Kids & YA Newsletter: February 2024
PICTURE BOOK
It’s a Sunday morning in Harlem, and Tyrell is having fun shooting hoops with his friends. But when he sees a father help his young son shoot a basket, Tyrell leaves the playground dejected. Suddenly, a fierce African warrior appears and asks why Tyrell is crying. Tyrell explains that he doesn’t have a father, and immediately the warrior and Tyrell are transported to a hill overlooking an African landscape. Below, they see a legion of African men, and the warrior explains that they are ALL Tyrell’s fathers. The men toss Tyrell high in the air, and he sails past the Earth and Sun. When he returns, Tyrell knows that he will never feel fatherless again, for all 1,000 of his fathers will always be behind him. Illustrated by Pura Belpré honor winner Carlos Aponte (Across the Bay), THE BOY WITH 1,000 FATHERS marks an uplifting and empowering debut picture book by acclaimed filmmaker Vigil Chime. Watching Tyrell grow in the confidence and love of his surrogate family will surely provide welcome encouragement for all young readers. (Please note, this project is represented by John Rudolph.)
Out of the blue, a young girl makes an unexpected, magical bond with a stunning crow that develops into a life-changing friendship. This is a true story about the power and joy in connecting with nature and accepting the unknown that comes with having a bond with a wild animal. INTO THE BLUE, based on the author Jenny Turnbull’s real experience and friendship with a wild crow, Marty Bird, will inspire readers to think about nature, human-animal bonds, and crows in a new way. Jenny’s initial social media post about her experience went viral, and her ongoing and special friendship with Marty has since gained a loyal following. Back matter will include fascinating facts about the remarkable intelligence, memory, and behavior of crows as well as optional photos of Marty. (Please note, Stacey Glick is the agent on this project.)
Every morning at Clover Brooke Farm, Dog pesters Cow to share her extra milk. Since Dog only drinks water, Cow is a little suspicious, but one hot day Dog offers Cow some ice cream, and she forgets all her concerns… until Dog asks her to pay for it! Not having any money, Cow sets to work selling ice cream for Dog, but somehow she never seems to sell enough to pay off Dog for that first scoop. That is, until Cow discovers that the main ingredient in ice cream is… well, you get the picture! With MILK MONEY, author/illustrator Dave Wheeler (New House) crafts a delightful story about supply and demand, and how farm economics aren’t as simple as they may seem. Readers will love puzzling out how Cow can break even as they root for her to turn the tables on that sneaky Dog! (Please note, this project is represented by John Rudolph.)
MIDDLE GRADE
Have you ever wondered what the Trojan War would look like if it were fought with robots and jet packs? A GATHERING IN GREECE: THE CHRONOSPHERE CHRONICLES, the first in a planned series of upper-level middle grade novels by J.A. Dauber (Children’s Book Council award-winning Mayhem and Madness and the forthcoming Press 1 for 1nvasion from Aladdin) is a fun, lively adventure story in which twelve-year-old Sam Thompson finds himself pulled from the present day to ancient Greece, and embroiled in a titanic battle that ranges through time and space to protect the very nature of the timestream itself from malicious intervention – and if he’s successful, save his parents’ lives in the process. Alongside a motley crew of highly unlikely companions, including some philosophizing barbarians, a talking mosquito, a genetically engineered dragon, and a somewhat ill-tempered princess, Sam’s adventures, which mix classic mythology with elements of fantasy and science fiction, are not only fast-paced, action-packed, and adventurously comic, but they also serve to correct the historical record. Which, up to now, has been notoriously and tragically short on laser beams. (Please note, Stacey Glick is the agent on this project.)
How do you move forward after trauma? Eleven-year-old Phoenix doesn’t know how to reenter a world that expects her to act like Before-Cancer “BC” Phoenix, when that girl no longer exists. Things BC Phoenix loved—school, friends, running—now cause “The Ants” (a manifestation of her anxiety) to surface. Conjuring Newman (an imaginary friend) and writing letters (that she never sends) to fellow cancer patient and prankster, fourteen-year-old Joanna, helps keep The Ants under control…at first. But Phoenix knows a secret about Joanna that terrifies her, and The Ants love secrets. Then, Phoenix discovers an injured fawn with whom she identifies and begins volunteering at the clinic where he’s brought to heal. Between caring for vulnerable animals, attending art therapy, and reflecting on how Joanna’s hospital pranks—especially the Great Escape—were really lessons in resilience, Phoenix starts to heal too. But when the fawn’s release date approaches, The Ants return, full force. Terrified the fawn will be harmed when set free, Phoenix plans another Great Escape to “rescue” him. When it fails, she faces a choice: retreat permanently into her isolated and fear-filled world, or face and release the trauma (by facing Joanna and her secret) and own the brave girl she already is. Exploring what it means to “abandon” versus “let go,” PHOENIX, FORWARD by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo reminds us how facing visible and invisible scars can help us discover our own incredible power to heal, for fans of The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen and Wayward Creatures by Dayna Lorentz. (Please note, Stacey Glick is the agent on this project.)
