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Dear Friends,
Wishing you all a happy New Year.
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2018! While few of us will look back on last year with nostalgia, it turned out to be very good year for the agency. There was jubilation at Transatlantic as we claimed the title of top deal-maker in Canada for the second year running, while we continue to seek new markets for our clients' work and build on our reputation as an international agency with a strong export mission.
Amy attended the Guadalajara Book Fair in Mexico for the first time, and made many new friends among the Spanish and Portuguese language publishers. We look forward to introducing them to our clients' work.
David, Amy and Fiona are already deep into planning their trip to the Bologna Book Fair, March 26th-29th. Please contact them if you would like an appointment. Fiona will also be attending the London Book Fair April 10th-12th, and is available to meet there.
Fiona and Samantha will be travelling to LA to meet with film agents and producers Feb 26th - March 2nd.
As always, contact information is listed with each of the titles featured below. Please feel free to contact the corresponding agent if you have questions regarding specific titles.
Very best wishes,
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North American
 World rights to
Rosanne Parry's middle grade novel
A WOLF CALLED WANDER to Andersen Press, about a wolf pup's epic journey across the western US. Inspired by the true story of OR-7, the first gray wolf confirmed in California since 1924, for publication in 2019. Contact:
fiona@transatlanticagency.com.
North American rights to
Rosanne Parry'
s
THE LAST OF THE NAME
sold to Amy Fitzgerald at Carolrhoda. A compelling and pacey MG about Irish immigrants caught up in the American Civil War in New York. Contact:
fiona@transatlanticagency.com
.
 World rights to
WHAT GREW IN LARRY'S GARDEN, written by Laura Alary and illustrated by
Kass Reich, a picture book from Kids Can Press about the joy of nature and growing in a garden, for publication in 2020. Contact:
fiona@transatlanticagency.com.
 World rights to a nonfiction YA title about consent and sexual politics by
Amber Keyser to Domenica Di Piazza at Twenty First Century Books. Contact:
fiona@transatlanticagency.com.
 World rights to a nonfiction YA title described as "sex education 101" by
Sarah Mirk to Domenica Di Piazza at Twenty First Century Books. Contact:
fiona@transatlanticagency.com.
 World rights to three very young texts about construction for Cantata's educational series by
Erin Falligant. Contact:
fiona@transatlanticagency.com.
World rights to three Minecraft books in their
Creeper Diaries series to Hollan Press for publication by Skypony Press by
Erin Falligant. Contact:
fiona@transatlanticagency.com.
 World rights to
Jan Carr's picture book text
STAR OF THE PARTY, about Sun's 4.6 billionth birthday, celebrated with planetary quirks and fun nonfiction content. To Phoebe Yeh at Crown Books for Young Readers and Nicole de las Heras at Penguin Random House Children's Books, for publication Fall 2019. Contact:
andrea@transatlanticagency.com for the author.
 World rights to
Stephanie Morrill's historical novel
WITHIN THESE LINES, about a determined Italian American young woman who uses her family's mafia ties to fight for the freedom of her beloved and his Japanese American family from the threat of internment in Manzanar, to Annette Bourland at Harper Collins/Blink for publication in 2019. Contact for author:
sandra@transatlanticagency.com.
 World rights to
UNSINKABLE, a multimedia memoir by
Jessica Long, recounting her transition from a Russian orphan born with a debilitating condition to becoming the youngest decorated Paralympic Swimmer in history at age 12; a Four-Time Paralympian with 23 medals; a Sports Illustrated "World's Best Female Athlete"; and a sports model, brand spokesperson, and author empowering young women to accept themselves and embrace their power through whatever limitations life may present, for publication by HMH in 2018. Contact:
sandra@transatlanticagency.com.
 World rights to
LARK TAKES THE CAKE by
Natasha Deen, the fourth book in the Lark Ba chapter book series, to Liz Kemp and Andrew Wooldridge at Orca Books, for publication in 2019. Contact:
amy@transatlanticagency.com.
 World rights to
Monique Polak's middle grade novel
A GOOD TURN to Sarah Harvey and Andrew Wooldridge at Orca Books. The story of a group of children who are interned with their teacher, who is also their Brownie leader or Brown Owl, in China during WW II. Told from the point of view of one of the girls, who takes comfort from the routines, songs, and mottos of the Brownies, which their teacher maintains despite the difficult circumstances. For publication in 2019. Contact:
amy@transatlanticagency.com.
 World rights to the third book in
Sylvia Chiang's middle grade
CROSS-UPS series to Rick Wilks at Annick Press for publication in 2020. Cross-ups is the name of the video game that main character Jaden and his friends can't stop playing. Contact:
amy@transatlanticagency.com.
