Sara Schonfeld at HarperTeen has acquired North American rights to Cara Stout's Fairytale in Progress series. The first book, Enchanted to Meet You, is a romance in which a teen gets cast as a princess at Fairytale Gardens, with the mission to expose potential fraudulent activities, with only one problem—she has to ignore the sparks that fly with the handsome casted prince, who also happens to be the owner's son. The books were originally published in the U.K.; book one will publish in winter 2026, and book two, A Knight Before Christmas, will publish in spring 2026. Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal.
Vanessa Aguirre at Wednesday Books has bought, in an exclusive submission, Until the Last Light Goes Out by Courtney Gould (What the Woods Took), a YA horror pitched as a "Miami Gothic" where in order to save her best friend, the daughter of an infamous massacre survivor must go into the abandoned, neon-lit island resort where her mother's high school classmates were murdered, only to discover something far more sinister lying in wait. Publication is set for fall 2026; Claire Friedman and Jessica Mileo at InkWell Management did the two-book deal for North American rights.
Katherine Jacobs at Blink has acquired Beyond the Dust by Schneider Family Award Honoree Alison Gervais. In this dual-narrative YA novel, a teen girl interning in a Colorado history museum finds herself experiencing the deadliest labor strike in American history through the eyes of a Hungarian girl with whom she feels a mysterious artistic connection. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; Shannon Hassan at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Stacy Whitman at Lee & Low/Tu Books has bought North American Spanish and English rights to Dream Away the Night by Amparo Ortiz (l.), illustrated by Karen De La Vega, a YA graphic novel retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream set in Puerto Rico, revolving around a secret supernatural school in El Yunque National Forest, and the characters' adventures in the forest one magical night. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Linda Camacho at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the author, and Sol Salinas at Astound US represented the illustrator.
Kristen Simon at Mad Cave Studios/Nakama Press has acquired world English rights to Aperture, a YA graphic novel by I Am Hexed creator Kirsten Thompson, illustrated by Huenito. Two students living in different time periods travel between the present day and pre-WWI using an old camera found in their university's library, and fall in love over a series of adventures. Publication is slated for August 2026; Jas Perry at Looking Glass Literary & Media represented the author while at KT Literary, and TomatoFarm represented the illustrator.
Maya Marlette at Scholastic has bought Sylvia Liu's Friends Furever, a middle grade novel in which a pug and a French Bulldog scheme to "parent trap" their owners to become besties again, while the girls navigate new interests and friends in sixth grade. Publication is set for fall 2026; Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Celia Lee at Simon & Schuster has acquired Loops by Geisel Honor author-illustrator Jashar Awan, a picture book about the perseverance and positive self-talk needed to learn to tie your shoelaces, and be a big kid. Publication is scheduled for spring 2026; Erica Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Kelly Barrales-Saylor at Ten Speed Young Readers has bought world rights to Cassandra Berger's The Little Polka Dot, a debut picture book about a polka dot who embraces their differences and does their own thing. Publication is planned for 2026, with a second book to follow in 2027; Kevin O’Connor at O'Connor Literary Agency brokered the deal.
Alvina Ling at Little, Brown has acquired The God of Sleep, a bedtime picture book by Lev Grossman (l.), illustrated by Huỳnh Kim Liên, which takes readers on a journey to find the elusive god of sleep, who is needed to bring a sound slumber to the world. Publication is slated for winter 2026; Janine Kamouh at WME sold North American rights for the author, and Kate Webber at Good Illustration Limited sold world rights for the artist.
Simon Boughton at Norton Young Readers has bought world rights to Picadillo for Paulina, a picture book by mother-son writing duo Newbery Honor author Ruth Behar (l.) and Gabriel Frye-Behar (c.), illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina (r.). Young Paulina's decision to become a vegetarian is met with skepticism by her meat-based picadillo-loving grandparents, until just maybe a creative new recipe can please the entire clan. Publication is set for summer 2026; Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Birch Path Literary represented the authors, and Claire Morance at Painted Words represented the illustrator.
