It’s a wonderful day to announce a new picture book deal today! This one is for the talented and prolific Sara Levine. If you haven’t checked out her recent picture books—GERMS UP CLOSE and A PEEK AT BEAKS—they are well worth the time: meticulous, informational, and lyrical. The whole package!

Today’s new book takes Sara’s writing in a slightly different direction—away from the non-fiction natural world, and into the complex and layered world of human emotions. Here’s the pitch for this wonderful new book:

Carol Hinz at Lerner/Carolrhoda has acquired world rights to Sensitive by Sara Levine, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. In this picture book, a girl hears other people say that she’s too sensitive and needs to change, and she goes about the process of transforming their negative comments into statements of affirmation. Publication is planned for Fall 2023; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary represented the author, and Deborah Warren at East/West Literary represented the illustrator.

Please join me in celebrating the impending arrival of this vital, essential story, and one which is sure to be a staple on bookshelves everywhere. Huge congratulations, Sara!

--Joan