 North American rights to
SOUNDTRACKS by
Eric Walters and
Kathy Kacer to Lynne Missen at Penguin Random House Canada. A middle-grade novel that's "Glee" meets an intergenerational story of the Holocaust's enduring impact by two award-winning children's writers. Scheduled for publication Fall 2019. Contact:
marie@transatlanticagency.com.
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 Korean rights to
ALL THE DIRT: A History of Getting Clean by
Katherine Ashenburg & illustrated by
Capucine Mazille to Sunest Publishing Company. Contact:
amy@transatlanticagency.com.
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For Orca
 Korean rights to A FAIR DEAL: Shopping for Social Justice by Kari Jones (nonfiction 9-12) to Green Frog Publishing Co.
 Korean rights to ON OUR STREET: Our First Talk About Poverty by Dr. Jillian Roberts & Jaime Casap, with illustrations by Jane Heinrichs (picture book 5-8) to Hyeonamsa Publishing Co., Ltd.
 Simplified Chinese rights to YOU CAN READ by Helaine Becker & illustrated by Mark Hoffmann (picture book 4-8) to Chongqing Youth Press.
 Slovenian rights to ENOUGH by Mary Jennifer Payne (Orca Soundings 12+) to MIS.
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Accolades, Awards and Notable Appearances
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WHEN THE MOON COMES
by
Paul Harbridge
and illustrated by
Matt James
(picture book 4-8) was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award in the children's illustrated category; was named a
Quill & Quire
Best Kids' Book of the Year, Booksellers' Pick; and Paul Harbridge is a finalist for the 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Award.
 BUDDY AND EARL GO TO SCHOOL by Maureen Fergus was featured on Shelf Awareness Best Children's Books of the Year 2017.
 Rosanne Parry won the Oregon Writers' Colony First Chapters Award for TURN OF THE TIDE.
 Amber J. Keyser Books's brilliant YA novel POINTE, CLAW is shortlisted for the 2018 Teen Choice award. Publishers Weekly's starred review says "Poetic, bittersweet, and life affirming".
 SHORT FOR CHAMELEON by Vicki Grant has been shortlisted for the 2018 Ontario Library Association's Red Maple fiction award and was just announced as an OLA's Best Bet Top Ten Pick!
 ALL THE DIRT: A History of Getting Clean by Katherine Ashenburg and illustrated by Capucine Mazille (nonfiction 9-12) has been shortlisted for the 2018 Ontario Libraries Golden Oak Award.
 THE BOOTLEGGER'S GODDAUGHTER by Melodie Campbell (YA/adult crossover) has been shortlisted for the Golden Oak Award.
 MEATLESS? A Fresh Look at What You Eat by Sarah Elton and illustrated by Julie McLaughlin (middle grade nonfiction 9-12) has been shortlisted for the Ontario Libraries Silver Birch Award in the nonfiction category.
 A SQUIGGLY STORY by Andrew Larsen has been shortlisted for the 2018 Ontario Libraries Blue Spruce Award in the picture book category.
 BLOOD AND BELONGING by Vicki Delaney (YA/adult crossover) has been shortlisted for the Golden Oak Award.
 POCKET CHANGE: Pitching In for a Better World by Michelle Mulder (middle grade nonfiction 9-12) has been shortlisted for the Silver Birch in the nonfiction category.
 SUBJECT TO CHANGE by Karen Nesbitt (12+) has been shortlisted for the White Pine Award.
 TANK & FIZZ: The Case of the Missing Mage by Liam O'Donnell & illustrated by Mike Deas (8-11) has been shortlisted for the Silver Birch Express Award.
 WOLF ISLAND by Nicholas Read & photos by Ian McAllister (picture book 5-8) has been shortlisted for the Silver Birch Express Award.
The following titles appeared on The Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Best Books for Kids & Teens for the Winter Holidays 2017: Sigmund Brouwer's INNOCENT HEROES (Tundra Books), Kass Reich's CARSON CROSSES CANADA (Tundra Books), Sarah Elton's MEATLESS? (Owlkids), HE WHO DREAMS by Melanie Florence (Orca Books), LET'S EAT!: Food for a Hungry Planet by Kimberley Veness (Orca Books), WOLF ISLAND by Nicholas Read and Ian McAllister (Orca Books).
 THE AGONY OF BUN O'KEEFE by Heather Smith made the Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2017 list, was named one of The Globe and Mail's 100 Best Books of 2017, and made the Writers' Trust of Canada best books of 2017 list.
 PRINCE OF POT by Tanya Lloyd Kyi also made the Writers' Trust of Canada best books of 2017 list.
