Aetherbound by E.K. Johnston (Dutton)
When the fish don't run and the magic's gone, the void of space is black and cold.But if you wait and if you listen and if you give a girl enough to eat, she will change everything.
Daughters of a Dead Empire by Carolyn Tara O' Neil (Roaring Brook Press)
Misfit in Love by S.K. Ali (Salaam Reads)
The Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim (Delacorte)
In the hidden desert city of Qalia, sixteen-year-old Imani dreams of joining the Council of Al-Zahim— the leaders who harness and protect her tribal nation’s secret tea magic. In neighboring Taeel-Sa, an orphan named Kazi has become an assassin to realize humbler dreams: regular food and a place to sleep. So when he’s offered unimaginable wealth to help a foreigner usurp Taeel-Sa’s throne, he jumps at it. What he doesn’t realize is he’s about to change the continent of Alqibah forever—and turn Imani’s dreams into a nightmare.
Upon seizing the throne, the new King invades Qalia, ruthlessly pursuing the source of the magic: a limitless power sealed in a magical vault beneath the city. The Council entrusts Imani with smuggling the vault’s key far away from the besieged city, thwarting Kazi’s attempts to secure it on behalf of the King. Furious, the King gives Kazi one chance to redeem himself: he must kill Imani and return the key.
But there are others who plot to steal it. If Imani and Kazi are to triumph, they’ll both need help— and maybe magic of their own. Little do they know, the ancient magic that divides them is what ultimately links them.
Treasure Island by C.B. Lee (Fiewel and Friends)
"Treasure Island was first on my list because when I was in school, I was fascinated by Chinese maritime history and for me, re-envisioning this novel from a Chinese cultural perspective was a no-brainer. I’d met C.B. Lee at Comic-Con the year before and was familiar with her work, so she was at the top of my list of authors to approach. Turned out she was as much a fan of the pirate queen Ching Shih as I was!”
Lee, who eagerly dove into the project, said, “I am excited to be working with the spirit of adventure and discovery that I’ve always loved about Treasure Island and bringing it to the South China Sea with a courageous girl at the forefront. Greed and desire for riches drive the characters in the original, and while Robert Louis Stevenson explores the idea that greed only leads to dissatisfaction, I want to examine in what ways people can lead fulfilling lives despite the limits put upon them.”
Another of Lee’s goals in revisiting this classic, she explained, is “to explore how outcasts of history, people who would choose their own destiny rather than be a part of a society that did not want them, defined family and formed communities in their own design. What would freedom mean for a young queer girl in the 1800s? What treasure would she hold most dear? In my own exploration of Treasure Island, I want to bring human connection to the forefront.”
Off the Record by Camryn Garrett (Knopf) - UK/AUS release date set but not US.
What would you sacrifice to expose the truth?
From Camryn Garrett, whose debut Full Disclosure was called "honest, eye-opening and heartful" by Angie Thomas, comes a ripped-from-the-headlines story of a teen journalist who stumbles across the #metoo story of the decade and has to weigh the risks against the need to fight for justice.
Mortal Remains by Mary Ann Fraser (Sterling Teen)
Ardi Alspach at Sterling Children's Books has acquired world English rights to debut novelist Mary Ann Fraser's Mortal Remains, pitched as Six Feet Under meets Edward Scissorhands. The YA gothic romance follows 17-year-old Lily McCrae, the resident cosmetologist at her family's funeral home, and the mysterious boy she rescues from certain death who strangely reminds her of a childhood crush—a boy who died five years before. Publication is set for spring 2021 under the new Sterling Teen imprint; Abigail Samoun at Red Fox Literary handled the deal.
Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn (Wednesday Books)
Vicki Lame at Wednesday Books has acquired world rights to Erin Hahn’s (You'd Be Mine) third and fourth books, starting with YA novel Never Saw You Coming. Raised by extra conservative parents, 18-year-old Meg just found out that her entire childhood was a lie. Instead of taking a gap year before college to find herself, she ends up traveling north to meet the family she never knew existed. While there, she meets 19-year-old former pastor's kid Micah, who has his own complicated relationship with the church. Publication is set for spring 2021; Kate McKean of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency did the deal.
Remember Me by Estelle Laure (Wednesday Books)
Wednesday Books has acquired Estelle Laure's YA novel, Remember Me. Inspired by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the story follows Remy, who rediscovers herself while on a mission to recover the troubling memories she has had erased in order to avoid her heartbreak. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021.
The Ojja-Wojja: A Teen Horror Mystery or Whatever, You Know? by Magdalene Visaggio and Jenn St-Onge (Balzer + Bray)
Jordan Brown at Balzer + Bray has bought, in a six-publisher auction, The Ojja-Wojja: A Teen Horror Mystery or Whatever, You Know?, a queer-positive graphic novel by Magdalene Visaggio (l.) and Jenn St-Onge. Val Malloy is an autistic kid with two interests: the supernatural and her best friend, Lanie. When Val and Lanie accidentally unleash a mysterious entity known as the Ojja-Wojja, transforming their town into a mind-controlled cult, they must team up with other misfits to stop it. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Charlie Olsen at InkWell Management brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.
The Beautiful Struggle: YA Edition by Ta Nehisi (Delacorte)
Beverly Horowitz at Delacorte has acquired adaptation rights to publish a young adult edition of Random House/One World's The Beautiful Struggle by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a memoir about growing up in 1980s in inner-city Baltimore with challenges on the streets as well as within his own family, especially the struggle for harmony between himself and his father. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Gloria Loomis at Watkins/Loomis Agency negotiated the deal for U.S., Canadian, and open market rights.
An Island Without You by Malulani Moreno (Amulet)
Anne Heltzel and Emily Daluga at Amulet have bought An Island Without You, a YA debut by Malulani Moreno. Set in contemporary Hawaii, this #OwnVoices novel features two boys struggling with identity and loss in their community after other boys in their town go missing. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Allison Hellegers at Stimola Literary Studio did the deal for North American rights.
Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming of Age Story by Stacey Chomiak (Beaming Books)
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has bought Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming of Age Story by author-illustrator Stacey Chomiak. The YA illustrated memoir is about Chomiak’s teenage years of wrestling with her gay Christian identity, trying to become “ex-gay,” and eventually finding peace. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Claire Draper at the Bent Agency represented the author for world English rights.
Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books has bought Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming of Age Story by author-illustrator Stacey Chomiak. The YA illustrated memoir is about Chomiak’s teenage years of wrestling with her gay Christian identity, trying to become “ex-gay,” and eventually finding peace. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Claire Draper at the Bent Agency represented the author for world English rights.
Time Will Tell by Barry Lyga (Disney Hyperion)
Alvina Ling at Little, Brown has acquired world rights to Time Will Tell by Barry Lyga (I Hunt Killers), a YA crime thriller ricocheting between the crimes of the past and present, where a group of teens unearth a time capsule buried by their parents when they were in high school, only to find a murder weapon inside. The book is scheduled for spring 2021; Kathleen Anderson at Anderson Literary Management negotiated the deal.
Elegy by Makiia Lucier (HMH)
From the writer who “expertly weaves in historical details” (Kirkus), and has been called “brilliant” (Booklist), “marvelously complex” (The Buffalo News), and “masterful” (Horn Book), comes a gripping new historical fantasy.
Before. On a beautiful summer day, a princess sails far from home to marry a foreign king. Their union will end a half century of war between the two countries. She does not travel alone, but is accompanied by one hundred archers, noble companions, wise councilors, even a minstrel. Their journey proceeds without incident…until plague strikes.
After. In the wake of a devastating pestilence, Cas, a young lord worn down by war and illness, returns to his ancestral home in the mountains only to find it overrun. Not by strangers, but by his king and the royal court who, in the midst of plague, had fled to the relative safety of the country and remained. There is little time for Cas to mourn lost loved ones. His arrival coincides with a vicious attempt on the royal family, and when he saves the life of the infant prince, he finds himself embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Someone has been terrorizing the new queen. Little things, spiteful things. But attempted murder goes well beyond spite. The king has had enough. Cas is named “the queen’s man,” loyal to her first and foremost and charged with discovering who is behind these attacks. But as Cas delves deeper into the mystery, and into the lives of the royal family, he comes face to face with a terrible secret. One that will threaten the kingdom’s newfound peace and plunge it back into war.
Inspired by the Black Death of the fourteenth century, and evocative of medieval Spain, ELEGY asks what comes after, when the dead are buried and those left behind must forge their way in a strange, new world.
Of Sea and Venom by Trinidad Escobar (FSG)
Set in the 1500s Pacific Islands and near-future Oakland, Calif., the Own Voices story is about a teenage Priestess-in-training whose future in the divine sciences is challenged when unexpected conquistadors land on her tribe's beach. Publication is tentatively set for spring 2021
Mimon by Sas Miledge (Boom Box)
Filip Sablik at BOOM! Studios has acquired, for the BOOM! Box imprint, debut author-illustrator Sas Milledge's graphic novel Mimon, about a teen witch who must confront her grandmother's ghost to lift a curse and save her town from ruin. Publication is expected in spring 2021; Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis (Delacorte)
Jessica Lewis's untitled witchy story full of black girl magic and black girl horror, in which a 16-year-old girl's dark ability to raise the dead offers a way out of poverty but simultaneously leads to tough choices about her future, to Alexandra Hightower at Delacorte, for publication in spring 2021, by Holly Root at Root Literary (world English).
Our Way Back To Always by Nina Moreno (Disney-Hyperion)
Hannah Allaman at Disney-Hyperion has acquired Don't Date Rosa Santosauthor Nina Moreno's new novel, Our Way Back to Always. Pitched as When Harry Met Sally by way of Sarah Dessen, the contemporary YA romance follows two next-door neighbors and ex-best friends—gamer, fanfic-writer Luisa and drummer, golden boy Sam—whose paths collide during senior year of high school when they rediscover their childhood bucket list and set out to complete it before graduation. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Laura Crockett negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise by Various YA Authors (Algonquin)
When everyone else goes to bed, the ones who stay up feel like they’re the only people in the world. As the hours tick by deeper into the night, the familiar drops away and the unfamiliar beckons. Adults are asleep, and a hush falls over the hum of daily life. Anything is possible.
It’s a time for romance and adventure. For prom night and ghost hunts. It’s a time for breaking up, for falling in love—for finding yourself.
