Undated 2023 New Releases




















Untitled by Deborah Heiligman (Godwin Books)
Laura Godwin at Godwin Books has bought two YA nonfiction books on political activist Emma Goldman and Anne Frank's sisters by Deborah Heiligman, the National Book Award finalist and Printz Honor author of Torpedoed, Vincent and Theo, and Charles and Emma. Publication is scheduled for winter 2023 and spring 2025 respectively; Susan Ginsburg at Writers House handled the deal for North American rights.


Apocrypha by Anthony Oliveira (HarperTeen) - YA graphic novel.
Stephanie Guerdan at HarperTeen has acquired Anthony Oliveira's graphic novel Apocrypha, pitched as Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Paradise Lost, in which a teen guided by an angel and another possessed by a demon find themselves at the center of a terrible cosmic war—and their own confusing queer awakenings. Publication is planned for winter 2023; Lauren Abramo at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret brokered the deal for world rights.


Carlos Alejos Has to Lose His Chichos by Mathew Rodriguez and Charlot Kristensen (FSG)
Trisha de Guzman at FSG has bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to cultural critic Mathew Rodriguez's debut YA graphic novel, Carlos Alejos Has to Lose His Chichos, with Charlot Kristensen illustrating, about a queer Puerto Rican teen of size as he grapples with body image, friendship, and his burgeoning sexuality in suburban New Jersey. Publication is slated for winter 2023; Melissa Edwards at Stonesong Literary represented the author, and Thao Le at Sandra Djikstra Literary represented the artist.









Paradise Villas by Salman Toor and Alexandra Atiya (Levine Querido) - some interviews suggest that the title will be changed to "The Art Room".
Arthur Levine at Levine Querido has bought Paradise Villas by painter Salman Toor and co-author Alexandra Atiya. The coming-of-age YA graphic novel follows 14-year-old aspiring artist Ozzy and explores issues of queerness and class while bringing Lahore, Pakistan to life. Publication is slated for spring 2023; Anjali Singh at Ayesha Pande Literary negotiated the deal for world rights, excluding India.


The New Friends by Kara Thomas (Delacorte)
Krista Marino at Delacorte has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The New Friends by Kara Thomas (The Cheerleaders and That Weekend), a YA thriller pitched as The Stepford Wives meets Dare Me. When Hadley moves to an idyllic college town, she befriends the popular crowd, but rumors about something terrifying buried in the forest, and a series of strange disappearances, have her questioning whether her new friends are who they say they are. Publication is planned for spring 2023; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media sold world rights; Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord Literistic now represents the author.


Arcadia by Willow Naomi Curry (Levine Querido)
Irene Vázquez and Nick Thomas at Levine Querido have bought Arcadia by debut author Willow Naomi Curry. The YA book is an intergenerational mystery following one family's attempts to uncover the impacts of environmental racism on their historically Black Houston neighborhood. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; the author represented herself, with support from Kristina Kearns of Fern Agency, in the deal for world rights.

The Sapling's Curse by James Persichetti and L. Biehler (HMH)
Lily Kessinger at HMH has acquired, in a preempt, The Sapling's Curse, a YA graphic novel written by debut author James Persichetti and illustrated by L. Biehler. In this inclusive twist on the legend of Arthur, knights Lancelot and Tristan set out on a quest to find the missing magician Merlin, but instead discover an unexpected romance. Publication is set for 2023, with a second book scheduled for 2025. Danielle Burby at Nelson Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.


Last Chance by Ellen Hopkins (Putnam/Nancy Paulsen Books)
Stacey Barney at Putnam/Nancy Paulsen Books has acquired YA novel-in-verse Last Chance by bestselling author Ellen Hopkins. Seventeen-year-old twins separated by child protective services face juvenile detention and daunting odds as they struggle to navigate the foster care system. While Lake is given one last chance at her new home, Storm seems to be out of options. But when Storm takes part in a program that pairs him with a shelter dog also facing one last chance, the bond that develops could unexpectedly lead him and Lake back to one another. Publication is set for spring 2023; Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the six-figure deal for North American rights.