 SUBJECT TO CHANGE by Karen Nesbitt was the winner of the Quebec Writers' Federation Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature (YA 12+).
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING by Alison Hughes (YA 12+) was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award in the Children's Text category.
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 CHRISTMAS AT SADDLE CREEK by Shelley Peterson (YA 12+) was published in November by Dundurn. It's the final installment, a "Christmas Special" of the beloved Saddle Creek series of horse novels. Like the other titles in the series, it's filled with mystery, adventure and humorous telepathic communications between main character Bird and her horse, Sundancer.
 THE DAY DAD JOINED THE SOCCER TEAM by Maureen Fergus publishes this spring. This jaunty picture book is about a dad who is just not a team player!
 HONOR CODE by Kiersi Burkhart (YA) publishes March 1st. World rights excluding North America available.
 THE MAN WHO LOVED LIBRARIES by Andrew Larsen, a nonfiction picture book published in fall 2017 by Owlkids.
 MODO: Ember's End by Arthur Slade, illustrated by Christopher Steininger is new in February from Orca Books (9-12). This graphic novel features Modo, who made his first apperance in The Hunchback Assignments.
ON OUR STREET: Our First Talk About Poverty by Dr. Jillian Roberts, Jaime Casap, illustrated by Jane Heinrichs (5-8) is out in February. It's the first title in the World Around Us series, which introduces children to complex cultural and social issues in a straightforward and accessible way.
 PRINCESS ANGELICA, CAMP CATASTROPHE by Monique Polak, illustrated by Jane Heinrichs (7-9) was published by Orca in January. The first title in a charming new chapter book series about a girl with a real talent for telling stories, who is mistaken for a princess on her first day of summer camp.
 SOLOMON'S RING, the second book in Mary Jennifer Payne's climate-change-fiction/fantasy trilogy Daughters of Light (YA 12+) was published in January by Dundurn.
 GAME'S END, the third book in Natasha Deen's fantasy trilogy, pitched as Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Veronica Mars (YA 12+) was published by Great Plains Teen.
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 Praise for BEDTIME 1,2,3 by Eric Walters, illustrated by Josee Bisaillon (World Rights Available Ex: English in North America, Orca Books). Contact marie@transatlanticagency.com:
"Exquisite artwork and charming baby animals teach children to count from one to 10 while easing them toward sleep...There is an elegant flow to author Walters' text that is gracefully complemented in the lovely renderings by artist Bisaillon. The images blend cut paper, pastels, watercolors, pencils, and digital imaging to an effect at once striking and soothing. An exceptional bedtime delight that instruct as it composes restless little ones for slumber."
-Kirkus Reviews
, starred review
"What a delightful way to celebrate hockey in Canada and to honour Foster Hewitt, the voice of Canadian hockey! The playfulness that Andrew Larsen embeds in his books... comes through loud and clear, even in the quiet of a dreaming child's bedroom."
-Canlit for Little Canadians
"Made up of anonymous Tumblr posts, first-person narration from [protagonist] Sam, and third-person narration from Harper, a rookie reporter from The New York Inspector, this engrossing story is broken into pre- and post-attack sections. A book to recommend to readers who enjoy relevant gritty issues..."
-The School Library Journal
 Praise for KASEY & IVY by Alison Hughes (World Rights Available Ex: English in North America, Orca Books). Contact amy@transatlanticagency.com:
"Kasey's observational humor and snarky attitude will have readers chuckling. Hughes reveals in her acknowledgments that she spent a month in a hospital as a child, and she translates that effortlessly for readers, communicating Kasey's fear and vulnerability as well as that sense that she must put on a brave front for the sake of the adults around her...A surprisingly funny look at a subject readers may think is anything but."
-Kirkus Reviews
Praise for MODO: Ember's End by Arthur Slade, illustrations by Christopher Steininger (World Rights Available Ex: English in North America, Orca Books). Contact amy@transatlanticagency.com:
"Definitely fun...Steininger's illustrations make the comic something special. His lanky character designs, which recall 1940s cartoons, elevate the humor and tone, while his inventive steampunk drawings make for fantastic scene-setting. Fans of the genre will surely have something to gush about after digging into this engrossing adventure."
-Booklist
"Steininger's stylized, angular illustrations bring a cinematic energy to this Wild West fantasy. Octavia's wisecracks and hard-edged attitude steal the show, and Slade and Steininger balance exposition with fun, sometimes slapstick action sequences when the deputies clash with Ogden and his henchmen."