Stay up all night with these thirteen short stories from bestselling and award-winning YA authors like Karen McManus, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nina LaCour, and Brandy Colbert, as they take readers deep into these rarely seen, magical hours.
Bad Girls Never Say Die by Jennifer Mathieu (Roaring Brook Press)
Author of MOXIE and the forthcoming THE LIARS OF MARIPOSA ISLAND Jennifer Mathieu's BAD GIRLS NEVER SAY DIE, pitched as a girl version of The Outsiders, about a gang of Texas tough girls in early 1960s Houston who find friendship and love in unexpected places, all while battling the many obstacles life has thrown at them, to Katherine Jacobs at Roaring Brook Press, in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2021.
Pinch by Adam Rex (Roaring Brook Press)
Roaring Brook has bought Adam Rex's Pinch, a YA novel that centers on Zelda, who can't seem to wake herself up from the dream she's living in. When she decides to enlist others in the dream to help, she learns that waking up means ending their lives, including her actual “dream guy” Langston's. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021.
Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi (Balzer + Bray)
Balzer + Bray has acquired Ibi Zoboi's Nigeria Jones, about the 16-year-old daughter of a radical separatist movement leader who inadvertently travels back through time to the west coast of Africa in the early 1800s, to inhabit the body of her young ancestor on the brink of being sold into slavery. The book will be published in spring 2021.
Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi (Putnam)
Putnam has acquired Olivia Abtahi's YA novel Perfectly Parvin, pitched as an Iranian-American Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. When Parvin Mohammadi sets out to get Matty Fumero—the cutest boy at school—to ask her to homecoming, she creates a foolproof plan to win him over: 1) Don't talk so much; 2) Act like the heroines in her favorite rom-coms; 3) Basically be everything she's not. But a different boy from Farsi class may derail her plans by liking her just as she is. Publication is set for spring 2021.
Like Her by Nina Laurin (Sourcebooks Fire)
Molly Cusick at Sourcebooks has acquired, in a two-book deal, North American rights to bestselling thriller author Nina Laurin's YA debut, Like Her. The book follows a teen girl whose family moves into a mansion with a tragic history; the girl becomes spellbound by the spirit of a 19th-century socialite who was fatally obsessed with her own image and who now thirsts to enter the digital age of vanity. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Rachel Ekstrom at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal on behalf of Ruth Pomerance and Adam Wilson at INKubator Enterprises.
When You Call My Name by Tucker Shaw (Henry Holt)
Mark Podesta at Henry Holt has acquired world rights, in an exclusive submission, to When You Call My Name by Tucker Shaw, a YA novel set in the 1990s that follows 17-year-olds Adam and Ben as they discover their sexuality, face the devastating loss of first love, and ultimately, discover the power of new love and community. Addressing grief, homophobia, privilege, and HIV/AIDS, the novel sheds light on a pivotal time in American queer history. Publication is slated for spring 2021; Dan Mandel at Sanford J. Greenburger brokered the deal.
The Corpse Queen by Heather Hermann (Putnam)
Orphaned 17-year-old Molly Green goes to live with her affluent aunt in 1850s Philadelphia, only to discover the source of her aunt's secret wealth is from robbing graves and selling the bodies to anatomists. Molly must decide what she will do to claim a place of power in a male-dominated medical society.
Publication is scheduled for spring 2021.
What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodge (Balzer + Bray)
Kristin Rens at Balzer + Bray has acquired a YA fantasy novel by Cruel Beauty author Rosamund Hodge. The book, What Monstrous Gods, starts where “Sleeping Beauty” leaves off, as Lia, a girl chosen by the gods of Runakhia, releases the royal family from 500 years of enchanted sleep and kills the heretic sorcerer who trapped them—only to find that the gods are not as benevolent as they appear, and the ghost of the sorcerer she killed may be her only help to protect her life and country.
Publication is planned for early 2021; Hannah Bowman at Liza Dawson Associates did the deal for world rights.
Alone Out Here by Riley Redgate (Disney Hyperion)
SEVEN WAYS WE LIE, NOTEWORTHY, and FINAL DRAFT author Riley Redgate's ALONE OUT HERE, pitched as LORD OF THE FLIES in space, a thriller set in a future in which the first daughter and 53 other teens end up on the only ship escaping a dying Earth and must contend with being the last hope for humanity's survival as they fight to preserve their own humanity, to Laura Schreiber at Disney-Hyperion, in a six-figure deal, for publication in spring/summer 2021, by Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (world).
Jake in the Box by Ryan Douglass (Putnam)
It’s hard being the only
Black kid at a conservative prep school, especially when you’re
routinely harassed by the dead. In his junior year of high school,
sixteen-year-old Jake Livingston plans to make real friends, which won’t
happen if he keeps retreating to a world no one else can see.But when Jake meets Sawyer Doon, he discovers a spirit too vengeful to ignore. Six years ago, Sawyer carried out a school shooting and killed himself before finishing the job. His targets are still out there, and he’s determined to possess Jake to finish what he started.
The more Jake tries to ignore Sawyer, the more he feels the ghost boy’s impact on his psyche. And the more he uncovers about who Sawyer was, the more he realizes how similar he is to Sawyer–a boy once bullied relentlessly for his sexuality, now hell-bent on taking power from a world that took it from him. To protect himself from possession, Jake will have to find a voice in a school he feels he has none and discover his own reason to live.
The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley (Simon Pulse)
Simon Pulse has bought Sarah Raughley's new fantasy, The Bones of Ruin. Set in Victorian England, the book follows Iris, an African tightrope walker with a secret: she cannot die. But when Iris gets involved with a mysterious society that's convinced the world is ending, she's drafted in the fight-to-the-death Tournament of Freaks where she learns the terrible truth of who and what she really is. Publication is slated for summer 2021.
The Ivies by Alexa Donne (Crown)
Elizabeth Strahanan at Crown has bought, at auction, Alexa Donne's The Ivies, a YA thriller about a group of prep school elites who would kill to get into the college of their dreams—literally. Publication is slated for summer 2021; Elana Roth Parker at Laura Dail Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
The Wuhan I Know by Laura Gao (Balzer + Bray)
Donna Bray at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired, at auction, world English rights to debut YA graphic memoir The Wuhan I Know, plus a second graphic work, by Laura Gao.
Based on the Twitter story that went viral, the first book is about
growing up in two worlds, Texas and Wuhan; struggles with identity; and
prejudices underscored by the pandemic. The second graphic work is about
a queer girl's many loves. Publication for the first book is planned
for summer 2021; Brenda Bowen at the Book Group brokered the deal.
After the Ink Dries by Cassie Gustafson (Simon Pulse)
Liesa Abrams at Simon Pulse has acquired Cassie Gustafson's YA contemporary debut, After the Ink Dries. With illustrated graphic novel interstitials, the book features a girl who wakes after a party, half-clothed, with crude words and male names Sharpied in intimate places on her skin. She's convinced her new boyfriend wasn't involved, until she finds his name on her body and must borrow strength from the alter-ego supergirl she draws while searching for her own. Publication is slated for summer 2021; Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties negotiated the deal for North American rights.
The Summer We Found Us by Hannah Reynolds (Razorbill)
Jessica Harriton at Razorbill has bought, at auction, Hannah Reynolds's YA debut The Summer We Found Us, and a second untitled book. The discovery of a box of old letters sends 17-year-old Abby Schoenberg to Nantucket to unravel a family mystery about her grandmother's past during the Holocaust—but things get complicated when she meets the handsome grandson of a prominent family who wants to stop her from investigating. Publication for the first book is slated for summer 2021; Tamar Rydzinski at Context Literary Agency negotiated the two-book deal for world rights.
Like a Love Song by Gabriela Martins (Underlined)
Gabriela Martins's debut LIKE A LOVE SONG, an #ownvoices YA romance following a Latina teen pop star whose image takes a dive after a messy public breakup, until she's set up with a swoon-worthy fake boyfriend and discovers she's ready to reclaim her voice and her heart, to Hannah Allaman at Underlined, for publication in summer 2021, by Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary Agency.
Brown Boy Nowhere by Sheeryl Lim (Skyscape)
Carmen Johnson at Amazon/Skyscape acquired world rights to Brown Boy Nowhere by Sheeryl Lim. The #OwnVoices novel follows a 16-year-old Filipino American student who is uprooted from his diverse San Diego community to an all-white Midwest high school, where he is determined to find a way back west until he meets an ex-cheerleader outcast who captures his heart and forever changes the way he views small-town America. Publication is slated for summer 2021; Sharon Belcastro at Belcastro Agency handled the deal.
Sunkissed by Kasie West (Delacorte)
Wendy Loggia at Delacorte has acquired Kasie West's Sunkissed, first in a two-book deal. The contemporary YA romance stars a girl who finds that a summer spent at a family resort isn't as bad as she imagined... and that falling in love is filled with heartache, laughter, and surprises. Publication is scheduled for summer 2021; Michelle Wolfson at Wolfson Literary Agency handled the deal for North American rights.
The Wild Ones: A Broken Anthem for a Girl Nation by Nafiza Azad (McElderry Books)
Karen Wojtyla at S&S/McElderry has bought, at auction, 2020 Morris Award finalist Nafiza Azad's YA novel The Wild Ones: A Broken Anthem for a Girl Nation.
The novel is a multi-perspective feminist narrative about a fierce band
of magic-wielding girls—the Wild Ones—who have survived unspeakable
things, and are determined to save other girls from the cruelties and
tragedies they've had to endure. Publication is set for summer 2021;
Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management did the two-book
deal for world English rights.
The Pack by Lisi Harrison (Delacorte)
Kelsey Horton at Delacorte has acquired world rights to bestselling author Lisi Harrison's new series The Pack. Pitched as Spirit Animals meets Mean Girls, the series features a girl named Sadie, who is sent to a school for girls with animal-like magic. Sadie learns she has the fiercest kind of all and is thrust to the top of the food chain when she is invited to join a group known as The Pack. Publication is slated for summer 2021; Richard Abate at 3 Arts Entertainment negotiated the deal.
Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson (Scholastic)
Maya Marlette at Scholastic has bought Leah Johnson's (You Should See Me in a Crown) new YA romance, Rise to the Sun. Set over the course of four days at a music festival, the novel features strangers Toni and Olivia, who meet and realize that the music is more than just a way out; it's a way through… if they are brave enough to face it together. Publication is scheduled for summer 2021; Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord Literistic brokered the deal for world rights.
