Young Adult (YA) Literary Agents

Adult fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, middle grade, young adult, children's fiction, children's nonfiction, business books, diverse voices

Lisa Abellera represents adult literary, upmarket/book club, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and crossover speculative fiction. In children's fiction she represents all fiction genres in middle grade and YA. She responds to well-crafted prose, strong hooks, high personal stakes, complex and sympathetic characters, tangible sense of place, lush world-building, non-Western cultural aspects, emotionally immersive fiction, and underrepresented voices. In limited nonfiction, she is looking for middle grade prescriptive projects and adult prescriptive business books for women or by women.

KC and A links Lisa Abellera's QueryMe or QueryManager form from the official team page. The linked form currently says Lisa Abellera is not accepting unsolicited queries, so there is no open submission route at this time.

Fiction, non-fiction, children's

June Bell was instrumental in founding Bell Lomax Moreton, developed her own client list, and supports the other agents with their work. Her official profile says she is not currently open to submissions.

June Bell is not currently open to submissions. Bell Lomax Moreton has general submission guidelines for the agency, but June Bell's official profile specifically states that she is not currently open to submissions.

Fiction and non-fiction, children's

Eddie Bell has vast experience in publishing and co-founded Bell Lomax Moreton after serving as Executive Chairman and Publisher at HarperCollins. His official profile says he is not currently open to submissions.

Eddie Bell is not currently open to submissions. Bell Lomax Moreton has general submission guidelines for the agency, but Eddie Bell's official profile specifically states that he is not currently open to submissions.

Mystery, thriller, sf, fantasy, romance, ya, memoir, humor, pop culture, health and wellness, cooking, self-help, pop psych, new age, inspirational, technology, science, writing

Mystery/thriller, SF/fantasy, romance, YA, memoir, humor, pop culture, health & wellness, cooking, self-help, pop psych, New Age, inspirational, technology, science, and writing

Check agent's submission page

Children's books, young adult, adult science fiction, adult fantasy, weird fiction, romantic comedy, fiction

Pam Gruber is an agent at High Line Literary Collective. Her eclectic client list includes all categories from children's and YA to adult science fiction and fantasy, weird fiction, and contemporary rom-com.

Pam Gruber is currently closed to queries according to her official High Line profile and the official High Line submissions page.

Adult commercial fiction, young adult, middle grade, graphic novels, adult nonfiction, picture books, dual-language projects

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

Jenna is seeking adult, YA and MG commercial fiction in most genres, graphic novels from middle grade to YA, adult nonfiction, very selective picture books, and dual-language English/Spanish projects.

Follow Jenna Satterthwaite's Storm Literary submission guidelines when available, no current direct query route was confirmed in this pass.

Fantasy, horror, mystery, thriller, dark academia, gothic horror, supernatural folklore, caribbean folklore, bipoc voices, lgbtq and, history, spirituality

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages

Catherine is mainly focused on middle grade and young adult fantasy, horror, and mystery with lush settings, strong worldbuilding, atmospheric prose, isolated or contained settings, BIPOC characters by BIPOC authors, supernatural folklore, dark academia, feminine rage, witches, banshees, sirens, and gripping mysteries. Her Corvisiero profile also lists adult and YA fantasy, mysteries, thrillers, gothic horror, and nonfiction on Haitian and Louisianan Voodoo.

Submit through Catherine Ross's QueryManager route when open. Her current Manuscript Wish List says to send a query letter, one-to-two-page synopsis, and the first ten manuscript pages through her query form, unsolicited email submissions and submissions using AI will not be considered.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, narrative non-fiction, prescriptive non-fiction, business, pop culture

Wants: Query letter

Fargis is looking for upmarket women's fiction, book club fiction, and middle grade fiction that blurs the line between literary and commercial. She does not want romance, high fantasy, true crime, poetry, or children's picture books.

Review individual agent biographies and submit query addressed to one agent at submissions@stonesong.com. Include the word query in the subject line. For fiction, include the first chapter or first 10 pages pasted into the body of the email. For nonfiction, include bio, credentials, social media analytics, previous publications, and platform information. Do not send attachments.

Adult fiction, young adult, children's literature

Synopsis, Sample Pages

Complete a form available on genre submission pages (fiction, nonfiction, children's or Young Adult, and photography or illustration). Include a synopsis and the first fifty pages or first three chapters of manuscript for fiction.

Literary fiction, upmarket commercial women's fiction, narrative nonfiction, children's books

Literary fiction and upmarket, commercial women's fiction. Narrative nonfiction. Children's books, especially middle grade and young adult.

Email queries only at jenniferlyonsagency (at) gmail (dot) com

Thriller, suspense, horror, fantasy, romantasy, magical realism, speculative fiction, romance, mystery, women's fiction, historical fiction, young adult, middle grade, picture books

Wants: Query letter

Vicky is interested in adult thriller and suspense with psychological, paranormal, supernatural or gothic elements, horror, dark fantasy, romantasy, magical realism, mystery, women's fiction, historical fiction, young adult horror and fantasy, middle grade, and picture books from author-illustrators.

Vicky's CMA profile links to QueryManager but states that she is currently closed to queries. CMA asks writers to query only one CMA agent at a time.