-Publishers Weekly
 Praise for ONE RED BUTTON by Marthe Jocelyn (World Rights Available Ex: English in North America, Orca Books). Contact amy@transatlanticagency.com:
"Charmingly illustrated...Jocelyn's mixed-media collage illustrations pair gorgeous patterns with rich textures, creating delightful images that children will recognize from their daily lives...All in all, this is a clever, attractive book that parents and children will thoroughly enjoy."
-Kirkus Reviews
, starred review
"This truly immersive story ... perfectly captures the classic warring emotions of late adolescence."
-Booklist
"An engaging story set in an atypical locale that will universally appeal to teens."
-School Library Journal
 Praise for 36 QUESTIONS THAT CHANGED MY MIND ABOUT YOU by Vicki Grant, which has been sold in 21 territories. Contact fiona@transatlanticagency.com:
"Realistic, lively and hilarious, the ongoing discussions make this book easily accessible. The gradual revelations of the events of their lives provide depth that will resonate with most readers of contemporary YA fiction. An intriguing premise and quirky, oddly endearing characters make this book a joy to read."
-Atlantic Books Today
"[A] meet-cute story that offers lots of laughs and a message about looking past appearances to make a connection."
-Publishers Weekly
"A good concept with smart characterization."
-Kirkus Reviews
Praise for WHEN THE MOON COMES by Paul Harbridge, illustrated by Matt James (World Rights: Tundra Books). Contact amy@transatlanticagency.com:
"4/4... Harbridge takes the reader on a little journey to the pond along with the children from the community... We enjoy the game along with the children and feel and see all that they do thanks to the descriptive writing... Matt James' rich illustrations strengthen the story as, through his use of colour, they help us to imagine the depth of the cold... Serve with a cup of hot chocolate... Highly recommended."
-CM Magazine
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Alexa Dooseman
Alexa Dooseman lives in Portland, Oregon where she writes, reads and walks her dog in the rain. Her humor pieces, essays and book reviews have appeared in a variety of places, including
McSweeney's Internet Tendency,
The Rumpus and
BuzzFeed. She has her MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Virginia. Alexa is currently at work on her debut middle grade magical realism novel which follows an 11 year-old girl who is willed a mysterious, plot-shifting book, leading her to discover a secret society that has protected the magic behind books throughout history. An excerpt won first place in the middle grade category of the 2016 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference Contest in Seattle, WA. In her free time, Alexa can be found hiking with her husband and reading her favorite books to her newborn son. Alexa is represented by Fiona Kenshole,
fiona@transatlanticagency.com.
 Jennifer Gennari
Jennifer Gennari is the author of
My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2012), which was recognized as an Association of Booksellers for Children New Voices title, Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year selection and American Library Association Rainbow List title. A graduate of Vassar College and Vermont College of Fine Arts, she is a former reporter and a regular writing tutor volunteer at 826 Valencia.
Jen lives with her husband on a houseboat in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends time every summer on Lake Champlain in Vermont with their four grown daughters. She shares updates on writing, biking, and floating home life on twitter @JenGenn and Instagram. Learn more at
jengennari.com. Jennifer is represented by Andrea Cascardi,
andrea@transatlanticagency.com.
 Jessika Fleck
Jessika Fleck is a writer, unapologetic coffee drinker and knitter - she sincerely hopes to one day discover a way to do all three at once. Until then, she continues collecting vintage typewriters and hourglasses, dreaming of an Ireland getaway, and convincing her husband they NEED more kittens. Her work verges on fantastical and dark with a touch of realism. She is a regular contributor to the fantastic kidlit blog,
The Kidliterati. Her YA fantasy, THE CASTAWAYS (Entangled Teen) is currently available. THE OFFERING (Swoon Reads/Macmillan) releases in the fall of 2018. Jessika is represented by Fiona Kenshole,
fiona@transatlanticagency.com.
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Transatlantic Artists Instagram Coming Soon!
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Stayed tuned for our artists Instagram account going live in the next week!
Instagram.com/translitagencyartists
Handle: @translitagencyartists
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 The frigid temperatures and "bomb cyclone" kept Fleur indoors over the holidays. Fleur was enthralled by A Wolf Called Wander, by Rosanne Perry, which tells the story of the first wolf confirmed in California since 1924. Wander's extraordinary journey made Fleur decide to take a sabbatical and light out for the territory. Fleur has enjoyed being Transatlantic's doggy correspondent and wishes all her readers good books and waggy tails this year.
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Mary Casanova will be writing two new historical titles for American Girl series. Contact:
World rights to
STOLEN SMELLS illustrated by
Roger Roth, an educational title for Dinardo/Heinemann. Contact:
Praise for GOODNIGHT HOCKEY FANS! by Andrew Larsen. Contact 