Lauri Hornik at Penguin/Rocky Pond has acquired world rights to The Missing Piece, a humorous picture book about a boy searching for the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle and the cat who's trying to help, by Timmy Woitas (l.), illustrated by Bats Langley. Publication is scheduled for summer 2027; Amy Stern at Sheldon Fogelman Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Matt Phipps at Putnam has bought Shelly and Claude by Leslie Helakoski (l.), illustrated by Alex Willmore, a picture book about an odd-couple pair of ghost crabs—one a homebody and introvert, the other outgoing to a fault—who learn the value of being good neighbors despite their differences. Publication is slated for spring 2028; Garrett Alwert at Emerald City Literary represented the author, and Nicky Lander at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books has acquired a new romantasy duology by Emily Varga, The River She Became and The River on Fire. Pitched as The Mummy meets The Cruel Prince, the story follows a relic hunter searching for a way to restore magic to her world. To do so she must cross into a fae world and work with an enigmatic captain to outwit ancient curses, battle creatures born of nightmares, and find a power that could resurrect both their worlds. Publication is set for spring 2026 and spring 2027; Paige Terlip at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.
Jody Corbett at Scholastic has bought, in a preempt, Cheer Heist, the debut YA by Choctaw Nation member Stacy Wells, developed by Bittersweet Books. Three Choctaw cheerleaders take on smugglers of stolen Native art in this adventure aimed at fans of Rez Ball and Heist Society. Publication is scheduled for 2027; John Cusick at Folio Literary Management brokered the deal on behalf of Bittersweet Books; Savannah Brooks represented the author while at KT Literary; Wells is now represented by Laurel Symonds at KT Literary.
Nancy Cooper at Annick Press has acquired an untitled middle grade debut novel by Nicholas DeShaw (Loaf the Cat Goes to the Powwow), about an Anishnaabe boy, Zaagaaso, who takes up the fight for land and water rights his mother started years ago before she was killed. When a long-disappeared manoomin crop mysteriously regrows overnight, Zaagaaso, with the help of his best friend, their history teacher, and a few supernatural beings, fight to protect their home from those who want to steal it. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Jacqui Lipton at Tobias Literary Agency sold world rights.
Siobhan Ciminera at Simon Spotlight has bought Time-Traveling Chickens: Bawk to the Future, the debut graphic novel by Geisel Honor winner Kaz Windness, in which two accidental time-traveling chickens, Nugget & Tenders, must save chicken-kind from being turned into a mindless edible army; Melissa Vogan will edit. Publication is planned for August 2026, followed by a sequel, Time-Traveling Chickens: Nugget & Tenders' Eggscellent Adventure. Timothy Travaglini at Transatlantic Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Sally Morgridge at Holiday House has acquired world rights to Lions Looks by Mike Ciccotello, an early reader for the I Like to Read line about a lion pursuing a rabbit in order to find out where the rabbit got its book. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency negotiated the deal.
Mabel Hsu at Sourcebooks/Stonefruit Studio has bought Do Not Pet the Dinosaur, a picture book by author-illustrator Skylar Hogan. A T-rex oversleeps and wakes up in our modern world, but now all his friends are bones at the Museum of Natural History. Can he find himself a job, new friends, and maybe something big enough to eat? Publication is set for spring 2027; Christa Heschke at McIntosh & Otis brokered the two-book deal for world rights.
Amanda Gaglione at Little, Brown has acquired world rights to Season's Greetings from Krampus, a picture book by Jan Eldredge, illustrated by Laura Borio, in which a girl who takes pride in being on the naughty list every Christmas wreaks holiday havoc to earn herself a visit from Krampus—Santa's wicked counterpart. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary represented the author, and Vickie Savanella at Advocate Art represented the artist.
Emma Parkin at Barefoot Books has bought world rights to Bunnies Know & Grow and Puppies Know & Grow by Laura Gehl (l.) (Orson and the World's Loudest Library), illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford (Thank You, Old Oak). Readers can learn what baby bunnies and puppies know from birth and how they develop as they grow. Publication is planned for spring 2026; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink Literary Studio represented the author, and Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
Deidra Purvis at Free Spirit has acquired world rights to A Suitcase Full, a picture book by debut author Maryam Kia (l.), illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett, and based on the author's childhood. A girl travels across the globe after her family is forced to leave Iran with little notice; leaving everything else behind, she holds onto her beloved grandmother's suitcase and fills it with stories that she can share. Christine Zuchora-Walske and Alison Behnke will edit; publication is set for summer 2026. Mona Kanin at Great Dog Literary represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Kristin Zelazko at Magination Press has bought world rights to As You Are: A Hope for Black Sons by Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle (l.), illustrated by David Wilkerson. In this picture book written in free verse, a mother shares her wisdom that she hopes her child carries with him always―to embrace the world when it is kind, to know that he is worthy when the world is not, and to remember that her love will never waver. Publication is slated for spring 2026; Deborah Warren at East/West Literary Agency represented the author, and Robbin Brosterman at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
