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Focus on Middle Grade  Eye on Middle Grade: Spring 2020 We asked editors about some of the latest developments in the category: the portrayal of mental health issues and #MeToo trauma, and graphic novel–style memoirs and nonfiction. more 
 Middle Grade Spotlight: A Book List Click through to see our selection of some of the noteworthy spring titles exploring new territory in books for young readers. more
In the Spotlight While the book publishing industry is responding daily to the coronavirus outbreak, we will provide continuing coverage on efforts by publishers, authors, booksellers, and more.
 Working from Home
Having to work from home because of the Covid-19 pandemic presents a unique set of challenges, such as figuring out a workspace, attending videoconferences with kids and pets vying for attention, and more. We asked children's publishing staffers how they are coping. more
 Kerlan Collection Hosts #OperationReadAloud
True to its mission of promoting children's literature and literacy, the Kerlan Children's Literature Research Collections has launched #OperationReadAloud. The project consists of videos, primarily of authors and illustrators, but also celebrities such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, reading from beloved children’s books. more
 MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse To Offer Author-Led Classes Schools nationwide have struggled with the challenge of how best to open for online instruction, but for students who have internet access, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group is offering three days of instruction from a unique set of teachers. From April 27–30, MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse will provide classes for middle graders taught by children's authors. more
In the News  Federal Appeals Court Declares Literacy a Constitutional Right In a 2-1 ruling released today, the court held that basic literacy is "implicit in the concept of ordered liberty," and central to "the basic exercise of other fundamental rights," including political participation. more
 Bologna Virtual Fair Releases Schedule, Opens Registrations The Bologna Children's Book Fair has released its schedule for the virtual edition of the fair, which will be held from May 4–7. The online edition includes exhibitions, conferences, and even illustrator portfolio reviews. "We have been working nonstop for weeks to see this happen and feel we have come up with the best approximate experience of actually being in Bologna at the fair that we can with the tools available," exhibition manager Elena Pasoli told PW. more
 Riordans to Match Up to $100K In Donations to #SaveIndieBookstores Rick and Becky Riordan have announced a personal matching gift challenge for the #SaveIndieBookstores campaign, in which they will match each dollar raised up to $100,000. MORE
 Gotham Group Joins Nonprofits to Provide Kids' Content During Pandemic
The Gotham Group, a management and production company representing talent in the entertainment and book industries, has assembled a number of nonprofit organizations to share free videos for children under quarantine. The Gotham Reads series, which kicked off on YouTube yesterday, will feature nearly 75 authors, screenwriters, and performers, reading books and discussing their creative process. more
Out Next Week  Hot Off the Presses: Week of April 27, 2020 Among the books hitting shelves next week are a rhyming picture book about sizzling sausages, a galactic middle grade series-starter, and the launch of a YA high fantasy duology. more
In Brief 
In Brief: April 23, 2020 This week, Isaac Fitzgerald and Brigette Barrager have a dream fulfilled; Jeopardy! features a contemporary classic; Monica Hesse has a virtual launch; and Wednesday Books has a weeklong reader fest. more
Rights Report  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.
 Arianne Lewin at Putnam has acquired, in a preempt, in a two-book deal, debut author Leslie Vedder's The Bone Spindle, an #OwnVoices LGBTQ YA fantasy pitched as a gender-flipped Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones, in which a cursed treasure hunter and an axe-wielding huntswoman must team up to rescue the prince sleeping in the Forest of Thorns. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; Carrie Hannigan and Ellen Goff at HG Literary did the deal for North American rights.
 Britny Brooks at Running Press has bought Fools in Love, a romance anthology co-edited by Rebecca Podos (l.) and Ashley Herring Blake, offering new takes on classic romance tropes in multiple genres, from Rebecca Barrow, Gloria Chao, Sara Farizan, Claire Kann, Hannah Moskowitz, Natasha Ngan, Lilliam Rivera, Laura Silverman, Amy Spalding, Rebecca Kim Wells, Julian Winters, and more. Publication is set for December 2021; Eric Smith at P.S. Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.
 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.
 Alessandra Balzer at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired Mapmaker, a middle-grade fantasy by Lisa Moore Ramée (A Good Kind of Trouble), and a second untitled middle grade novel. Walt is a Mapmaker, one of just a few in the universe who can draw maps that come to life. He must pit his own powers against another malevolent Mapmaker who has the power to destroy any world—including our own. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Brenda Bowen at the Book Group handled the two-book deal for world English rights.
 Claire Stetzer at Bloomsbury has bought, at auction, J. Elle's middle grade debut, A Taste of Magic. The first of two books set at the Park Row Magic Academy stars 12-year-old Kyana, a black girl who enrolls in an inner-city magical academy hidden in the back of a beauty shop and must fight to keep it open after redistricting and gentrification threaten to close it down. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.
 Laura Godwin at Macmillan/Godwin has acquired How to Be Brave, a middle grade debut by blogger and podcaster Daisy May Johnson. Set in a boarding school in the U.K.—the same one Calla's mother attended when she was orphaned years ago—Calla and her friends must outwit the new headmistress to save her mother (whose special duck expedition isn't what it seems) in the Amazon. Publication is set for fall 2021. Allison Hellegers at Stimola Literary Studio did the deal for North American rights on behalf of Bryony Woods at DKW in the U.K.; U.K. rights went to Sarah Odedina at Pushkin Press.
 Andrea Colvin at Little, Brown has bought, in an exclusive submission, Sharee Miller's debut middle-grade graphic novel Curlfriends, in a planned four-book series. The series follows four black girls from different backgrounds as they meet, face challenges, and learn lessons about friendship, love, and growing up. Publication of book one is slated for fall 2022; Monica Odom at Odom Media Management brokered the deal for world rights.
