KidLit Wishlist & Guidlines

A quick note on timing:

Holidays and weekends often provide quiet opportunities for me to review queries, so you may receive a response during those times.

Some writers find it helpful to use a separate email for querying so they can choose when to check responses on their own terms.

- CLOSED TO KIDLIT -

I’m currently closed to children’s projects at this time, however, I am leaving my wishlists and information visible for those who may wish to query me in the future. I am only accepting children’s projects by referral or by request from conferences/events.

Children's: Picture Books

Before submitting, please read this section carefully, as I'm being extremely selective with the picture book projects I take on.

I'm looking for:

My list has become increasingly focused in two specific areas:

      1. Highly commercial concepts with strong hook appeal, like How to Babysit a Grandpa or How to Catch a Unicorn
      2. Classic, literary-type prose or emotionally layered storytelling like Watercress, BIG, or The Rough Patch

Many of the stories I receive are lovely, but don't quite align with the direction I'm currently building. 

I'm not the right agent for:
      • Nonfiction
      • Didactic or overly message-driven stories
      • Generic animal stories
      • Rhyme
      • SEL
      • STEM/STEAM
      • Middle Grade
      • Young Adult
      • YA-crossover
      • Board books

Extra Thoughts:

I’m open to debut writers and I welcome both text-only and author-illustrator submissions.

One of the biggest things I look for is re-readability. Does this feel like a book a child will grab off the shelf again and again? Is it fun to read aloud, emotionally resonant, or conceptually strong enough to hold up on the tenth (or thirtieth!) read?  In other words, will adults want to hide it or be excited to read it another time?

Subjective preference: I'm not a huge fan of an abundance of illustration notes in manuscripts, but sometimes they're necessary. -- See, I'm coming around, Brian Gehrlein! 🤣 

Final thought: PLEASE paginate!

Final, final thought: Your rhyming book might be absolutely perfect, but please respect my guidelines as I'm not making exceptions.

PICTURE BOOK SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

**Please note: Query Manager will have a place for these sections:

  • Title
  • Word Count,
  • Genre,
  • Query Letter,
  • One Paragraph Pitch,
  • Target Audience,
  • Comps (please provide 3-5 titles sold within the last five years)
  • In a Word document, submit the entire manuscript, broken down into spreads (pagination). I often check QM on my phone and the format of a Word doc (versus a PDF) reads easier.

Graphic Novels: Early Reader & Middle Grade

In the graphic novel space, I'm drawn to the same qualities that I look for in picture books: strong commercial hooks, laugh-out-loud humor, and compelling characters with series potential.

I prefer author-illustrator manuscripts.

I'm looking for:

The next: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Pizza and Taco, Narwhal and Jelly, InvestiGators, Dog Man, BatCat, Moth Keeper

Along with those comps, I'm particularly interested in stories with magic, dragons, and/or a "witchy" feel.

    I'm not the right agent for:
        • Young Adult
        • YA-crossover

    GRAPHIC NOVEL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

    **Please note: Query Manager will have a place for these sections:

    • Title
    • Word Count,
    • Genre,
    • Query Letter,
    • One Paragraph Pitch,
    • Target Audience,
    • Comps (please provide 3-5 titles sold within the last five years)
    • In a Word document, submit the entire manuscript, broken down into spreads (pagination). I often check QM on my phone and the format of a Word doc (versus a PDF) reads easier.