Murder Castle by Bryce Moore (Sourcebooks Fire)
Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire has bought Murder Castle by Bryce Moore. Pitched as Stalking Jack the Ripper meets a YA Devil in the White City, the book follows 16-year-old Zuretta as she travels to Chicago during the 1893 World's Fair to try and save her sister from a notorious mass murderer and his custom-built death trap. Publication is planned for summer 2021; Eddie Schneider at JABberwocky Literary Agency brokered the two-book deal for world rights.
Hello, World by Yvonne Wood (Katherine Tegan)
Katherine Tegen at HarperCollins/Tegen has preempted North American rights for Yvonne Woon's new book, Hello, World, and a second untitled book for six figures. A romantic coming-of-age story, Hello, World follows 16-year-old Xia Chan, a scrappy, self-taught coder who's far more comfortable with computers than people. When she gets selected to attend a prestigious start-up incubator for teen tech prodigies called the Foundry, Xia moves to Silicon Valley and competes against her classmates to score funding for her app. Publication is planned for summer 2021; Ted Malawer at Upstart Crow Literary negotiated the deal.
Origin Story by Eric Smith and Summer Heacock (Inkyard Press)
Lauren Smulski at Inkyard Press has bought, on exclusive submission, Summer Heacock and Eric Smith's Origin Story, an #OwnVoices YA contemporary about two adoptees from very different backgrounds grappling with the question of what it means to be family. Publication is scheduled for summer 2021; Brent Taylor and Uwe Stender at TriadaUS represented Heacock, and Dawn Frederick at Red Sofa Literary represented Smith in the deal for world English rights.
Postcards From Summer by Cynthia Platt (Simon Pulse)
Nicole Ellul at Simon Pulse has bought world rights to Cynthia Platt's Postcards from Summer. Hoping to understand a mother she never knew, a teen girl travels to her late mother's summer home to unravel the mystery behind the cryptic postcard that tells of the tragedy—and the forbidden romance—that changed her mother's life forever. Publication is scheduled for summer 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal.
Living Beyond Borders: Stories About Growing Up Mexican in America by Margarita Longoria (Philmonel)
Liza Kaplan at Philomel has acquired world rights, in a preempt, to Living Beyond Borders: Stories About Growing Up Mexican in America by Margarita "Margie" Longoria, librarian at Mission High School and founder of Border Book Bash RGV and Margie's Must Reads. The anthology explores the complexity of the word "border" in all its literal and metaphorical meanings, featuring stories, poetry, and more from Mexican-American creators and influencers such as Celia Pérez, Angela Cervantes, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, René Saldaña Jr., Francisco X. Stork, and others. Publication is set for summer 2021; Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency brokered the deal.
Sunny G and a Series of Rash Decisions by Navdeep Singh Dhillon (Dial)
Dana Chidiac at Dial has bought world rights to Navdeep Singh Dhillon's YA debut, Sunny G and a Series of Rash Decisions. When Sunny Gill gets dumped by his prom date, he thinks the night is going to be a disaster—but that's just the beginning. What follows is a 24-hour romp as Sunny chases a pair of mislaid post-prom party tickets and the girl who took them through his hometown of Fresno, Calif., and comes to terms with life after high school. Publication is set for summer 2021; Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman Literary Agency did the deal on behalf of CAKE Literary.
Made in Korea by Sarah Suk (Simon Pulse)
Jennifer Ung at Simon Pulse has bought Sarah Suk's YA debut, Made in Korea, a romantic comedy about a Korean-American teen who sells Korean beauty products out of her locker and manages the school's most successful student enterprise, until the hot new boy gives her a run for her money—leading her to surprising discoveries about first love, family, and herself. Publication is slated for summer 2021; Linda Epstein at Emerald City Literary negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Girl Warriors by Rachel Sarah (Chicago Review Press)
Kara Rota at Chicago Review Press has bought world rights to Washington Post contributor Rachel Sarah's YA nonfiction book Girl Warriors. Pitched for fans of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, the book tells the stories of 25 girls and women under age 25 who are rising up to reverse the climate crisis, as they inspire hope and motivate change around the world. Publication is slated for summer 2021; Eric Myers at Myers Literary Management negotiated the deal.
Vampires, Hearts and Other Dead Things by Margie Fuston (Simon Pulse)
Simon Pulse has bought Margie Fuston's debut YA novel, Vampires, Hearts, and Other Dead Things, pitched as The Coldest Girl in Coldtown meets The Truth About Forever. When science and faith fail her terminally ill father, Victoria heads to New Orleans in search of a vampire to save him. She meets a mysterious young man who might be what she's looking for, only he won't share the secret to immortality with just anybody. Publication is planned for summer 2021.
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (Simon Pulse)
Jessica Smith at Simon Pulse has bought Lynn Painters's Better Than the Movies, a YA spin on My Best Friend's Wedding, in which rom-com-loving Liz schemes to win over her forever crush, but falls for the infuriating boy next door she enlists to help her. Publication is scheduled for summer 2021; Kim Lionetti at BookEnds negotiated the deal for world rights.
The Shadow Season by Emily Arsenault (Delacorte)
Delacorte has bought Emily Arsenault's The Shadow Season, a psychological suspense novel for teens about one girl's investigation into her friend's sudden death and the unsettling possibility that “The Winter Girl” is not only real but to blame, proving the old school legend of a vengeful ghost that haunts the senior dorm hall the same time every year. Publication is planned for summer 2021.
Untitled by Liselle Sambury (Simon Pulse)
Sarah McCabe at Simon Pulse has acquired Liselle Sambury's untitled debut YA fantasy novel and its sequel. After failing to come into her powers, 16-year-old Voya—a Black witch living in near-future Toronto—is forced to choose between losing her family's magic forever, a heritage steeped in centuries of blood and survival, or murdering her first love, a boy who is supposedly her genetic match. Publication is scheduled for summer 2021 and summer 2022; Kristy Hunter at the Knight Agency brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.
Untethered by Kaylynn Flanders (Delacorte)
Between You, Me and the Honey Bees by Amelia Diane Coombs (Simon Pulse)
Jade Fire Gold by June CL Tan (HarperTeen) - delayed from fall 2020 due to change of publisher from Blink to HarperTeen.
Told
in a dual POV narrative reminiscent of EMBER IN THE ASHES, JADE FIRE
GOLD is a YA fantasy is inspired by Chinese mythology and folk tales.
Epic in scope but intimate in characterization, fans of classic
fantasies by Tamora Pierce and the magical Asiatic setting of AVATAR:
THE LAST AIRBENDER will enjoy this cinematic tale of family, revenge,
and forgiveness.In order to save her grandmother from a cult of dangerous priests, a peasant girl cursed with the power to steal souls enters a tenuous alliance with an exiled prince bent on taking back the Dragon Throne. The pair must learn to trust each other but are haunted by their pasts--and the true nature of her dark magic. A dual-POV YA fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology.
Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sarah Alfageeh (HarperCollins)
Set in a Middle
Eastern-inspired fantasy world, 14-year-old-girl Aiza lives in an Empire
wracked by famine and escalating border wars. Aiza dreams of becoming a
knight, the most prestigious rank in the military, and the only way to
elevate her status since her people, the Ornu, are second-class citizens
in the Bayt-Saji Empire. Hiding her cultural background to train as a
squire, she navigates the rigorous training that all knights undergo to
test their mettle, making both friends and enemies in the process.
However, everything falls apart after her friend gets badly injured
during a raid and she uncovers a military conspiracy that threatens to
keep the Empire in a state of perpetual war. Aiza will have to decide:
turn her back on her morals and heritage, or turn her back on her dream
and possibly, her only chance of freedom? Stalking Shadows by Cyla Panin (Amulet Books)
Emily Daluga at Amulet has acquired Stalking Shadows by Cyla Panin
in her YA debut. The first novel is a gothic, feminist fantasy
retelling of "Beauty and the Beast." To protect her sister, Marie laces
perfumes with honeysuckle to mark victims for Ama to hunt when she
transforms into a beast at night. But when a child in their town is
killed, Marie is forced to acknowledge that she might be losing control
of Ama—and must instead find a cure for this curse. Publication is
planned for fall 2021, with a second untitled YA novel to follow; Chloe
Seager at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency negotiated the deal for
North American rights.The Gates of Deep Shadow by Katharyn Blair (Putnam)
No description released.
Graceling: The Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore and Gareth Hinds (HMH)
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have bought a graphic novel adaptation of Kristin Cashore's YA fantasy novel, Graceling, adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds. Publication is planned for fall 2021.
The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes (Dial)
Morris Award finalist Stephanie Oakes's THE MEADOWS, pitched as a YA 'Handmaid's Tale' meets 'Never Let Me Go', the story centers around a queer girl who has pretended to "reform" following years in a government-sanctioned conversion therapy center, but can't forget the girl she left behind, and so resolves to find her, to Jessica Garrison at Dial, for publication in fall 2021.
A Rush of Wings by Laura Weymouth (McElderry Books)
Rowenna Winthrop has lived in the remote Scottish Highlands all her life. She’s been out of step with the people there all her life, too—possessed of uncanny knacks and talents, Rowenna is halfway to a witch. Rowenna’s mother, Mairead, has always sought to shelter her daughter from those who fear her gifts, and who believe Rowenna to be in league with the devil. That is, until Mairead’s snatched from the seaside cliffs by a monstrous creature from the deep, leaving Rowenna to care for her family—and defend her own strange magic—on her own.
Then, months later, the sea delivers a strange boy called Gawen to Rowenna, who offers her an opportunity to leave her old world behind. But the same day that he’s washed ashore, Mairead is discovered, alive and wandering the beach. While her family is overjoyed to have her home again, Rowenna soon sees the truth—there’s an unsettling hunger in Mairead, and a new hatred for Rowenna as well. Rowenna’s fears are confirmed when Mairead lays a bitter curse on the Winthrops, transforming her sons into swans, and robbing Rowenna of the one thing she’s always relied on to protect herself from cruelty—her voice.
Rowenna and her brothers—along with the enigmatic Gawen, who was also turned into a swan by Mairead’s dark curse—are driven from their home to the Highlands capital of Inverness. But the city possesses unknown dangers, and some see Rowenna’s uncanny abilities not as a thing to be feared, but to be used. Free to choose her own path for the first time in her life, Rowenna is presented with a choice—pursue the power that rests within her at all costs, rendering herself immune to the suspicion and heartache that has plagued her, or to let the magic that sets her apart become just one part of a more complicated whole—of a girl determined to reclaim all she’s lost; her family, her voice, and control of her own story.
Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell (Clarion)
Lynne Polvino at Clarion has bought Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell (The Circus Rose).
This YA tale of female agency, queer romance, and revenge features a
girl who becomes a teenage vigilante, roaming Victorian England and
using her privilege and power to protect other young women from abusive
Gothic heroes. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Sara Crowe at
Pippin Properties negotiated the deal for North American rights.
This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore (Inkyard Press)
Connolly Bottum at Inkyard Press has acquired, at auction, This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore. This standalone thriller follows two teens who discover a body off the coast of their seaside town. As the pair searches for the killer, the students of both the local prep school and the nearby reform school will do anything to protect their secrets. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Whitney Ross at Irene Goodman Literary negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
Both Sides Now by Peyton Thomas (Dial)
Catch the Light by Kate Sweeney (Philomel)
Thirty to Sixty Days by Alikay Wood (Amulet)
This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore (Inkyard Press)
Connolly Bottum at Inkyard Press has acquired, at auction, This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore. This standalone thriller follows two teens who discover a body off the coast of their seaside town. As the pair searches for the killer, the students of both the local prep school and the nearby reform school will do anything to protect their secrets. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Whitney Ross at Irene Goodman Literary negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
Both Sides Now by Peyton Thomas (Dial)
Ellen Cormier at Dial and Lynne Missen at Penguin Teen Canada have bought, at auction, Peyton Thomas's debut novel Both Sides Now.
The story follows Finch, a trans high school senior, as he takes the
competitive high-school debate circuit by storm, pitched as appealing to
fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Red, White & Royal Blue.
Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Brooks Sherman at Janklow &
Nesbit Associates brokered the deal for North American rights.
Catch the Light by Kate Sweeney (Philomel)
Kelsey Murphy at Philomel has bought world English rights to Catch the Light by debut author Kate Sweeney.
This contemporary YA romance follows a high school junior after she is
forced to move from Los Angeles to upstate New York nine months after
the death of her father. While wrestling with complicated feelings about
her father, she meets a boy who shares her passion for photography and
helps her come to terms with the fact that living in the present might
mean letting go of the past. Publication is set for fall 2021; Melanie
Castillo and Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary negotiated the two-book
deal.
Thirty to Sixty Days by Alikay Wood (Amulet)
Anne Heltzel at Amulet has acquired Alikay Wood's debut novel Thirty to Sixty Days,
in which three teenagers commandeer a yacht and embark on a high-risk
journey after contracting a unique terminal illness, only to find their
lives won't be cut short after all. Publication is scheduled for fall
2021; Christa Heschke at McIntosh & Otis negotiated the deal for
world rights.
The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo (Underlined)
Tif Marcelo's THE HOLIDAY SWITCH, in which a bookish Filipino-American girl with a secret blog works at an inn in the Finger Lakes during the holidays to earn cash for college--when she crosses paths with the innkeeper's cute nephew and they accidentally switch phones, she learns he has a secret of his own that might draw them together, to Wendy Loggia at Underlined, with Hannah Allaman editing, for publication in fall 2021, by Rachel Brooks at BookEnds (world).
The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo (Underlined)
Tif Marcelo's THE HOLIDAY SWITCH, in which a bookish Filipino-American girl with a secret blog works at an inn in the Finger Lakes during the holidays to earn cash for college--when she crosses paths with the innkeeper's cute nephew and they accidentally switch phones, she learns he has a secret of his own that might draw them together, to Wendy Loggia at Underlined, with Hannah Allaman editing, for publication in fall 2021, by Rachel Brooks at BookEnds (world).
The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland (Simon Pulse)
Jennifer Ung at Simon Pulse has acquired world rights to Meredith Ireland's debut YA, The Jasmine Project, pitched as My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets The Bachelorette by way of Jenny Han, about a Korean-American adoptee who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a competition for her heart, as orchestrated by her overbearing but loving family. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021.
Before Takeoff by Adi Alsaid (Knopf)
Marisa DiNovis at Knopf has acquired, in a preempt, Before Takeoff by Adi Alsaid (Let's Get Lost). Pitched as The Sun Is Also a Star meets Jumanji,
the YA novel follows James and Michelle, who meet in the Atlanta
airport and, on a dare, press a mysterious green button that unleashes a
blizzard of chaos through the terminals. Publication of the first book
is scheduled for fall 2021; Peter Knapp at Park & Fine Literary and
Media brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.
Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley (Page Street)
Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley (Page Street)
Lauren Knowles at Page Street has acquired world rights to Lammy-nominated author Zack Smedley's Tonight We Rule the World,
a coming-of-age novel about a boy whose senior year is upended when
school officials learn he was sexually assaulted by another student. The
book—which explores identity, sexuality, and self-worth—follows the
implosion among the boy’s peers, parents, school, and girlfriend.
Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Allison Remcheck at Stimola
Literary Studio did the deal.
Of Blood and Briars by Rebecca Kim Wells (Simon Pulse)
Catherine Laudone at Simon & Schuster has bought Of Blood and Briars, a queer YA fantasy by Rebecca Kim Wells (Shatter the Sky). Cursed to kill all those she touches, Lena endures an isolated life on the run from her fellow humans. But when an enigmatic stranger offers to help her break the curse in exchange for her aid in assassinating a princess hidden in an enchanted forest, Lena embarks on a quest to win her freedom, no matter the cost. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Rebecca Podos at Rees Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood (Wednesday Books)
Tiffany Shelton at Wednesday Books has acquired, in a preempt, in a two-book deal, debut author Lauren Blackwood's Within These Wicked Walls, an Ethiopian-inspired Jane Eyre retelling in which Andromeda—an unlicensed debtera—is hired to rid a castle of its dangerous curses, only to fall in love with the boy whose life hangs in the balance. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Lauren Spieller at TriadaUS Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Margot Mertz Will Clean Your Filth by Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy (Philomel)
Kelsey Murphy at Philomel has acquired North American rights to Margot Mertz Will Clean Your Filth by Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy. Veronica Mars meets Moxie in this YA novel following a girl who runs an internet clean-up business who must take down a secret revenge porn site targeting the girls in her school. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Simon Lipskar at Writers House handled the two-book deal.
We Are Not Broken by George M. Johnson (Little, Brown) - non-fiction
Alexandra Hightower at Little, Brown has bought, in a preempt, We Are Not Broken by author and activist George M. Johnson (All Boys Aren't Blue).
Pulling from Johnson’s experiences growing up with his brother, two
cousins, and their larger-than-life grandmother, this YA memoir is a
love letter to the tender bonds within Black families, as well as an
exploration of creativity and #BlackBoyJoy. Publication is set for fall
2021; Patrice Caldwell at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency did the
two-book deal for North American rights.
All I Want For Christmas is Drew by Tiffany Schmidt (Amulet)
Anne Heltzel at Amulet has acquired All I Want for Christmas Is Drew, a contemporary YA novel by Tiffany Schmidt (A Date with Darcy and Talk Nerdy to Me).
The rom-com follows Noelle, a ballet student, whose secret crush on the
older brother of her favorite babysitting clients is about to be
exposed when Drew leaves his prestigious dance school to surprise his
family on the ski holiday where she is babysitting. Publication is set
for fall 2021; Kate Testerman at KT Literary handled the deal for world
rights.
Untitled by Brandy Colbert (Balzer + Bray)
Jordan Brown at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has bought North American rights to an untitled YA nonfiction project by Brandy Colbert, examining the causes, aftermath, and legacy of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. Publication is planned for fall 2021, timed to the 100th anniversary of the Massacre; Tina Dubois at ICM Partners brokered the deal.
When the Night Comes by Marieke Nijkamp (Sourcebooks Fire)
Eliza Swift at Sourcebooks Fire has acquired world English rights to When the Night Comes by Marieke Nijkamp (This Is Where It Ends). Pitched as The Society meets Contagion, the YA novel is about a group of teens in a residential facility who celebrate when their guards abandon them, only to discover that a catastrophic event has occurred outside their walls, and they must work together if they want to survive. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Jennifer Udden at New Leaf Literary & Media negotiated the deal.
Only a Monster by Vanessa Len (HarperCollins)
In a world hidden within ordinary London, twelve families have monstrous powers that they gain by stealing life from humans.
Sixteen-year-old Joan is half-monster, and has always yearned to be a hero. But when Nick, the boy she loves, turns out to be a legendary monster slayer, Joan must embrace her own monstrousness to stop him.
When Nick attacks the monsters of London, Joan is forced on the run with the beautiful and ruthless Aaron Oliver, heir to a monster family that hates Joan’s own.
But Joan has more to fear than Nick … Her rare and dangerous monster power means that she’s being hunted down by the Monster Court, even as she fights to stop Nick.
Vial of Tears by Cristan Bishara (Holiday House)
Mora Couch at Holiday House has acquired, in a preempt, YA fantasy Vial of Tears by Cristin Bishara, inspired fby her family stories and by her grandfather's collection of numismatic antiquities, unearthed in the mountains of Lebanon. An ancient coin transports Lebanese American sisters Sam and Rima to the Phoenician underworld, where they are caught in the machinations of deities, shapeshifters, and ghouls—and where the only escape may be to kill the god of death himself. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Minju Chang at BookStop Literary brokered the deal for world rights.
Off the Record by Sophie Gonazles and Cale Dietrich (Wednesday Books)
Sylvan Creekmore at Wednesday Books has bought, in an exclusive submission, Off the Record by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich. The novel follows two boys in America's biggest boy band who fall for each other while on their first sold-out European tour, and are forced to keep their relationship a secret by their record label, but slowly realize those in charge have no intention of letting them announce their relationship to the world—ever. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Moe Ferrara at BookEnds Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
League of Liars by Astrid Scholte (Putnam)
Stacey Barney at Putnam has bought Astrid Scholte's next genre-bending fantasy, League of Liars. Pitched as How to Get Away with Murder meets The Breakfast Club set in Azkaban, the story follows 17-year-old legal apprentice Cayder Broduck, who when tasked with helping convict three criminals for their illegal use of magic—including the princess who was arrested for erasing the king's entire existence—finds himself siding with the very people he should be convicting. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Hillary Jacobson at ICM Partners brokered the deal for world English rights.
