More News from the Bologna Fair; Authors Gather for TeenBookCon

[PW Children's Bookshelf: Breaking children's and YA publishing news, author interviews, bestsellers lists and reviews.] [Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts]( Bologna Report [Bologna 2018: Middle Grade, Inspiring Women, and Unicorns]( Unlike the years where YA dystopian trilogies were the talk of the fair, the nature of the conversation has shifted, according to those who attended this year’s Bologna fair. Trends included books for middle graders, nonfiction, stories about strong and inspiring women, and in some cases, titles featuring all of the above. We asked a number of U.S. publishers for their Bologna reflections. [more]( [Figures and Forecasts on China's Children's Book Market]( Analysis of China's booming children's book landscape took center stage during a forum at Bologna, with plenty of numbers offered as evidence. Since 2002, Chinese children’s publishing has maintained an annual growth rate of more than 10%. [more]( [Bologna 2018: A Talk with Cao Wenxuan]( As the first Chinese author to receive the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award (in 2016), Cao Wenxuan is now considered the standard-bearer for Chinese children’s literature, both in his native China and abroad. We spoke with Cao in Bologna, where China was the guest of honor. [more]( [Bologna 2018: AR and Apps Augment]( As much action took place behind closed doors as it did on the public stage in the Digital Café at this year’s Bologna Book Fair, with several companies, including Netflix and Google, said to be quietly negotiating content and licensing deals for children’s intellectual property. [more]( [Bologna 2018: Licensing Highlights]( Licensed books and intellectual property always have a strong presence at Bologna, and 2018 was no exception. Not only did the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair, which runs alongside the book fair, highlight more than 600 properties from 60 exhibitors, but the book fair itself spotlighted licensed titles from a variety of publishers from around the world. [more]( [Emma and Muse by Nancy Lemon]( In the News [Cottage Door Press To Acquire Parragon Assets]( The independent publisher, founded in 2014, has agreed to acquire “a substantial portion of [the] worldwide intellectual property rights” of Parragon. Currently based in Barrington, Ill., Cottage Door specializes in publishing children’s books for the infant to preschool market, and has continually expanded its offerings since its launch. [more]( [PRH and Kiwanis International Partner for Literacy and Service Program]( Penguin Random House has launched Read and Lead, a new partnership with Kiwanis International's K-Kids clubs, peer-run service groups for kids ages 9–12 in the U.S. The program will feature literacy kits and reading lists designed to motivate young readers to kick off their own community service projects. [more]( SPONSORED [Win 'Heal the Earth' for Your Class!]( One winner will receive a signed classroom set by NYT bestselling author Julian Lennon! [ENTER HERE ►]( On the Scene [2018 TeenBookCon In Photos]( The ninth annual TeenBookCon took place on March 24 outside of Houston. The event drew 1,400 attendees, who had the opportunity to connect with a variety of YA authors, including Tomi Adeyemi and Brendan Reichs. Click through for a selection of highlights from the festivities. [more]( Q & A [Jon Burgerman]( A compulsive doodler, Jon Burgerman has displayed his artwork on social media, posters, apparel, and—with last year's publication of Splat!—in the pages of a children’s book. This week, the publisher is releasing Burgerman’s second picture book, Rhyme Crime, in which a burglar with a knack for rhyming is on the loose. British-born Burgerman, who now lives in Brooklyn, spoke with us about how his love of doodling helped launch a picture book career. Q: Did your penchant for doodling and scribbling serve you well when you began creating picture books? A: I’ve done lots of improvised drawing performances over the years, which I think is pretty similar conceptually to writing. I’m not entirely sure where it’s going to go, and I’m excited to see exactly what will happen. For me, writing is a mix of trying hard and not trying, and letting things float to the surface and magically appear. [more]( [How to Trick the Tooth Fairy by Erin Danielle Russell]( Out Next Week [Hot Off the Presses: Week of April 9, 2018]( Among the books hitting shelves next week are a picture book about a lighthouse keeper, a middle grade novel about an indomitable girl during wartime, and a YA novel about a teen who hopes art school will offer a lifeline out of his struggles. [more]( In Brief [In Brief: April 5, 2018]( This week, Dhonielle Clayton and Tomi Adeyemi talk shop at a teen book festival; journalists Katty Kay and Claire Shipman help girls find their confidence; co-authors Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes tour with a four-legged companion; a YA-focused talk show records a new episode; and author and illustrator team Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison promote a literacy program. [more]( For more about these and other great jobs, visit the new [PW JobZone]( now with resume hosting and more! - [Senior Editor, Professional Clinical Publishing - American Academy of Pediatrics - Itasca](. - [UNM Press Director - UNM Press - Albuquerque](. - [Publicity & Marketing Planner - Storey Publishing - North Adams](. - [Acquisitions Editor - HarperCollins Christian Publishing - Nashville](. - [Editor, Epic Ink - The Quarto Group - Bellevue](. Rights