I Sold Myself to the Devil for Vinyl... Pitiful I Know by Karianne Giard (Wattpad Books)
Deanna McFadden at Wattpad Books has acquired world rights to I Sold Myself to the Devil for Vinyl... Pitiful I Know by Karianne Giard. This YA romance follows the overthinking Lexi as she tries to unravel the clues behind a mysterious stranger she has become enamored with. It's slated for spring 2023; the author was unagented.


Fishing by Michael Ralph, Nia Palmer and Laura Molnar (Algonquin) - YA graphic novel.
Krestyna Lypen at Algonquin has acquired, in a two-book deal, world rights to two YA graphic novels by Michael Ralph, illustrated by Nia Palmer (c.) and Laura Molnar (r.). Fishing demonstrates how incarcerated people communicate and build networks through the unique form of attachment known as "fishing," and Basketball IQ explores the cerebral, strategic approach to the game that separates the greatest basketball players of all time from their competitors. Publication is set for spring 2023 and fall 2024, respectively; Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented the author and illustrators.


Sweet Clarity by Rhiannon Richardson (Simon and Schuster)
Krista Vitola at Simon & Schuster has acquired Sweet Clarity, the latest YA novel by Rhiannon Richardson. After being caught kissing a girl at her Christian summer camp, Clarity must face her newly discovered sexual identity and what it means for her relationships with friends, family, faith, and the girl who may be her first love. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management brokered the deal for world rights.


A Catalog of Burnt Objects by Shana Youngdahl (Dial)
Jessica Garrison at Dial has bought world English rights to A Catalog of Burnt Objects by Shana Youngdahl (As Many Nows As I Can Get). The YA novel follows Caprice, a teenage girl who aches to escape her tiny Northern California town, where her addict brother's legacy looms large. When a catastrophic fire tears through her community—and her home—she's forced to rethink everything in this story about loss and hope. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; Elizabeth Bewley at Sterling Lord Literistic handled the deal.


The Infinity Courts #3 by Akemi Dawn Bowman (Simon and Schuster)
"Author of the forthcoming THE INFINITY COURTS Akemi Dawn Bowman's third and final book in the series, which follows a teen girl who wakes up in an afterlife called Infinity, only to discover it's been taken over by an artificial intelligence posing as a queen, to Jennifer Ung at Simon & Schuster Children's, with Alyza Liu editing, for publication in spring 2023, by Penny Moore at Aevitas Creative Management (NA)."









A Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee (Feiwel and Friends)
Holly West at Feiwel and Friends has bought contemporary YA fantasy A Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by Sidekick Squad series author C.B. Lee. When two polar opposite girls hit it off at a coffeeshop, little do they know that what should be a meet cute is actually the symptom of an impending catastrophic collision of multiverses, and their romance plunges them into a race against time to prevent the collapse of their worlds. The book is set for spring/summer 2023; Thao Le brokered the deal for North American rights.









Night Swimming by Rachel Ekstrom Courage (Delacorte)
Hannah Hill at Delacorte has bought Night Swimming by Rachel Ekstrom Courage, in her YA debut. Pitched as They Wish They Were Us meets The Wicked Deep with a mythical twist, this darkly feminist YA thriller debut follows Lucia, who falls in with a group of glamorous new friends while spending the summer on Nantucket. But as Lucia becomes part of their shimmering world, breaking hearts and wreaking havoc on the elite island community, she realizes her new friends have a shockingly violent secret. Publication is set for summer 2023; Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.

Epicenter by Mahogany L. Browne (Crown)
Phoebe Yeh at Crown has acquired Epicenter by inaugural Lincoln Center poet-in-residence Mahogany L. Browne. The YA novel is a collection of interconnected stories about teens in Brooklyn growing up and finding strength, community, and love amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Publication is scheduled for summer 2023; Charlotte Sheedy at Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.

Golden State by Isabel Quintero (Kokila)
Namrata Tripathi at Kokila has acquired, in a six-figure preempt, Golden State by William C. Morris Award-winning author Isabel Quintero (Gabi, a Girl in Pieces; My Papi Has a Motorcycle). The YA novel follows 18-year-old Maricela, who, after finding out her father has another family he's been keeping secret from her, embarks on a road trip through California to meet her half-brother for the first time. Publication is scheduled for summer 2023; Peter Steinberg, in his first sale at Fletcher & Company, brokered the deal for world rights.