Blackheart by Morgan Rhodes (Razorbill)
Jessica Harriton at Razorbill has acquired Blackheart by Morgan Rhodes
(the Falling Kingdoms series). Harriton and Gretchen Durning will edit.
The YA sci-fi/fantasy novel follows snarky, pampered 17-year-old
Josslyn Drake who is accidentally infected by a piece of forbidden
magic. In search of the cure, Joss teams up with an enigmatic criminal
and finds herself on an adventure that will take her across her galaxy
and open her eyes to corruption in her world. Publication is slated for
fall 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich and Bourret brokered the
two-book deal for world rights.
Starling by Isabel Strychacz (Simon Pulse)
Nicole Ellul at Simon & Schuster has acquired Isabel Strychacz's YA debut, Starling. The speculative romance is set in a small town where the extraordinary happens every day, and where two sisters attempt to protect the mysterious stranger who literally fell from the stars—and into their backyard—from those who seek to harm him. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary did the deal for North American rights.
Eleanor Rigby by James Patterson and Valeria Wicker (Little, Brown)
T.S. Ferguson at Little, Brown/Patterson has signed Valeria Wicker (author-illustrator of The Ugly Doodles) to illustrate Eleanor Rigby, a YA graphic novel written by James Patterson, in which a teen girl runs away to Seattle to find her missing sister and must tell stories on the street to survive. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Adria Goetz at Martin Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.
How Not To Fall In Love by Jaqueline Firkins (HMH)
Nicole Sclama at HMH has acquired Jacqueline Firkins's contemporary romantic YA comedy, How Not to Fall in Love, in which a cynical wedding shop worker tries to "cure" a hopelessly romantic LARP-er by teaching him the harsh realities of modern dating, only to realize that he is the one teaching her. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz (Wednesday Books)
Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books has bought Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz (And We're Off). The gothic love story, set against the backdrop of 1830s Edinburgh, is about an aspiring young female surgeon, the resurrection man who brings her bodies to study, and a reclusive aristocrat who tempts them both with immortality. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Dan Mandel at Greenburger Associates negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes (Bloomsbury)
Allison Moore at Bloomsbury has acquired author, playwright, and "Modern Love" contributor David Valdes's Spin Me Right Round. Pitched as an #OwnVoices twist on Back to the Future, the YA novel follows an out-and-proud Latinx teen who accidentally time-travels to his parents' era and makes it his mission to save a closeted classmate from a tragic end. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Annie Bomke at Annie Bomke Literary Agency handled the two-book deal for world rights.
A Violent Season by Sara Walters (Sourcebooks Fire)
Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire has acquired Sara Walters's debut A Violent Season and a second untitled novel. In the town of Wolf Ridge, November is marked by violence. Last year, Wyatt's mother was murdered, and this year she worries her best friend, Cash, might snap. As she and Cash pull away from one another, and she unexpectedly connects to the town's golden boy, Wyatt has to figure out who to trust. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Sharon Pelletier at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
Before We Were Blue by E.J. Schwartz (Flux)
Mari Kesselring at Flux has bought E.J. Schwartz's YA contemporary debut, Before We Were Blue, a dual POV pitched as Cheer meets Girl, Interrupted. In a treatment center for their eating disorders, former cheer-lebrity Shoshana and headstrong rebel Rowan develop a bond. Ultimately, they will have to make a choice: be healthy on their own, or stay sick together. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Kaitlyn Johnson at Corvisiero Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Botched by Shannon Gibney (Dutton)
Andrew Karre at Dutton has acquired world English rights to Botched by Shannon Gibney (Dream Country). A blend of speculative fiction and memoir, the book explores Shannon's childhood as a mixed black transracial adoptee while weaving together multiple imagined timelines—if her adoption had never happened; if her children were her parents and if her adoptive parents were her children; if she had met her birth father—in order to make sense of her identity for her teenage self. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Tina Dubois at ICM Partners did the deal.
Drawn That Way by Elisa Sussman (Simon and Schuster)
Amanda Ramirez at Simon & Schuster has bought world rights to Drawn That Way by Elissa Sussman (Stray; Burn), a contemporary YA novel in which Hayley Saffitz is chosen to attend the prestigious inaugural summer internship at the BB Gun Films animation studio. As one of only six young women, she's itching to prove herself by claiming one of the coveted director positions, except all four of them go to boys—and one of them is the CEO's son. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Elizabeth Bewley at Sterling Lord Literistic negotiated the deal.
Those Summer Nights by Laura Silverman (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Kate Prosswimmer at S&S/McElderry has bought Laura Silverman's YA workplace rom-com Those Summer Nights. Reeling from a soccer injury that ended her Olympic dreams, Hannah Klein gets a job at Bonanza, the megaplex entertainment center where everyone works, including her ex-best friend, her younger brother, and her brother's suddenly attractive best friend. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich and Bourret handled the deal for world rights.
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros (Inkyard Press)
Rebecca Kuss at Inkyard Press has acquired world English rights to The City Beautiful, as well as a second untitled YA, by Aden Polydoros. Set against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, this queer Jewish gothic fantasy follows a young immigrant, Alter, who is possessed by the dybbuk of his murdered best friend and is thrust into a deadly hunt for a serial killer. Publication is set for fall 2021; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
The Lost Girls by Sonia Hartl (Page Street)
Ashley Hearn at Page Street has acquired The Lost Girls, a paranormal YA romance by Sonia Hartl (Have a Little Faith in Me). When the vampire who turned Holly into the undead in 1987 (leaving her as a 16-year-old with badly crimped hair for all eternity) breaks up with her, she's approached by two girls he also claimed to love, turned, then ditched. But their plan to kill him before he can strike again grows complicated when Holly starts to fall for the mortal girl they're trying to protect. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Rebecca Podos at Rees Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Always June by Jenn Bennett (Simon Pulse)
Nicole Ellul at Simon Pulse has bought Jenn Bennett's (Alex Approximately and Starry Eyes) new YA romance, Always June. During a lake vacation, a teenage girl falls for a boy who mistakenly believes she's the wealthy daughter of a reclusive California record producer—not the daughter of his chauffeur. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao (Penguin Teen)
Peter Phillips at Penguin Teen Canada has acquired two books in a YA duology by debut author Xiran Jay Zhao, pitched as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale, and inspired by East Asian myth. The first book, Iron Widow, follows 18-year-old Wu Zetian as she avenges her sister's murder in a patriarchal military system where male pilots of giant magical mecha are treated like celebrities, while female pilots must serve as their concubines. Publication is slated for fall 2021 and fall 2022; Rachel Brooks at BookEnds Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson (Katherine Tegan Books)
Ben Rosenthal at HarperCollins/Tegen has acquired two books by award-winning novelist Tiffany D. Jackson. Smoke, pitched as Get Out meets The Haunting of Hill House, is about a girl and her blended family who move into a newly renovated, picture-perfect home in a dilapidated Midwestern city and are haunted by what she thinks are ghosts, but might be far worse; and The Weight of Blood is a remix of Stephen King's Carrie set at a school's first integrated prom. Publication of Smoke is set for fall 2021; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Kneel by Candace Buford (Inkyard Press)
Natashya Wilson at Inkyard Press has acquired, at auction, world English rights to Kneel by debut author Candace Buford. Russell Boudreaux is a black football player who has spent his entire life working toward a singular goal: to be recruited by a Division I football program, and eventually make his way to the NFL, until a series of racial injustices causes Russell to question the price of staying silent. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Viana Siniscalchi, Joelle Hobeika, and Josh Bank at Alloy Entertainment handled the deal, and Carrie Pestritto at Laura Dail Literary Agency represented the author.
You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus (Delacorte)
Krista Marino at Delacorte has acquired North American rights to You'll Be the Death of Me and a second untitled YA novel by Karen M. McManus, author of the bestselling One of Us Is Lying. Pitched as Ferris Bueller's Day Off meets a murder mystery, and told in alternating POVs, You'll Be the Death of Me tells the story of three friends who skip school and witness a crime they can only solve by facing what they've been hiding from one another—and themselves. The two titles are slated for fall 2021 and fall 2022, respectively; Rosemary Stimola and Allison Remcheck of the Stimola Literary Studio did the deal.
The Splendor by Breena Shields (Page Street Kids)
Ashley Hearn at Page Street has acquired world rights to Breeana Shields's The Splendor, a YA novel about a luxury magical hotel that promises to fulfill its guests' wildest fantasies, but when a girl's sister comes back from a visit forever changed, she checks in herself, only to discover the hotel is hiding nefarious secrets. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal.
One Minute There by Anna Priemaza (Amulet)
Maggie Lehrman at Amulet has acquired Anna Priemaza's speculative YA novel One Minute There. When people she loves—and all memory of them—start disappearing from teenager Vera's life, leaving behind only a haunting sorrow, she and her best friend set out to solve a mystery they can't remember. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Lauren Abramo at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal for world rights.
Castles In Their Bones by Laura Sebastian (Delacorte)
The plot: overthrow a kingdom. The goal: world domination. The plan: marriage.
Trained for from birth in espionage and seduction, the triplet princesses of Bessemia must travel to three distant lands to marry three princess and enact their Queen mother's plan to rule from sea to sea. But when they arrive, each sister discovers her task is not so simple, and their mother's motives may not be what they seem
Small Favors by Eric A. Craig (Delacorte)
Wendy Loggia at Delacorte has acquired world English rights to Small Favors by Erin A. Craig (House of Salt and Sorrows).
Ellerie Downing lives with her beekeeping family in the secluded
mountain town of Amity Falls. When strange activities plague the town,
all signs point to a group of mystical creatures who promise to fulfill
the residents' deepest desires for a small favor. Publication is slated
for fall 2021; Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord Literistic negotiated the
deal.
Out of the Fire by Andrea Contos (Scholastic)
Mallory Kass at Scholastic has bought Out of the Fire, a YA novel by Andrea Contos (Throwaway Girls), and a second, untitled novel. It wasn't the kidnapping that ruined Cass Adams's life, but the pink envelopes that followed—each a reminder that the man she escaped is always watching. She forms an alliance with three friends who have also been wronged by men, and the quartet sets out on a dangerous quest for justice, until Cass realizes that the man who ruined her life may be the only one who can save it. Publication is set for fall 2021; Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
Out of the Fire by Andrea Contos (Scholastic)
Mallory Kass at Scholastic has bought Out of the Fire, a YA novel by Andrea Contos (Throwaway Girls), and a second, untitled novel. It wasn't the kidnapping that ruined Cass Adams's life, but the pink envelopes that followed—each a reminder that the man she escaped is always watching. She forms an alliance with three friends who have also been wronged by men, and the quartet sets out on a dangerous quest for justice, until Cass realizes that the man who ruined her life may be the only one who can save it. Publication is set for fall 2021; Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary brokered the deal for world English rights.
