a simple yet effective rhyming text, the metaphor of a bus journey is a great way to explain and support very young children going through a tough time, with themes of perseverance and overcoming challenges. The Struggle Bus is direct, child-friendly and refreshingly not didactic. Deal for text and art by Fiona Kenshole for publication 2022.
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PRINCESS PATTICAKE by award-winning author Maureen Fergus sold to Jennifer Stokes at Owlkids in a two book deal by Fiona Kenshole. The deal is for world rights for publication 2023 and 2024.
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Two book deal for Andrew Larsen with Ruth Linka of Orca Books. SALLY’S BIG DAY features an adorable young puppy who has to get over a bit of humiliation at her first day at puppy school, while JUNGLE CAT shows that it takes a community to own one cat! Deal by Fiona Kenshole for world rights.
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Erin O’Connor at Scholastic Canada has acquired English rights in Canada to MISSING NIMAMA by Melanie Florence and illustrated by François Thisdale, which they will reissue with a new cover and backmatter in summer 2021. Amy Tompkins handled the deal.
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Christine Evans has been signed to write books three and four in her middle grade series, THE WISH LIBRARY, in which third grade friends visit a wish library where a mysterious librarian promises to help solve problems with a simple wish, by Jonathan Westmark at Albert Whitman for publication in Spring 2022, by Elizabeth Bennett (world).
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Internationally bestselling author of BEWARE THAT GIRL and THE UNLIKELY HERO OF ROOM 13b Teresa Toten's new novel EIGHT DAYS is about 14 year old Samantha who thought her mother died years ago, goes on an eight day journey from Toronto to Chicago with her alcoholic grandfather and eccentric, wig-wearing neighbour, Aggie, to find out the truth about her mom only to discover that family comes in all shapes and sizes; sold to Anne Shone at Scholastic Canada by Samantha Haywood. Photo by Matthew Wiley.
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Alyssa Mito Pusey at Charlesbridge has acquired SAVING THE AMAZON by Jennifer Swanson, a middle grade nonfiction book adapted from one of the most popular exhibits in the Field Museum in Chicago, which takes the reader on a wild trek to save the Amazon Rainforest, led by a fearless, female team of scientists. Publication is planned for Summer 2023. Andrea Cascardi brokered the World Rights deal.
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Lynne Missen at Tundra/Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers has acquired Salma Hussain’s debut novel THE SECRET DIARY OF NOURA HASSAN 11¾ and a second untitled novel in a two-book deal. Noura Hassan is like Sue Townsend’s Adrian Mole, if he were an 11-year-old girl living in Dubai when the first Gulf War broke out, then moved to Canada by way of Pakistan. THE SECRET DIARY OF NOURA HASSAN 11¾ will publish in summer 2022. Amy Tompkins handled the deal for English rights in North America.
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Yasemin Ucar at Kids Can Press has acquired two middle grade verse novels by Heather Smith, SAFE & SOUND and BITS & PIECES, follow-ups to EBB & FLOW, which was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award, won the Winterset and the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. Amy Tompkins handled the deal for world rights.
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Elizabeth Philips at Thistledown Press has acquired Barbara Nickel’s DEAR PETER, DEAR ULLA, a moving and beautifully written middle grade historical novel set on two continents in the first months of World War II, for fans of Claire Vanderpool and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Publication will take place in fall 2021. Amy Tompkins handled the deal for World English rights.
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Allison Cohen at Running Press Kids has acquired English rights in North America to Amy Mathers Teen Book Award-winning author Natasha Deen’s THE SIGNS AND WONDERS OF TUNA RASHAD. Featuring Deen’s trademark blend of teen romance and family drama, delivered with humor and heart, the book will publish in the summer of 2022. Amy Tompkins handled the deal.
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WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT by Lorna Schultz Nicholson has been sold to Peter Carver at Red Deer Press for publication in fall 2021. Avid competitive rower Holly is seventeen. Her goal is to compete in the Olympics. When she fails to make the junior rowing team that is going to Europe she is shattered. Now she has to return home to a bizarre situation. She and her mother have moved in with her mother's boyfriend and his two sons. And then her mother announces she is pregnant. . . a situation she has been hiding from Holly. Amy Tompkins handled the deal for World English rights.
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Two-time Governor General’s Award-winning author (for THE GOSPEL TRUTH and GREENER GRASS) Caroline Pignat’s YA devotional ALL I AM has been acquired by Zonderkidz for publication in summer 2022. ALL I AM is a Catholic devotional for young people that will explore the five core needs: belonging, identity, security, ability and purpose, and show how God meets those needs. The book was acquired by Zonderkidz’ VP and Publisher Megan Dobson, with Jacque Alberta to edit. Amy Tompkins handled the deal for World rights.
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Chrissie Krebs sold world rights to CAT AND DOG, pitched as is Elephant and Piggie with a splash of Garfield and Odie in this early graphic novel series about friendship, family and fun. To Andrew Berkhut at Scholastic Australia, in a three-book deal, for publication in spring 2022, fall 2022, and spring 2023. Elizabeth Bennett handled the deal.