Untitled by Kelis Rowe (Crown)












No releases currently scheduled.

















Blades of Furry by Deya Muniz and Emily Erdos (Little, Brown)
Andrea Colvin at Little, Brown has acquired Deya Muniz (l.) and Emily Erdos's YA graphic novel Blades of Furry, based on their webcomic of the same name, in which Emile, a promising rookie in the high-stakes world of battle ice skating, learns the deepest secret of reigning champion Radu's and must decide whether to use it to take his rival down, while getting closer and closer to him. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management brokered the deal for world rights.






Hearts of Gold by Kylie Schachte (Little, Brown)

Samantha Gentry at Little, Brown has bought Hearts of Gold by Kylie Schachte (You're Next), a YA action-adventure pitched as Our Flag Means Death meets modern-day Indiana Jones, with a sapphic hate-to-love romance, in which the daughter of a famous archeologist must team up with her arch-nemesis to uncover the truth about a legendary gang of queer pirates—and find their long-lost treasure. Publication is set for fall 2023; Margaret Sutherland Brown at Folio Literary did the deal. Schachte is now represented by Lauren Spieller at Triada US.

Break Wide the Sea by Sara Holland (Wednesday Books) - some editions dated September 2023, but release date not clear.
Mara Delgado Sánchez at Wednesday Books has bought, at auction, North American rights for Break Wide the Sea and Strike Down the Sun, a YA fantasy duology by Sara Holland. In a world fueled by magic harvested from whales, Annie Fairfax is heiress to its most eminent whaling company, until her fiance betrays her and takes over. Forced into hiding, Annie must place her trust in a young renegade captain who promises to restore her to power if she helps him find the legendary underwater city of the whalers' ancient enemies, the deadly finfolk—but he's keeping secrets too. Publication is slated for fall 2023; Peter Knapp at Park & Fine Literary and Media did the deal.

312 by Shaunta Grimes (AW Teen)
Jonathan Westmark at AW Teen has acquired world rights to 312, a debut YA contemporary novel from Shaunta Grimes (The Astonishing Maybe), pitched as the story of a fat girl learning to live in the body she was born with. Publication is slated for fall 2023; Elizabeth Bennett at the Transatlantic Agency negotiated the deal.


Jabs by Sharine Hamdy and Myra El Mir (Dial) - moved from 2018.
Dial has won Sherine Hamdy and Myra El Mir's black-and-white YA crossover graphic novel, Jabs, about a Muslim-American girl growing up and grappling with her identity – and whether or not to wear hijab. Publication is set for fall 2018.


Steam by Shaenon K. Garrity and Emily Holden (McElderry Books) - YA graphic novel.
Karen Wojtyla at McElderry Books has bought world rights to Steam by The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor author Shaenon K. Garrity, illustrated by Emily Holden. The YA graphic novel follows the adventures of Ruby, a "hypercognitive humanoid" designed to solve science's greatest problems, who escapes from a university lab and finds a job as a barista in a kooky coffee shop, where she finds plenty of problems to solve. Publication is slated for fall 2023; Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency represented the author, and Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management represented the illustrator.

Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier and AJ Dung (Chronicle Books) - YA graphic novel.
Taylor Norman at Chronicle Books has bought world rights to Wake Now in the Fire, a graphic novel by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by AJ Dungo, based on a true story that attracted national attention and was the subject of the author's award-winning investigative reporting. The story follows a group of Chicago high school students who take on the censors when Persepolis is banned from their school system. It's set for fall 2023; Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.

Badlands by Jo Schaffer Layton (Owl Hollow Press) - not yet added to Goodreads.
Hannah Smith at Owl Hollow Press has acquired world rights to YA thriller Badlands by Jo Schaffer Layton, co-founder of Teen Author Boot Camp. In the book, 17-year-old Jaqueline, when confronted with a flurry of family drama and bad choices, finds herself dropped off in the Idaho Badlands with a group of other problem teens on a 30-day survival program her dad hopes will reform her. When what starts as an adventure in wilderness survival becomes a life-and-death ordeal, the Badlands will change Jaqueline forever. Publication is slated for fall 2023; the author represented herself.