All the Things I've Kept from Myself by Karina Manta (Knopf)
Kelly Delaney at Knopf
has acquired, in a preempt, All the Things I've Kept from Myself by
Karina Manta. This YA memoir tells of the champion figure skater's
experiences as a professional athlete, coming out as bisexual in a
hyper-feminine sport, and her continually evolving body image.
Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Jess Regel at Foundry Literary +
Media brokered the deal for North American rights.
How to Love by Alex Norris (Walker Books US)
Susan Van Metre at
Walker Books US has acquired North American rights to How to Love, based
on cartoonist Alex Norris's advice column of the same name. The first
title in a two-book deal, How to Love is a humorous and heartfelt
collection of comics aimed at young people who are experiencing falling
in love for the first time. Publication is planned for fall 2021;
Christopher Schelling at Selectric Artists brokered the deal.
A Dark and Starless Forest by Sarah Hollowell (HMH)
Nicole Sclama at HMH has bought world English rights to Sarah Hollowell's debut contemporary YA fantasy, A Dark and Starless Forest,
about nine magical siblings who live in a secluded house cut off from
the rest of the world by a sinister forest with their enigmatic
caretaker, who is grooming them for a dark and mysterious purpose.
Publication is set for fall 2021; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary
Agency handled the deal.
The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker (Inkyard Press)
Natashya Wilson at
Inkyard Press has acquired, at auction, The Keeper of Night plus a
sequel by debut author Kylie Lee Baker. The dark fantasy stars a
half-Reaper, half-Shinigami, caught between her two worlds and belonging
to neither, who fights monsters and struggles for acceptance in a
19th-century Japan that is haunted by the Goddess of Death. Publication
is set for fall 2021; Mary C. Moore at Kimberley Cameron &
Associates did the deal for world English rights.
For All We Know by Shanna Miles (Simon and Schuster)
Krista Vitola at Simon & Schuster has bought, in a preempt, Shanna Miles's debut YA novel, For All We Know. Pitched as Cloud Atlas meets The Sun Is Also a Star,
the story follows two teens fated to repeat their love story across
hundreds of lifetimes, from 14th-century Mali to the distant future, as
they struggle to break the cycle. Publication is scheduled for fall
2021; John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management brokered the
deal for world rights.
Bright Ruined Things by Samantha Cohoe (Wednesday Books)
Jennie Conway at Wednesday Books has acquired Bright Ruined Things, a historical fantasy by Samantha Cohoe (the forthcoming Golden Fury). This 1920s retelling of The Tempest
is set during the Prosper family's annual bash, when their teenage ward
Mae realizes this powerful family is not what they seem, and seizes her
chance to take the magic that's always been denied to her. Publication
is set for fall 2021; Bridget Smith at JABberwocky Literary Agency
negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Gap Mountain by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez (Delacorte)
Wendy Loggia at
Delacorte has acquired, in a two-book preempt, world English rights to
Jennifer Lynn Alvarez's YA debut, Gap Mountain. In the vein of Karen
McManus and E. Lockhart, the novel features six friends and one secret.
When a group of teens accidentally spark an enormous and deadly
wildfire, one of them threatens to tell the truth about what
happened—and goes missing, and the other five become suspects in her
disappearance. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021.
These Precious Stones by Michael Barakiva (FSG)
Trisha de Guzman at FSG has acquired world English rights to These Precious Stones by Michael Barakiva (Hold My Hand). Pitched as Sailor Moon meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,
the contemporary YA fantasy features an eclectic group of queer and
international teens who learn that they must bear the magical gems that
will save the universe from an ancient galactic threat. Publication is
slated for fall 2021; Josh Adams at Adams Literary handled the deal.
Kind of Sort of Fine by Spencer Hall (Anthenum)
Alex Borbolla at Atheneum has bought world rights to Spencer Hall's debut YA Kind of Sort of Fine.
The book is about two high-school seniors looking to reinvent
themselves: Hayley, a former overachiever recovering from a public
breakdown, and Lewis, a self-described “fat, funny sidekick” on a
mission to become a leading man. But when the two are thrown together in
film class, they begin to question their own identities—and who they
really want to become. Publication is set for summer 2021; Claire
Friedman at InkWell Management handled the deal.
Indescructible Object by Mary McCoy (Simon Pulse)
Kendra Levin at Simon
& Schuster has acquired Indestructible Object by Printz Honor author
Mary McCoy (I, Claudia). The YA novel follows a queer teen girl who
hosts a podcast about the love stories of great artists. When she finds
her life falling apart after her parents announce they're divorcing and
her boyfriend breaks up with her right after graduation, it inspires her
to set out on a summer podcast project about whether love even exists
at all. Publication is set for summer 2021; Patricia Nelson at Marsal
Lyon Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Curse of the Spector Queen by Jenny Elder Moke (Disney Hyperion)
Kieran Viola at Disney-Hyperion has bought world rights to Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke.
The YA novel follows rare-book-lover-turned-adventurer Samantha "Sam"
Knox, who must embark on a globetrotting mission to save the universe
from a centuries-old Celtic curse. Publication is planned for summer
2021; Elizabeth Bewley at Sterling Lord Literistic negotiated the deal.
The Mythic Koda Rose by Jennifer Nissley (Simon and Schuster)
Liesa Abrams at Simon
& Schuster has acquired Jennifer Nissley's contemporary YA novel,
The Mythic Koda Rose. For fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson, this
debut features a queer teen exploring the enigmatic legacy left behind
by her rock star father, who finds herself navigating an emotionally
charged bond with his mercurial ex-girlfriend. Publication is slated for
summer 2021; Danielle Burby at Nelson Literary Agency brokered the deal
for North American rights.
Six Crimson Cranes #1 by Elizabeth Lim (Knopf)
Katherine Harrison at Knopf has bought Elizabeth Lim's YA fantasy duology Six Crimson Cranes, a reimagining of the Wild Swans fairytale, and a third untitled work. Set in the same world as Spin the Dawn,
Six Crimson Cranes centers an exiled princess who must unweave the
curse that turned her brothers into cranes, assisted by her spurned
betrothed, a mercurial dragon, and a paper bird brought to life by her
own magic. Publication of the first book is scheduled for summer 2021;
Gina Maccoby at Gina Maccoby Literary Agency negotiated the deal for
world rights.
The Sea Tithe by Regina M. Hansen (Anthenum)
Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has acquired, in a preempt, world rights to Regina M. Hansen's debut YA novel The Sea Tithe.
The romantic fantasy, set on Prince Edward Island, features 15-year-old
apprentice fiddle player Beet MacNeill, the handsome newcomer who
catches her eye, and their best friend, who join forces to save her baby
cousin from a supernatural menace that has been preying upon their town
for centuries. Publication is scheduled for summer 2021; David Dunton
at the Harvey Klinger Agency brokered the deal.
Luminous by Mara Rutherford (Inkyard Press)
Bess Braswell at Inkyard Press has bought world English rights to Luminous by Mara Rutherford (Crown of Coral and Pearl).
Connolly Bottum will edit. This YA fantasy follows a young witch who
must remain hidden to avoid discovery by other witches who would seek to
drain her power. But when her sister is taken by the kingdom's chief
warlock, she'll have to step out of the shadows to save her family.
Publication is slated for fall 2021; Uwe Stender at TriadaUS brokered
the deal.
The Night When No One Had Sex by Kalena Miller (Albert Whitman)
Christina Pulles at Albert Whitman has bought world rights, excluding Germany, to The Night When No One Had Sex by debut author Kalena Miller.
A sex pact among a group of teens unravels in a comedic,
all-in-one-night romp as the friends navigate the tenuous transition
into adulthood and the uncertainty of life after high school.
Publication is planned for fall 2021; Stacey Kondla at the Rights
Factory did the deal.
Champion of Cities, Champion of People by Rebecca Pitts (Seven Stories)
Lauren Hooker at Seven
Stories/Triangle Square has acquired Jane Jacobs: Champion of Cities,
Champion of People, by debut author Rebecca Pitts. This YA biography of
Jane Jacobs, the visionary urbanist and thinker who transformed the way
we inhabit and develop our cities, emphasizes how today's teens can
promote change in part by focusing on local issues and community
organizing. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Bibi Lewis at the
Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Punching Bag by Rex Ogle (Norton Books For Young Readers)
Simon Boughton at Norton Young Readers has acquired YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award winner Rex Ogle's YA memoir, Punching Bag.
The story is centered on the author's experience with domestic
violence. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Brent Taylor at Triada
US negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Little Women by Bethany C. Morrow (Feiwel and Friends)
"Louisa May Alcott’s
Little Women also headlined Settle’s list of classics to reclaim for the
series, in part, she said, due to the recent movie adaptation and the
attendant conversation “about how it was just the same white narrative
that’s already been told so many times. I knew Bethany C. Morrow from
Twitter and based on my interactions with her there and her writing
career thus far, I thought she would be a great fit to recast Little
Women featuring a black family. We talked on the phone for an hour about
the lack of diversity within the representation of black people’s
experiences during the Civil War in mainstream media. As soon as we hung
up, I rushed back to my desk to send an offer to her agent.”
Reclaimed
Classics impressed Morrow as “a series for those of us who know and
love stories that didn’t reflect our marginalized identities, and who
want to correct that.” She decided to set her novel at the Freedmen’s
Colony of Roanoke Island in 1863, at a time when some of the residents
were emancipated and some were not.
“Every earlier adaptation of
Little Women has cast another quartet of white women to tell this
supposedly universal story,” the author said. “Worse, it takes place
during the Civil War, but doesn’t involve or present any narratives of
black American women at the time. Instead we’re repeatedly served a
story of northern white Americans, which becomes synonymous with
‘abolitionists’ and ‘good’—and there needn’t be any actual evidence of
that, nor any consideration for how a black American from anywhere in
the country might think about that characterization. If what makes
Little Women a classic is the universal story of love and sisterhood,
then my novel will be a welcome adaptation among many.”