Chrissie Krebs has also been signed to create an early graphic novel series for the Margaret Ferguson imprint at Holiday House. BIZARD, THE BEAR WIZARD features a bear who obtains magical powers when a wizard’s wand crashes into his head. The two-book deal was sold in a pre-empt by Elizabeth Bennett for publication in fall 2023.
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Jodie Webster at Allen & Unwin has signed Renee Treml to create the third book in her Sherlock Bones middle grade graphic novel series: SHERLOCK BONES AND THE ART AND SCIENCE ALLIANCE. Publication is planned for May 2022. Elizabeth Bennett negotiated the deal for world rights.
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FOREIGN AND TRANSLATION DEALS |
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MISCHIEF & MAYHEM Books One and Two by Ken Lamug (Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins US) have been sold to Scholastic Australia. Contact Andrea Cascardi
Australian rights to HAM HELSING: VAMPIRE HUNTER by Rich Moyer have been sold to Scholastic Australia by Tim Travaglini.
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Chinese (Simplified) rights to Komal Singh’s ARA THE DREAM INNOVATOR sold to Citic by Evan Brown in association with Yao Zhang at Andrew Nurnberg Associates International, on behalf of Page Two.
Hungarian rights to HECTOR FOX AND THE GIANT QUEST by Astrid Sheckels have been acquired by Centrál. Orsi Mészáros at Katai and Bolza made the deal on behalf of Amy Tompkins.
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Korean rights to Carol Matas’s CLONING MIRANDA have been acquired by Sakyejul Publishing. Deal by Hyjo An at KCC on behalf of Amy Tompkins.
Portuguese rights to the first two books in Jason Platt’s Middle School Misadventures series, TALENT SHOW and OPERATION: HAT HEIST! have been acquired by Edições ASA/Grupo LeYa. Deal by Patricia Seibel at Seibel Publishing Services on behalf of Tim Travaglini.
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Romanian rights to all four books in the Hector Fox Series -- HECTOR FOX AND THE GIANT QUEST, HECTOR FOX AND THE RAVEN’S REVENGE, HECTOR FOX AND THE DARING FLIGHT, and HECTOR FOX AND THE MAP OF MYSTERY -- have been sold to SC Didactica Publishing House SRL by Andreea Focsaneanu at Simona Kessler International Copyright Agency on behalf of Amy Tompkins.
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“Transplant” writer Lynne Kamm has teamed with Mad Samurai Productions to acquire the executive TV rights to Eric Walters’ YA series THE RULE OF THREE and the spring-off novel FOURTH DIMENSION. Kamm will executive produce and showrun production on a TV pilot, with Walters attached to consult. Amy Tompkins handled the deal on behalf of the author.
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NATIONAL AWARDS, CITATIONS, AND NOTABLE PUBLCITY |
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BESTIES: WORK IT OUT, the graphic novel spin-off series, created by Kayla Miller and written by Jeffrey Canino –has been picked as Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Both clients are represented by Elizabeth Bennett.
Kayla Miller’s ACT and Renee Treml’s SHERLOCK BONES AND THE NATURAL HISTORY MYSTERY have been selected as part of the Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended List. Each spring the newest Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Titles list is published and sent at no cost to every school in the state of Kansas as a service of the KNEA. School library- media specialists across the state and country use this catalog as a respected, dependable tool for evaluating and selecting new reading material for purchase. Contact: Elizabeth Bennett
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Marla Lesage has won the The Alice Kitts Memorial Award for Excellence in Children's Writing at the New Brunswick Book Awards for her picture book WE WEAR MASKS! The book is published by Orca and Marla is represented by Elizabeth Bennett.
BEASTLY BIONICS by Jennifer Swanson (National Geographic Books) has received the Jean E. Lowrie Gold Medal for Older Children's Literature Florida Book Award. (Andrea Cascardi). Beasty Bionics also made the NSTA list of Best Stem Books
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Four Transatlantic clients have been shortlisted for the 2021-22 Hackmatack Award: CLAN by Sigmund (Tundra, 9-12) is in English Fiction category; and IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME...CANADIAN FEATS, FACTS AND FLUBS by Ted Staunton & Will Staunton (Scholastic, 9-12), and SERGEANT BILLY: THE TRUE STORY OF THE GOAT WHO WENT TO WAR illustrated by Kass Reich (Tundra, 4-8) are in the English Nonfiction category.
Tanya Lloyd Kyi’s ME AND BANKSY (Puffin Canada, 9-12) was shortlisted for the 2021 Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize as part of the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. Tanya Lloyd Kyi’s ME AND BANKSY is a 2021-2022 Sunshine State Young Readers Award selection in the grade 6-8 category.
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Tanya Lloyd Kyi’s MYA’S STRATEGY TO SAVE THE WORLD (Puffin Canada, 9-12) has been shortlisted for both the Diamond Willow Award (Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice) and The Joan Betty Stuchner—Oy Vey! —Funniest Children’s Book Award.
Tanya Lloyd Kyi’s THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON STEREOTYPES (Kids Can Press, 9-12) is a finalist for the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) Award.