YOUNG ADULT
When they win a STEM competition, five high school girls are given the experience of a lifetime to spend a week with iconic biologist and unapologetic feminist Annie Bimep on a small island off the Washington coast. Each will begin their mentorship with Annie by learning about how she has rehabilitated the nature reserve on the island. But after an aggressive illness and a sudden storm leave the girls without electricity, phone access, or supervision, things spiral wildly out of control. Three mercenaries appear as the storm whips up, in pursuit of the gold that, legend has it, has been hidden somewhere nearby. A week after arriving, four of the girls have found themselves at a Coast Guard station, where they’re being interrogated about why not everyone made it off the island alive. With a few words, any girl can escape the blame. All she needs to do is betray her new friends and implicate them in a few murders. But a week evading danger has bonded the girls, and if they just apply a little game theory, maybe they can survive this, just as they survived the last seven days. Outer Banks with a touch of Yellowjackets, A.N. Döllenbach’s SEVEN DAYS is an action-packed YA suspense debut that’ll have readers rooting for its characters as they try to unwind exactly how far each will go. (Please note, Lauren Abramo is the agent on this project.)
Exuberant Blaire Roberts cannot wait to spend the summer after senior year on her school’s much-anticipated European trip—and most of all, she can’t wait to spend the trip with her girlfriend, Jillian. But when Jillian breaks up with Blaire days beforehand, citing her over-the-top personality, Blaire is devastated. Enter Dani Parker: shy and reclusive, Dani has spent high school keeping to herself, except for one dreamy date she and Blaire went on back in freshman year. Blaire’s fine with the distance—she was hurt when Dani ghosted her post-date, not knowing that Dani’s mother’s alcoholism is what caused her to retreat. But when Dani and Blaire are seated together on the flight over to Europe, Blaire has a fantastic idea: they can fake-date over the course of the trip. Jillian will get jealous and come running back to Blaire, Dani will actually have some company for once—everybody wins! But when the plan to entice Jillian back starts working at the exact same time that old feelings start to bubble up between Blaire and Dani, Blaire will have to decide if proving Jillian wrong is more important than the girl who celebrates her for who she really is, big personality and all. A lesbian love story that explores the complicated layers of relationships amidst a whirlwind tour of Europe, THE GAY GIRLS’ GUIDE TO FAKING IT by author Jenna Miller combines the sapphic joy of Kelly Quindlen’s novels with the fat positivity of Julie Murphy’s books. (Please note, Michaela Whatnall is the agent on this project.)
YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION
Nearly 35 years after his tragic death from AIDS, Keith Haring’s artwork remains ubiquitous to teenagers—all kids recognize his signature faceless cartoon figures in countless posters, t-shirts, and backpacks in their schools and across the world. With REBELLIOUS: KEITH HARING’S LIFE AND ART, National Book Award nominee Michael G. Long offers the first in-depth biography for young readers of an artist celebrated not only for his bold lines but also for his social consciousness. Long traces Haring’s life from his birth near Kutztown, Pennsylvania, where he rebelled against his parents’ religion and politics to his years in art school and his rocket to stardom as a guerilla graffiti artist tagging the New York subways. Readers will also discover how Haring used his celebrity and art to support political causes such as LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, and campaigns against nuclear weapons and white supremacy. Featuring new research, interviews, and Haring’s own words from his journals, REBELLIOUS creates an indelible portrait of Haring that will inspire young readers to make their own statements—after all, as Haring often said, “Art is for everybody.” (Please note, this project is represented by John Rudolph.)
YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL
Fiery George wants nothing more than to be a knight. Glamorous and ridiculously famous, knights compete in showy competitions to establish themselves as champions, and George is determined to be among their ranks. Her small stature, however, means that no knight will give her a shot as their squire—that is, until Lady Serafina posts a surprise notice that she’s seeking an apprentice. Serafina wouldn’t exactly be George’s first choice as a mentor—while she’s the best in the league, she’s notorious for being more than a little bit prickly and she could really do with a wardrobe update—but she’ll have to do. From the care and keeping of armor, to proper sword technique, George has a lot to learn, but she’s also simultaneously aiming to whip her mentor into shape. Serafina is undoubtedly skilled, but she has yet to learn that just because you can do it alone, doesn’t mean you have to. Together the two embark on a journey to take the league of knights by storm. Perfect for fans of Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas and Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher, LADIES OF THE KNIGHT by debut author-illustrator Fiona Marchbank is an absolutely delightful graphic novel set in a welcomingly queer-normative world, full of unforgettable characters and truly dynamic art. (Please note, Michaela Whatnall is the agent on this project.)