The Last Words We Said by Leah Scheier (Simon Pulse)
Liesa Abrams at Simon Pulse has acquired Leah Scheier's The Last Words We Said, a YA contemporary novel in the vein of We Were Liars
set in an Orthodox Jewish community, about four best friends and what
happens when one of them disappears and they all blame themselves.
Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Rena Rossner at the Deborah
Harris Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
The Ashes of Cruiser Island by Court Stevens (Thomas Nelson)
Becky Monds at Thomas
Nelson has bought world rights, in an exclusive submission, to The Ashes
of Cruiser Island by Court Stevens. The YA novel features Ben, bent on
proving the innocence of his childhood friend, Frankie, who was charged
with murdering her best friend and who stands to be executed under the
Accelerated Death Penalty Act of 2020. The book is set for fall 2021;
Kelly Sonnack at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal
Sanctuary by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio (Kokila)
Namrata Tripathi at
Kokila has acquired, on exclusive submission, Sanctuary by Karla Cornejo
Villavicencio, author of the forthcoming Undocumented America. The YA
novel follows Marcela, a 16-year-old New Yorker and budding journalist
whose world comes crashing down when she finds out her father is
scheduled for immediate deportation. When he seeks sanctuary at a local
church, Marcela finds herself fighting for her father's rights and
fending off exploitative media outlets she once hoped to join.
Publication is set for fall 2021; Peter Steinberg at Foundry Literary +
Media negotiated the deal for North American English and Spanish rights.
Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra by Amy Noelle Parks (Abrams)
Maggie Lehrman at Abrams has bought, in an exclusive submission, world English rights to Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra by Amy Noelle Parks (The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss). This YA romantic comedy, set in a magic-themed resort town, is a Romeo and Juliet
love story, with illusions instead of duels and a happy ending instead
of death. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Elizabeth Bennett at
Transatlantic Agency handled the deal.
The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling (Razorbill)
Julie Rosenberg at Razorbill has acquired North American rights to The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling (These Witches Don't Burn). The contemporary fantasy follows Elise, a mortal girl who feels the death of anyone she touches, and Claire, the vampire assigned to recruit her for the Order, as they team up to stop a paranormal killer and realize they might be falling in love. Publication is set for fall 2021; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
The Heartbreak Bakery by Amy Rose Capetta (Candlewick)
Miriam Newman at Candlewick has bought The Heartbreak Bakery, a new YA novel by Amy Rose Capetta (The Lost Coast; Once & Future) in an exclusive submission, in which agender teen baker Syd deals with first heartbreak by whipping up brownies—which break up everyone who eats them, including the owners of LGBTQIAP+ institution The Proud Muffin. With the help of magical baking and a cute transmasc bike messenger, Syd must save relationships and defend the bakery from disappearing in a fast-changing Austin, Texas. Publication is set for fall 2021; Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties did the deal for North American rights.
The Art of Undoing by Kate Norris (Philmonel)
Kate Norris's THE ART OF UNDOING, pitched as Sliding Doors meets CODE NAME VERITY, in which a 16-year-old aspiring physicist witnesses a tragedy and is accidentally pulled into another universe—one that already has another version of herself in it, to Liza Kaplan at Philomel, in a pre-empt, for publication in fall 2021.
Major Detours by Zackary Sergi (Running Press Kids)
Britny Brooks at Running Press Kids, in an exclusive submission, has bought Heroes Rise and Verses interactive fiction series author Zackary Sergi's Major Detours, a YA novel following four college-bound teens on a tarot card road trip that turns into a haunted scavenger hunt where the reader chooses the paths forward using a new interactive format, for publication in fall 2021. Lucy Carson at Friedrich Agency represented the author for world rights.
Linney by Lucy Knisley (Random House Graphic)
Random House Graphic has acquired Lucy Knisley's YA graphic novel Linney, a collection of Knisley's online cat cartoons in print for the first time, along with original material. Publication is slated for fall 2021.
The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman (HMH)
Nicole Sclama at HMH has acquired, at auction, Akshaya Raman's epic YA fantasy debut, The Ivory Key, first in a duology. Set in an Indian-inspired world where magic is a physical resource, four estranged royal siblings must find a new source of magic to save their country. Publication is planned for fall 2021; Hillary Jacobson at ICM Partners brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.
Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Lisa Sterle (Greenwillow)
Martha Mihalick at Greenwillow has bought North American rights to Squad, a darkly comedic YA graphic novel by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (l.), illustrated by Lisa Sterle. It's about a clique of teen girls whose favorite pastime is to "get dressed up, go to parties, target entitled, date-rapey Bros, turn into wolves, and eat them." Publication is slated for fall 2021. Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.
Mysterious Ways by Wendy Wunder (Wednesday Books)
Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books has bought, in a preempt, Mysterious Ways by Wendy Wunder. When 18-year-old Maya looks at someone, she instantly knows everything about them, which makes starting at a new school and meeting a guy she actually wants to be around more than a little challenging. No one would ever believe her superpower—so what happens when someone does, and challenges her to use it for good? Publication is set for fall 2021; Sara Shandler, Joelle Hobeika, and Josh Bank at Alloy Entertainment brokered the deal for world English rights.
Once More With Chutzpah by Haley Neil (Bloomsbury)
Allison Moore at Bloomsbury has acquired, in a preempt, world rights to Once More with Chutzpah by debut author Haley Neil. Pitched as “Becky Albertalli meets Birthright,” the YA novel explores cultural, religious, and sexual identity as an anxious high school senior and her twin set off on a whirlwind trip through Israel. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Lauren Spieller at Triada did the two-book deal for world rights.
Until All Are Free by Kekla Magoon (Candlewick)
Andrea Tompa at Candlewick has bought, in an exclusive submission, three-time Coretta Scott King Honoree Kekla Magoon's Until All Are Free: The Black Panther Party's Call for Revolution, a nonfiction account of the history and legacy of the Black Panthers for a young YA audience. Publication is set for fall 2021; Ginger Knowlton at Curtis Brown represented the author in the deal for world rights.
Dark Rise by C. S. Pacat (HarperCollins)
Andrew Eliopulos at HarperCollins acquired, at auction, bestselling adult author C.S. Pacat's (Captive Prince) YA debut, Dark Rise, a fantasy trilogy set in an alternate London. In the books, the heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war are reborn, ushering in a dangerous new age of magic. The first title, Dark Rise, will be published in fall 2021; Tracey Adams at Adams Literary negotiated the deal for North American rights.
The Queen's Council by Livia Blackburne (Disney Hyperion) - see below in Undated 2021 section.
Jocelyn Davies at Disney-Hyperion has signed Livia Blackburne to write the second book in The Queen's Council, a YA historical fantasy series that reimagines the Disney Princesses as rulers coming into power, aided by a mysterious force that weaves between their individual stories. Blackburne will twist the story of Mulan: named Empress of a people who do not want her, forbidden from marrying the man she loves, and facing a potential coup, she brings mysticism to the battlefield to fight for her right to rule. Publication is set for fall 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal for world rights.
The Babysitter's Coven #3 by Kate Williams (Delacorte)
"Krista Marino at Delacorte has bought North American rights, in a two-book deal, to ... a third book in the Babysitters Coven series. Publication is set for .. fall 2021 ...Kerry Sparks at Levine, Greenberg, Rostan Literary Agency brokered the deal. "
No Releases Currently Scheduled
Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye (HarperCollins)
Kristin Pettit at
HarperCollins has acquired world rights to #PitchWars alum Deborah
Falaye's YA fantasy Blood Scion. Inspired by Africa's child soldier
crisis and set in a West African fantasy world, the novel follows a
young Scion—the all but extinct descendants of the ancient Orisha
gods—who is drafted into the very military that has hunted her kind for
centuries. Stealing the opportunity to uncover what happened the night
her mother disappeared, she will do anything to learn the truth—even if
it means becoming the killer the army demands. Publication is
tentatively slated for winter 2021; Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman
Literary Agency did the deal.
The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton (Viking) - Goodreads still lists the release date for this one as being August 2020, but the author confirms this is not the case.
A glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.
But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.
And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.
With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee (Delacorte)
Krista Marino at
Delacorte Press has acquired, at auction, Victoria Lee’s (The Fever King
and The Electric Heir), A Lesson in Vengeance. Pitched as The Secret
History meets Genuine Fraud and The Craft, it’s the story of Felicity
Morrow, a senior returning to school after her girlfriend’s tragic
death, only to meet a new student and teenage literary prodigy who
transferred to research the school’s bloody history, and recruits
Felicity into a murderous experiment of their own. For publication in
2021; Holly Root and Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary represented the
author in the deal for North American rights. Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell (Wednesday Books)
No description released.
The Dust Alphabet by Rebecca Podos (Balzer + Bray)
Jordan Brown at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired North American rights to The Dust Alphabet by Lambda Literary Award-winning author Rebecca Podos, a contemporary YA fantasy about identity, faith, and fate. On her 17th birthday, Hannah is cursed by a sheyd (a Jewish demon) as the price for a desperate bargain that her mother made long ago. To break the spell, she and her brother must track down their mother's estranged family and discover a legacy they never dreamed of—one that traces back to the famous Golem of Prague. Publication is set for 2021.
Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor (Scholastic)
Orlando Dos Reis at Scholastic has bought world rights to Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor (Tarnished Are the Stars). This queer YA fantasy with a Jazz Age spark follows a politically savvy girl from the wrong side of the tracks as her drive for self-advancement comes into conflict with her heart during an election year where magic buys votes. Publication is slated for 2021; Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch Literary Services negotiated the deal.
The Darkened Lands of the Earth by Leila Siddiqui (Yali Books)
Yali Books has bought The Darkened Lands of the Earth, a debut #OwnVoices YA novel by Leila Siddiqui, pitched as Pan's Labyrinth meets The Night Diary with a dash of Stranger Things. The book stars a modern teenage girl who is coming to terms with her missing brother, and must discover the secrets of her late grandfather's life in colonial India during WWII and Pakistan after the partition if she is to unlock the greenhouse that suddenly appears in her backyard and face the creatures lurking inside. Publication is set for 2021.