Report Ali Fisher at Tor Books has acquired, at auction, TJ Klune's LGBT #ownvoices teen trilogy, The Extraordinaries, about teen superheroes and the everyday geek boy who follows them. The first title is set for a winter 2020 release; Deidre Knight at the Knight Agency represented Klune in the three-book deal for North American rights; Sam Bradbury at Hodder & Stoughton bought the rights for simultaneous hardcover U.K. publication. Sara Sargent at HarperCollins has bought Sex Plus: Learning, Loving, and Enjoying Your Body by Laci Green, the YouTube megastar and sex educator hailed by Time as the "millennial Dr. Ruth." The book offers a guide to all the things that go along with sexuality, including pleasure, anatomy, consent, LGBTQ issues, STI and pregnancy prevention, sexual empowerment, and healthy relationships. Publication is set for September 2018; Erin Malone and Eve Attermann at WME handled the deal for North American rights. Kat Brzozowski at Swoon Reads has acquired Katy Upperman's new YA novel, How the Light Gets, about a grieving teen whose move into her aunt's B&B prompts her to explore the house's strange ties to a grizzly death that occurred years ago, and the two boys still connected to the tragedy. Publication is scheduled for spring/summer 2019; Victoria Marini brokered the deal for world English rights. Susan Rich at Little, Brown has bought Winnie's Great War by Lindsay Mattick (l.) and Josh Greenhut, illustrated by Sophie Blackall, the team behind the Caldecott Medal-winning Finding Winnie. The middle grade novel is based on the true wartime adventures undertaken by the extraordinary bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists and Kim Witherspoon at InkWell Management represented the authors in the deal for world rights, excluding Canada, and Nancy Gallt at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency represented the illustrator. Emilia Rhodes at HMH has preempted, in a three-book deal, Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron. After her father goes missing, 12-year-old Maya uncovers that he is the keeper of the gateway between our world and The Dark. To find her father, she'll need to unlock her own powers and fight a horde of creatures set on starting a war. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media negotiated the deal for world English rights. Stacy Whitman at Tu Books has acquired Ahimsa author Supriya Kelkar's The Sandalwood Pyre, about an 11-year-old child bride in 1857 India, who escapes the life she has no say in, only to end up a servant to a British general in the East India Company. When the Indian rebellion spreads, she must choose between following the British and fighting against them. Publication is set for spring 2020; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights. Margaret Raymo at HMH has bought two-time Edgar Award finalist Lamar Giles's debut middle grade fantasy, The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, inspired partly by Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth, about two cousins in Virginia who accidentally freeze time. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019 under Kwame Alexander's new imprint, Versify; Jamie Weiss Chilton at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for North American rights. Liz Szabla and Jean Feiwel at Feiwel and Friends have acquired two untitled picture books by 2018 Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell (Wolf in the Snow). Publication is planned for fall 2020 and fall 2021; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the six-figure deal for North American rights. Carol Hinz at Lerner/Carolrhoda has bought A Map into the World by Kao Kalia Yang (l.), illustrated by Seo Kim. The picture book tells the story of a Hmong-American girl who seeks out beauty in many forms. Publication is slated for fall 2019; Bill Clegg at the Clegg Agency represented the author, and Claudi Conti at Illozoo represented the illustrator. Sylvie Frank at S&S/Wiseman has acquired world rights to We Love Fishing by Ariel Bernstein, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal. The picture book stars Bear, Porcupine, and Otter, who all love fishing, and Squirrel, who, well, doesn't. Publication is set for fall 2020; Mary Cummings at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises represented the author, and Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties represented the illustrator. Caroline Abbey and Maria Modugno have bought Lasting Love by Caroline Wright (l.), illustrated by Willow Heath, for the Rodale list at Random House Books for Young Readers. The picture book is about a parent's enduring love, written especially for children facing the loss of a parent. Publication is scheduled for fall 2019; Katelyn Detweller at Jill Grinberg Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights, including audio rights. Christy Cox at Little Bigfoot has acquired world rights to The Spirit of Springer by Amanda Abler, illustrated by Levi Hastings. The nonfiction picture book is about an orphaned orca named Springer—who was found near starvation in the Puget Sound—and her successful rescue and release, which led to her starting her own family. Publication is slated for spring 2020; both Abler and Hastings represented themselves in the deal. Courtney Fahy and Charlie Ilgunas at Little Bee have bought world rights to Allison Crotzer Kimmel's (l.) The Eternal Soldier: How a Dog Became a Civil War Hero, illustrated by Rotem Teplow, a nonfiction picture book about a dog that became the mascot of a Union battalion in the Civil War and comforted the troops during the Battle of Gettysburg. Publication is planned for summer 2019; Jenna Pocius at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Amanda Hendon at Advocate Art represented the illustrator. Marilyn Brigham at Amazon/Two Lions has acquired world rights to The Monster Next Door by Sue Ganz Schmitt, illustrated by Luke Flowers, a picture book comedy about accepting differences. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; Jennifer Unter at the Unter Agency represented the author, and the artist represented himself. To see all of this week's deals, [click here](. IN THE MEDIA [From Broadly:]( Judy Blume Taught a Generation of Young Girls to Be Feminists. [Click here]( [From Entertainment Weekly:]( What If It's Us: Adam Silvera, Becky Albertalli preview queer love story. [Click here]( [From 100 Scope Notes:]( Your Netflix Guide to TV/Film Adaptations of Children's Books. [Click here]( [From W:]( The 10 New YA Books You May See Coming to a Theater Near You. [Click here]( [From Epic Reads:]( The 11 Greatest Duos in Young Adult Books. [Click here]( [From Bookish:]( Recommendations for Books that Break Down Walls. [Click here]( [From Kidscreen:]( Universal Kids finds new Where's Waldo? Series. [Click here]( [From the New York Times:]( Mary H.K. Choi Wanted to Write a Book in Which 'High-Key Nothing Happens.' [Click here]( [From School Library Journal:]( Understanding—and Teaching—the Five Kinds of Nonfiction. [Click here]( [From NJ.com:]( Caldecott winner Peter Brown on robots, books and New Jersey. [Click here]( [From Book Riot:]( The Kids Are Going to Be Alright: YA Books and Social Media. [Click here]( [From Book Riot:]( 50 Must-Read Board Books for Babies. [Click here]( SHELFTALKER Kenny Brechner [Gertie’s Leap to Sameness]( Should a book cover convey the essence of the story it represents? Your opinion is requested. [more »]( Cynthia Compton [Bye Bye, Geoffrey]( An indie kids’ store owner reflects on the closing of Toys R Us. [more »]( Elizabeth Bluemle [Greetings, Literally]( Famous children’s book artists add greeting cards to their repertoire. [more »]( Meghan Dietsche Goel [Spring Awakens, Part 2]( Walking the woods with ‘Bear and Wolf’ by Daniel Salmieri. [more »]( FEATURED REVIEWS [Whale in a Fishbowl]( Troy Howell, illus. by Richard Jones. Schwartz & Wade, $17.99 (42p) ISBN 978-1-5247-1518-2 Wednesday the Whale lives in an enormous glass bowl in the middle of a busy urban interchange. If she leaps upward, she can see an expanse of blue beyond the city. The sight fills her with longing. Humans who watch her desperate leaps misunderstand: “People said she was doing tricks.” Only one, a child named Piper, perceives what Wednesday needs. “You belong in the sea,” she tells Wednesday. [more]( [Out of Left Field]( Ellen Klages. Viking, $16.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-425-288597 Ten-year-old Kathleen Curie Gordon’s knuckling curveball is so good it wins her a Little League tryout—wearing her cap, Katy can pass as a boy. She makes the team but is outed by another player’s parent; it’s 1957 and league rules expressly prohibit girls. When Katy decides to write her history paper on women in baseball, she uncovers a trove of information about female stars and learns a lesson in resistance. [more]( [She Loves You (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)]( Ann Hood. Penguin Workshop, $16.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-5247-8511-6 Bestselling author Hood revisits Beatlemania through her narrator Trudy Mixer, a sixth grader growing up in Rhode Island in 1966. School has been great for Trudy and her best friend, Michelle—that is until Trudy returns from spring break, when everything changes. This charming coming-of-age story acts as a time capsule, offering contemporary readers a glimpse into life in the 1960s while exploring issues young people face in every generation. [more]( [We'll Fly Away]( Bryan Bliss. Greenwillow, $17.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-06-249427-6 Before Luke ended up on death row, he and his best friend Toby dreamed of escaping rural North Carolina in a beat-up crop duster that they discovered in a wooded area. Alternating between third-person chronicles of Luke and Toby’s senior year of high school and Luke’s letters to his friend from behind bars, Bliss weaves together a compelling and raw story. [more]( TALES FROM THE SLUSH PILE [SEE ALL]( April 5, 2018 E-mail not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Captain Superlative by J. S. Puller]( [Baby Loves Gravity!]( [PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Blue Balliett]( PeopleSemareh Al-Hillal has been named publisher of Groundwood Books, effective May 7. She is currently associate publisher at Kids Can Press. In Case You Missed It [Bologna 2018: Middle Grade Fiction and Diverse Titles Remain Hot]( [more]( [Jacqueline Woodson Wins Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award]( [more]( [Kid Lit Marches for Kids]( [more]( [Booksellers Outraged by Chronicle’s Rollout of John Oliver Book]( [more]( Sneak Previews Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for children and teens due out this fall, from picture books to YA novels, [in our exclusive roundup](. Follow Us Children's Bookshelf is on [Instagram]( Follow us @pwkidsbookshelf. Bookshelf Archives Looking for a previous issue of Children's Bookshelf? [Click here]( for our archives page! CONTACT US Have a comment or suggestion? We'd love to hear from you. [Click here](mailto:childrensbooks@publishersweekly.com) to drop us a note. 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