Unitled by Danielle Vega (Penguin Teen)
- not yet added to Goodreads.
Penguin Teen on twitter: "The next horror novel from Danielle Vega is a combination of Friday the 13th meets The Parent Trap! Two teens return to the site of a gruesome summer camp massacre to uncover long-buried secrets about their families... and someone might not survive?"

Untitled by Amy Tintera (Crown)















Full Court Crush by
Hannah Vardit (First Second) - note: author has changed name since annoucement.
Kiara Valdez at First Second has acquired, in a 10-house auction, Hannah Blumenreich's graphic novel Full-Court Crush and a second untitled YA graphic novel. Full-Court Crush is about Marcy, a basketball player whose team is being shut down, and her bookish girlfriend Althea, who is struggling alone with her chronically depressed mother. Together, they learn how to navigate the troubles of life and 11th grade. Publication is scheduled for 2023; Linda Camacho at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights.










Untitled by Rose Egal (Page Street)
They say that heavy is the head that wears the crown, and eighteen-year-old Neferet knows that all too well. As the Empress of the Etalan Empire, she has her hands full secretly hunting the person who ordered the murder of her father while also trying to figure out why harvests are failing left and right in her lands. Upon learning the murderer was her closest ally, the Dominus of Theron, she’s enraged by his betrayal and sets off for his kingdom to get her revenge.

Shortly after her arrival, Dante, the Dominus’ son, uncovers a conspiracy that makes Neferet question everything. Her confusion only worsens as several gods descend from the skies, each one telling her something that contradicts the other. As plague and famine encroach and war looms on the horizon, Neferet and Dante must put aside their differences and piece together the conspirators' plans—and the gods’ motives—to stop them before her empire collapses.


The Last King of Faerie by Cassandra Clare (Margaret K. McElderry Books) - moved from 2022.
Melanie Nolan at Knopf has acquired Cassandra Clare's The Wicked Powers trilogy, the final installment of Clare's 23-book YA fantasy series, The Shadowhunter Chronicle, which follows Kit Herondale, Ty Blackthorn, and Drusilla Blackthorn from The Dark Artifices series as they are drawn into the final conflict between the demons; as well as a new romantasy duology, In Fire Foretold, which centers a young woman who must learn to control her dangerous magical abilities in order to save her kingdom, all while finding herself torn between two brothers—the kingdom's princes, born to a cursed royal bloodline. Michelle Frey will edit. Publication will begin in spring 2026; Suzie Townsend and Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media sold North American rights.

Burned and Buried by
Nino Cipri (Henry Holt) - moved from Spring 2021, then from 2022. Release date not yet updated on Goodreads.
Tiffany Liao at Holt has acquired, at auction, North American rights to Nino Cipri's debut novel Burned and Buried. This YA supernatural horror follows Riley, who wakes up at the bottom of a grave with a hole in her chest and strange new powers. She's soon joined by three other dead girls, each with abilities born out of violence. Publication is planned for spring 2021; DongWon Song at Howard Morhaim Literary negotiated the two-book deal.


Cress & Petra by Ashanti Fortson (HarperCollins) - moved from 2022, release date not yet updated on Goodreads.
Carolina Ortiz at HarperCollins has bought world English rights to Ashanti Fortson's debut, Cress & Petra. Set in the near future, the YA graphic novel follows the friendship between Cress Orozco, an autistic teenager with plenty of problems and big thoughts about life, and Petra, a lab-made AI looking for adventure. Their intertwining experiences raise the question: what does it mean to be human? Publication is planned for fall 2022; Susan Graham at Einstein Literary Management negotiated the deal.


Fallen City by Adrienne Young (Wednesday Books) - moved from 2022.
Eileen Rothschild at Wednesday Books has bought Adrienne Young's Fallen City duology, a Greco-Roman inspired fantasy where a glittering world, a lottery built on lies, and a forbidden romance come together as an 18-year-old girl desperately attempts to escape a city under siege. Publication is scheduled for winter 2022; Barbara Poelle at Irene Goodman Literary Agency brokered the deal for North American rights. 