Blackwater by Jeannette Arroyo and Ren Graham (Henry Holt)
Brian Geffen at Henry Holt has acquired world rights to Blackwater, a debut YA graphic novel by Jeannette Arroyo and Ren Graham. When Tony, a restless star athlete, and Eli, a quiet outsider, form an unlikely friendship in their small Maine town, they find themselves tracking down the source of a werewolf curse and heeding the warnings of ghosts, all while exploring their budding feelings for each other and dealing with typical high school drama. Publication is scheduled for 2021; the author-illustrators were unagented.
Himawari Share by Harmony Becker (First Second)
Kiara Valdez at First Second has acquired Himawari Share by Harmony Becker, a YA graphic novel about three foreign exchange students who live together in a “sharehouse” in Tokyo. Publication is scheduled for 2021; DongWon Song at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.
In Silent Seas We Drown by Liz Lawson (Delacorte)
Krista Marino at Delacorte has acquired world rights to Liz Lawson's (The Lucky Ones) second YA novel. In Silent Seas We Drown is the story of three teens whose lives are sent into a tailspin when one overdoses at another's home and her parents decide to press charges. Told in dual POVs, the novel is about addiction, the ripple effects it causes, and the secrets we all have. Publication is scheduled for 2021; Andrea Morrison at Writers House brokered the deal.
Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos (Razorbill)
Julie Rosenberg at Razorbill has bought Kelly deVos's YA thriller Eat Your Heart Out, which follows six disgruntled teens forced to spend two weeks at fat camp during the worst blizzard in a century, only to find that camp is even worse than they expected because it's crawling with zombies. Publication is planned for 2021; Alice Sutherland-Hawes at Madeleine Milburn Ltd. brokered the two-book deal for world English rights.
Climate Change by Danica Novgordoff (First Second)
Mark Siegel at First Second has bought Climate Change, Danica Norvgorodoff's YA graphic novel, which ranges from the tsunamis and hurricanes that devastate entire populations to the scrim of pollution and the warming weather that has changed our ecosystems gradually. Publication is scheduled for 2021; Tanya McKinnon at McKinnon Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya McGregor (Boyd Mills Press)
Jes Negrón at Boyds Mills Press has bought The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya MacGregor. This YA debut is about an autistic genderqueer protagonist who leaves an intolerant school for a new high school with the support of their loving father, finding a Rainbow Club and accepting friends, all of whom must come together to solve the decades-old mystery of the murder of a teenage boy and confront Sam's own fears of early death.
Publication is slated for 2021.
Seperate No More by Lawrence Goldstone (Scholastic)
Lisa Sandell at Scholastic Focus has bought Lawrence Goldstone's Separate No More, a YA non-fiction title about the Supreme Court's impact on segregation in America, from Plessy v. Ferguson, when racial separation became fixed in the Constitution, to the landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, when a team of African-American lawyers persuaded nine white justices that “separate but equal is inherently unequal.” Publication is slated for 2021; Charlie Olsen at InkWell Management did the deal for world English rights.
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons (Dial) - UK release date announced but not US.
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets Bend it Like Beckham in this powerful queer coming-of-age story.
Fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother and a Messi in training. He's also transgender. After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio.
At Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boy's soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans - he's passing.
So when a discriminatory law forces Spencer's coach to bench him after he discovers the 'F' on Spencer's birth certificate, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even if it means coming out to everyone - including the guy he's falling for.
You've Reached Me by Dustin Thao (Wednesday Books)
Eileen Rothschild at Wednesday Books has acquired North American rights to You've Reached Me and a second book by debut author Dustin Thao. You've Reached Me is a contemporary story with a dash of magic, about a teen girl who, heartbroken after her boyfriend's death, calls him to hear his voicemail—but he picks up. In a miraculous turn of events, they have a second chance at good-bye. Publication is scheduled for 2021; Thao Le at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency brokered the two-book deal.
Untitled by Tammi Lawson and Marilyn Nelson (Macmillan/Ottaviano)
Christy Ottaviano at Macmillan/Ottaviano has acquired world rights to a YA biography in verse of sculptor Augusta Savage by award-winning poet Marilyn Nelson (l.) and Tammi Lawson, curator of the Arts and Artifacts Division at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The book, set for 2021, will include archival materials and chronicle Savage's life and legacy as one of the most important artists and leaders of the Harlem Renaissance; Regina Brooks at Serendipity Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
Second Coming by Andre-Naquiane Wheeler (Levine Querido)
Meghan Maria McCullough and Arthur Levine at Levine Querido have bought two YA novels by debut author André-Naquian Wheeler. Set in the near future, Second Coming follows Ebb, a teen with a traumatic romantic past; that is, until he meets Manny, an immigrant from Nicaragua who loves him openly—and might also be the son of God. The second book, Like and Subscribe, is a contemporary novel about Hunter, a queer black boy struggling to manage his anxiety, fame, and love life in the face of viral stardom. Publication will begin in 2021; the author represented himself in the deal for world rights.
Re: Constitutions by Beka Feathers and Kasia Babis (First Second)
Mark Siegel at First Second has acquired world rights to Re: Constitutions, a nonfiction YA graphic novel written by Beka Feathers (l.) with art by Kasia Babis that covers everything about constitutions, from how they work and why they are made to the way they've shaped our world throughout history. Publication is scheduled for 2021; both the author and the illustrator were unagented.
Win! by Cynthia Yuan Cheng (First Second)
First Second has bought world rights to Win!, debut author Cynthia Yuan Cheng's YA graphic memoir about a shy and geeky Taiwanese-American teenage girl who joins her high school's boys' football team. Publication is scheduled for 2021.
Beyond the Mapped Stars by Rosalyn Eves (Knopf)
The novel is about a 19th century Mormon girl who unwittingly becomes involved in a railway heist, and— if she can't return the stolen device to its rightful owner before the 1878 total solar eclipse— might lose not only her own life, but might alter the future of American science and magic.
Untitled by Rachel Lynn Solomon (Simon and Schuster)
A romcom about a wedding harpist disillusioned with love and a cater-waiter who's a hopeless romantic forced to work the same weddings over the course of one summer.
Tabby Charon by Amy Kim Kimbuishi (Scholastic)
A YA graphic novel series by Amy Kim Kibuishi. They recount the story of Tabby Charon, who, after her father dies, travels to a distant world of magic and beauty where she meets a handsome boy and learns of her destiny.
Ghost Notes by Antoine Revoy (First Second)
Mark Siegel at First Second has acquired world rights to Ghost Notes, a YA graphic novel by Antoine Revoy about three ghosts stuck in limbo who have to tell each other spooky stories so that one of them can move on to the afterworld. Publication is scheduled for 2021; the author was unagented.
Girls At the Edge of the World by Laura Brooke Robson (Kathy Dawson Books)
Stanford senior Laura Brooke Robson's debut stand-alone apocalyptic fantasy told in alternating POVs about the leader of a band of female elite royal aerialists whose plan for survival depends on marrying the prince—until she meets the alluring new recruit who secretly plans to kill him, to Kathy Dawson at Kathy Dawson Books, in a good deal, at auction, in a two book deal.
Skyward #3 by Brandon Sanderson (Delacorte)
"Stormlight Four taking all of my 2019 will likely mean that Skyward Three won’t be written until 2020, for a spring 2021 release. (At least, that would be my best guess at this point.) So you’ll have a larger-than-usual wait between Books Two and Three, unless something happens to let me squeeze Book Three in early."
Untitled by Margot Woods (Abrams)
"One of my life goals was to one day update my Twitter bio to say that I'm an author.
Today is that day.
I'm very casually stoked to announce that I sold my very first novel at auction!!!!!!!
It'll go on sale in 2021....so until then, join me for this wild ride."
The Queen's Council #2 by Emma Theriault (Disney Hyperion) - suspect this title will not release since Livia Blackburne has now been drafted in to write this book.
Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed by Various YA Authors (Publisher TBA)
A collection of essays and poems subverting different myths and stereotypes about the Latinx community.
The Black Volume of the Dead by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu (Saga Press)
If We Were Us by K.L. Walther (Sourcebooks Fire)
Radha's Recipe for Bollywood Beats by Nisha Sharma (Crown)
The Dark Tide #2 by Alicia Jasinska (Sourcebooks Fire)
Little Creeping Things #2 by Chelsea Ichaso (Sourcebooks Fire)
Loveboat Taipei #2 by Abigail Hing Wen (HarperTeen)
The Prison Healer #2 by Lynette Noni (HMH)
A Court of Miracles #2 by Kester Grant (Knopf)
Suns Will Rise by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell (Simon Pulse)
Untitled by Laura Taylor Namey (Anthenum)
Crownchasers #2 by Rebecca Coffindaffer (HarperTeen)
Untitled by Lilliam Rivera (Bloomsbury YA)
Kingdom of the Wicked #2 by Kerri Maniscalco (Jimmy Paterson)
Muse #2 by Brittany Cavallaro (Katherine Tegan Books)
What If It's Us #2 by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli (HarperTeen)
Inheritance Games #2 by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Freeform)
Misadventures of Johnathon Lambshead #2 by Jeff Vandermeer (FSG)
Smash It #2 by Franscina Simone (Inkyard Press)
Hush #2 by Dylan Farrow (Wednesday Books)
Blood Heir #3 by Amelie Wen Zhao (Delacorte)
Camelot Rising #3 by Kiersten White (Delacorte)
Wings of Shadow by Nicki Pau Preto (Simon Pulse)
The Midnight Lie #2 by Marie Rutkoski (FSG)
Untitled by Joan He (Roaring Brook Press)
The Aurelian Cycle #3 by Rosaria Munda (Putnam)
A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy #2 by Jeff Bishop (Putnam)
The Notorious Virtues #2 by Alwyn Hamilton (Viking)
Untitled by Maria Kanter (Simon and Schuster)
These Violent Delights #2 by Chloe Gong (Simon Pulse)
Untitled by Meredith Tate (Putnam)
Untitled by Natalie D. Richards (Sourcebooks Fire)
The Player's Table #2 by Jessica Goodman (Razorbill)
A Hundred Names for Magic #2 by Rin Chupeco (Sourcebooks Fire)
Untitled by Hannah Capin (Wednesday Books)
The Age of Darkness #3 by Katy Rose Pool (Henry Holt)
Every Reason We Shouldn't #2 by Sara Fujimura (Tor Teen)
The Stepping Off Place #2 by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum (HarperTeen)
The Other Side of the Sky #2 by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (HarperCollins)
The Aurora Cycle #3 by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Knopf)
The Gilded Wolves #3 by Roshani Chokshi (Wednesday Books)
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