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Tom Ryan’s I HOPE YOU’RE LISTENING (AW Teen, 12+), has been shortlisted for a 2021 Lambda Literary Award in the category of LGBTQ Mystery, and shortlisted for the Crime Writers of Canada Awards in the Best Juvenile or YA Crime Book category. Represented by Samantha Haywood and Amy Tompkins.
BARRY SQUIRES, FULL TILT by Heather Smith (Penguin Teen, 12+) was longlisted for the Winterset Prize.
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Eric Walters’ THE KING OF JAM SANDWICHES (Orca Book Publishers, 9-12) has won the 2020 Governor General's Award for Young People's Literature! This book has also been shortlisted for the Willow Awards, in the Snow Willow category.
ALMOST AMERICAN GIRL by Robin Ha is a 2021 Walter Award Honoree and has been included in the 2021-22 list for the North Star YA Award (a division of the Maine Student Book Award)!! ALMOST AMERICAN GIRL also appeared on the Tayshas list and the teen reading list by Texas librarians, was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, and was an NPR Book Concierge selection. Represented by Samantha Haywood. It’s also been selected as a CCBC Children’s Choice for 2021.
CHOWDER RULES!: THE TRUE STORY OF AN EPIC FOOD FIGHT by Anna Crowley Redding and illustrated by Vita Lane (Islandport Press, 4-8) has been recognized as the 2021 Lupine Award Honor Book! The Lupine Awards are the highest honors bestowed each year by the Maine Library Association and recognize excellence in publishing in the picture book and young adult categories.
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SUMMER OF BRAVE by Amy Noelle Parks has received its second starred review from the School Library Journal:
"…while the novel starts out as a friendship and family story, it takes a strong turn midway through to address street harassment and standing up to people who make work and other situations feel scarier than they should. This story line adds depth and allows Lilla to shine through and grow as a character while providing an excellent example for middle grade readers of how to speak up when that is the scariest thing imaginable. A first purchase for middle grade collections as well as book clubs for this age range."
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STAR OF THE PARTY by Jan Carr, illustrated by Juana Medina, received a starred review from Kirkus: "The planets decide to throw a party—during the planning of which, amid much chatter and banter, Carr delivers an impressively detailed rundown of the components of our local system. “Let’s get Sun a belt,” suggests Mercury; “She already has belts,” says Mars—namely, “Kuiper” and “asteroid.” She also laces the narrative with minidisquisitions on stellar and planetary origins, gravitational effects, moons, and dwarf planets."
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School Library Journal also loved SNOW DAY IN MAY, the first in the chapter book series THE WISH LIBRARY by Christine Evans :
A perilous journey on skis, an encounter with escaped zoo animals, and a new neighbor who becomes a friend all add up to a pleasing package in this series debut.
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LITTLE LUNCH TRUCK, written and illustrated by Charles Beyl, received lots of love from Publishers Weekly. As a featured review the journal says:
Beyl’s digitized pencil drawings have precise lines and bright colors that make Little Lunch Truck’s route fun to follow and cater to the fussiest truck fan, while the text exudes cheerful empathy for anyone who’s felt the urge to hang back in unfamiliar settings.
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OUTDOOR SCHOOL: ROCK, FOSSIL AND SHELL by Jennifer Swanson and OUTDOOR SCHOOL: ANIMAL WATCHING by Mary Kay Carson (Odd Dot/Macmillan) both received starred reviews from Kirkus:
"A stellar guide that engages readers with rocks, minerals, fossils, and shells."
“Sure to encourage readers to go outside and get to know their animal neighbors.”
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MISCHIEF & MAYHEM BOOK ONE: BORN TO BE BAD by Ken Lamug (Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins) received advance praise from Kirkus Reviews: “A rousing kickoff for the Captain Underpants crowd.”
It also received advance praise from BCCB: “Lamug’s humor and illustrative style are unique, and this take on the joy of (limited) villainy is fresh, boldly drawn, and playful. Bonus materials include drawing tips and a template for creating one’s own hero, villain, and sidekick.”
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Sigal Samuel’s RABBI OSNAT AND HER DOVE received a starred review from Shelf Awareness! Represented by Samantha Haywood.
THE LITTLE ROCKET SHIP THAT COULD, illustrated by Simona Ceccarelli (Sterling), received stellar reviews in advance of its May 21 publication date: "An epic, energetic flight into the dimmer reaches of our local astronomical neighborhood." —Kirkus (starred review)
“[In] Lapin’s exciting, accessible STEM offering . . . [with] Ceccarelli’s clear, colorful images . . . the twilight space backgrounds and entertainingly animated spacecraft are quite engaging. . . . Playful science for space-loving kids.” —Booklist
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Fiona’s adorable photobombing cat, Rupert, has got competition. Lights, camera, action: introducing Clover, Fiona’s new puppy! Like Amanda’s lovely Renee, featured in the winter edition of the Children’s & YA Newsletter, Clover is a very good dog who stays away from Fiona’s keyboard (unlike Rupert)! |
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Transatlantic Agency | 416 488 9214 |
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