I Like Me Better by Leah Benavides Rodriguez (Scholastic)
Aimee Friedman at Scholastic has bought world rights to I Like Me Better by TV writer/producer Leah Benavides Rodriguez (Dune: The Sisterhood; Washington Black). Pitched as a YA Latinx Roman Holiday, the book tells the story of Camila Torres, a Mexican-American teen movie star, who takes time off in Puerto Rico after a devastating and very public breakup, and falls for a charming local who works at an old-school cinema. Together they work to restore a theater damaged by a tropical storm, until a secret is revealed that threatens to tear their fairy tale love story apart. Publication is set for 2023; Leslie Conliffe of Intellectual Property Group and Gordon Bobb of Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein and Lezcano represented the author.

Untitled by
Debbie Rigaud (Scholastic)
Aimee Friedman at Scholastic has acquired the next YA novel by Debbie Rigaud, author of Truly Madly Royally and the forthcoming Simone Breaks All the Rules. The currently untitled novel follows Atlanta teenager Claire Hastings, who, after an embarrassing incident at her school, jumps at the chance to visit her cousin in London for the summer where she falls for a cute British boy, and may even be discovered by a top choreographer. Publication is set for 2023; Laura Dail at Laura Dail Literary did the deal for world English rights.

Trans History: A Graphic Novel by Alex L. Combs (Candlewick)
Andrea Tompa at Candlewick has acquired, at auction, cartoonist Alex L. Combs's debut nonfiction YA graphic novel, Trans History: A Graphic Novel. Written and illustrated from an #OwnVoices perspective, this book introduces readers to the history of transgender identities, the transgender rights movement, and what it means to be trans in the U.S. and beyond. Publication is set for 2023; Zabé Ellor at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights.


Band Nerd by Sarah Clawson Willis and Ana Hinojosa (HMH/Etch)
Lily Kessinger at HMH/Etch has bought world rights to debut graphic novel Band Nerd by Sarah Clawson Willis (l.), illustrated by Ana Hinojosa. Seventh-grader Lucy Carver is determined to make first chair flute at Windley School of the Arts, but two things stand in her way: snobby Tolli Claybourne and Lucy's loving but dysfunctional parents. Publication is set for 2023; Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties represented the author, and Maria Vicente at P.S. Literary represented the artist.


A Most Valuable Spy by Corey Mead (Knopf) - YA Non-fiction.
Michelle Frey at Knopf has acquired YA narrative nonfiction novel A Most Valuable Spy by Corey Mead, about Marguerite Harrison, a wealthy Baltimore heiress who radically transformed her life when she became a pioneering spy in Russia in the 1920s, and changed the American intelligence community's beliefs about what women could achieve in the field. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; Wendy Schmalz at Wendy Schmalz Agency brokered the deal for world rights.


Sweet Stakes by Alechia Dow (Inkyard Press)
From author on twitter: "A Dracula retelling, with vampires, doughnuts!, a big Black family on vacation, a super cute Van Helsing boy who is in trouuuuuble, and a bipolar Black girl who IS trouble. Prepare to LAUGH!!"


Shipshock by Caroline O'Donoghue (Walker Books US) - not yet added to Goodreads.
Susan Van Metre at Walker Books US and Gráinne Clear at Walker UK have bought world rights to two books from novelist and podcaster Caroline O'Donoghue (All Our Hidden Gifts). The first book is the third installment in O'Donoghue's Gifts series, a conclusion to the supernatural drama about a group of Irish teenagers with remarkable gifts, haunted by a spirit summoned from a tarot deck, planned for spring 2023. The second novel, Skipshock, follows Irish teenager Margo Madden as she sets out on a journey to her new boarding school, but finds herself on a track she wasn't expecting: instead of her train ending up in southwest London, she's traveling across time and dimensions. Bryony Woods at Diamond Kahn & Woods negotiated the deal.

Five Second Violation by George M. Johnson (Little, Brown) - uncomfirmed publisher.


Untitled by Rex Ogle (Norton Young Readers)

Untitled by Vitor Martins (Scholastic Press)

Untitled by Hannah Vardit (First Second)

Untitled by Vanessa L. Torres (Knopf)

Untitled by Cole Nagamatsu (Sourcebooks Fire)


Untitled by Mariama J. Lockington
(FSG) - not yet added to Goodreads.


Untitled by Jennifer Baker (Putnam) - not yet added to Goodreads

Charm City Heights #2 by Paula Chase (Wednesday Books)



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