 Margaret Ferguson at Holiday House has acquired world rights to Worser, a middle-grade novel by Jennifer Ziegler, author of How Not to Be Popular and Revenge of the Flower Girls. Worser centers a socially awkward, word-loving boy whose life is upended by his single mother's recent stroke, but finds glimmers of hope when it turns out there are friends to be found who also share his love of wordplay. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
 Karen Nagel at Aladdin has bought, in an exclusive submission, the first four books of a chapter book series, Night Frights, by Joe McGee (Junior Monster Scouts). The books tell about strange happenings in a small town in the woods, creepy things that only kids see but adults never notice. Publication of the first book, The Haunted Mustache, is scheduled for fall 2021; Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
 Connie Hsu at Roaring Brook has acquired world rights to Parfait, Not Parfait! by Scott Rothman (l.) (Attack of the Underwear Dragon). Avery Monsen (All My Friends Are Dead) will illustrate. The book is a minimally worded read-aloud that takes readers on a wordplay journey. Publication is set for winter 2022; Erica Silverman at Stimola Literary represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the illustrator.
 Allyn Johnston at Beach Lane has bought world rights to An Abundance of Light by Lauren Stringer, a picture book about Henri Matisse's experiences in Tangier, Morocco, and about how the people, the culture, and most of all, the abundance of sunlight, changed Matisse's understanding of light and dark in both his art and his life. Publication is slated for fall 2022; Victoria Wells Arms at Wells Arms Literary/HG represented the author-illustrator.
 Nancy Inteli and Megan Ilnitzki at HarperCollins have acquired world rights to Jason June's (l.) picture book Never Forget Eleanor, about the life-changing power of words and the ways in which those we love never truly leave us. The story follows a young elephant named Elijah who loves the stories his grandma Eleanor tells him. But when Eleanor's memory starts to fade, Elijah will need to become the storyteller himself. Bestselling picture book creator Loren Long will illustrate; publication is planned for winter 2023. Brent Taylor at Triada US represented the author, and Steven Malk at Writers House represented the artist.
 Karen Boss at Charlesbridge has bought world rights to Branches of Hope: A Story About the 9/11 Survivor Tree, a nonfiction picture book by debut author Ann Magee (l.) and illustrated by Nicole Wong. The journey of the Callery pear tree rescued from Ground Zero and replanted 10 years later is presented alongside a wordless story about a girl and her first-responder uncle. Publication is set for summer 2021, in time for the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The author was represented by Carole Boston Weatherford, and Teresa Kietlinski at Bookmark Literary represented the illustrator.
 Kristen Mohn at Capstone has acquired world rights to Best Buddies by Lynn Plourde, illustrated by Arthur Lin. In this story about friendship and growing up, a boy with Down syndrome starts kindergarten, and he and his dog realize that even though they can't be together all day long anymore, they'll always be best buddies. Publication is scheduled for fall 2021; Susan Cohen at Writers House represented the author, and Simon Bollinger at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator.
 Katie Moore at Magination Press has bought world rights to They're So Flamboyant!, a picture book by Michael Genhart (l.) (Rainbow: A First Book of Pride) that shows the welcome change that comes over a neighborhood of birds when a flamboyance of pretty, pink, and proud flamingos moves in. Tony Neal will illustrate; publication is slated for fall 2021. Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and Frederica Dawson at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
 Lauri Hornik at Dial has acquired world rights to Marilyn Singer's (l.) Following the Holidays, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte. The collection of poems celebrates Jewish holidays both familiar and not, and explores the history behind each special day. Publication is planned for fall 2022; the author represented herself, and Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency represented the artist.
 Sarah Rockett at Sleeping Bear Press has bought world rights to Ocean Soup, written by Meeg Pincus (l.). The plastics in our oceans make the waters look more like a soup than the crystal-clear waters we expect, but who were those chefs who cooked up such a brew? And more importantly, what is the recipe for cleaning up our seas? Lucy Semple will illustrate; publication is set for spring 2021. Jenna Pocius at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.
 Cindy Kim at Little Simon has acquired world rights to Babybug, a board book written and illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan. The book is a day-in-the-life adventure featuring baby's everyday activities imagined in nature. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; Nicole Tugeau at Tugeau 2 represented the author.
IN THE MEDIA
SHELFTALKER
Kenny Brechner Two Twos Two things I’m pretty sure are true and two things we’re doing at DDG to work around the closure of our selling floor. more »Elizabeth Bluemle Publishers: Think Like a Kid Pushing books back several months affects children differently from adults. more »Elizabeth Bluemle Stars and Stares Kind acts and thoughtful generosity shine through the darker moments of this crisis. more »Meghan Dietsche Goel Reaching Readers Where They Are: At Home! Offering a big thank you to BookShop and Ingram Direct-to-Home. more »FEATURED REVIEWS
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April 23, 2020
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Award News 
Family entertainment company Encantos has announced the launch of its Encantos Fellowship, a year-long creative mentorship and training program to provide the next generation of underrepresented talent with tools to embark on a career in family entertainment. Kayla Bowles, an 11th-grade student and National Honor Society member at the Ursuline School in New Rochelle, N.Y., has been selected as the first Encantos Fellow. The fellowship includes a $5,000 stipend. For more information, click here. ICYMI Learning at Home in the Age of Covid-19
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Children's Bookshelf
Editors: Diane Roback and Emma Kantor Digital Producer: Deirdre Coyle
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