Children's books, picture books, middle grade, young adult

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, portfolio

Essie White is founder/literary agent at Storm Literary Agency, a boutique agency focused on quality literature from authors and illustrators, especially children's books.

Essie White is closed to submissions according to Storm Literary Agency's official submission guidance.

Fantasy, horror, science fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, bio, first 3-4 pages

Josh wants forbidden magic, ancient rituals, epic space battles, and everything in between. Gothic fantasy and horroromance are high on his wishlist, but he is open and interested in all subgenres of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is drawn to stories with a strong voice and three-dimensional characters.

Send a query letter with a synopsis of your book, your bio, and the opening 3 or 4 pages embedded in the body of your email. Do not send an attachment without a request to do so.

Upmarket fiction, literary fiction, speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy, dystopian, middle grade, young adult, picture books, lgbtq and, marginalized voices

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Lisa likes upmarket and literary fiction with lyrical prose, memorable characters, and fast-moving plots, especially stories about friendships, parents and children, or people facing hardship due to gender. She is also interested in speculative fiction with literary/upmarket writing, cozy fantasy, sci-fi/fantasy partly set in our world, middle grade and young adult speculative work, and high-concept picture books.

Lisa Gouldy is currently closed to queries, and email submissions will not be considered.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, mystery, thriller, middle grade, young adult, history, biography, current events, long-form journalism, popular science, children's books

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Gina represents literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction for adults and children. In fiction she looks for upmarket novels, mysteries and thrillers, middle grade, and young adult. Nonfiction interests include history, biography, current events, long-form journalism, and popular science.

Gina Maccoby is currently closed to submissions. When open, email a query with the word QUERY in the subject line to query@maccobylit.com with no attachments. Check the official agency site for reopening.

Ya, mg, upmarket genre fiction, women's fiction, psychological thrillers, sf or f, psychology, self-help, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, bio, first 5-10 pages

YA, MG, upmarket genre fiction (especially women's fiction, psychological thrillers, and SF/F), psychology, self-help, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction, works that speak to life in the twenty-first century

Send a short description, short bio, and 5-10 pages of text pasted into the body of the email. I do not open attachments

Women's fiction, commercial fiction, fantasy, young adult, romance, lgbt, middle grade, memoir, narrative nonfiction, personal finance, business, true crime, sports, popular culture, self-help, religion, health, parenting

Wants: Query letter, book proposal for nonfiction

High-concept book club fiction, queer fiction, destination novels, emotionally satisfying reads, cozy fantasy, horror with modern commentary, and adult dystopian fiction

Use The Knight Agency submissions page and the relevant QueryManager link, do not query multiple TKA agents simultaneously.

Health, parenting, southern history, african-american interest, business, motivation, romance, young adult, children's, middle grade, christian living

Wants: Query letter, book proposal for nonfiction

Rom-com, cozy mysteries, historical fiction, health and wellness, advice and relationship, and true crime

Use The Knight Agency submissions page and the relevant QueryManager link, do not query multiple TKA agents simultaneously.

Middle grade, young adult, children's fiction, children's nonfiction

Beth Phelan is a Senior Literary Agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. She represents middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction. She gravitates toward stories and characters that inspire, anything with humor and the bittersweet, powerful and unique storytelling, offbeat contemporary fiction, immersive fantasy, and profoundly resonant voices.

Beth Phelan is currently closed to queries according to the official Gallt and Zacker submissions page. GZLA asks writers to query only one GZLA agent at a time and to choose another agent only if the first passes.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, children's books, illustrators, commercial fiction, literary fiction, diverse voices

Marietta B. Zacker is Co-owner and Literary Agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. She is always looking for visual and narrative stories that reflect the world as it is rather than narrow bubbles, loves books that make readers feel, and avoids projects that set out mainly to teach a lesson. Across young adult, middle grade, and picture books, she looks for stories where young readers can identify with the actions and reactions of the characters, not the perspective of the author or illustrator, and where diversity is inherent and authentic. She is excited by soulful, insightful, well-crafted literary or commercial projects for any age group from young adult to the youngest readers.

Marietta B. Zacker is currently closed to queries according to the official Gallt and Zacker submissions page. When GZLA agents are open, the agency asks writers to choose one person to query, query only one GZLA agent at a time, and use the agent link on the submissions page.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, thriller, horror, science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, historical fiction, picture books, middle grade, young adult, romance, mystery

Wants: Query letter, author bio, sample pages

Laura would love to find fantasy, spec fiction, alternate history, and horror with fresh, original, unexpected reimaginings. She seeks retellings that reinvent underlying traditions, gothic suspense or thrillers, romantasy that is more romantic fantasy than fantasy romance, high concept rom-coms, and sexy historical romance. She also wants thrillers and mysteries with dynamic, unexpected characters and rich psychological insights.

Click on the QueryManager link in the agent's bio, follow the prompts, and complete all required fields including a short query letter with a description of your work, previous publishing credentials, a short author bio, contact information, and for novels: first 10 pages of text.

Children's fiction, picture books, middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, commercial fiction, literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir, middle grade non-fiction, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, first 25 pages, writing sample

Offbeat projects that break the mold, with particular interest in queer and BIPOC literature and writers. He wants to read something that moves him and connects on an intellectual, emotional or spiritual level. He specifically wants to see more middle grade fiction and nonfiction, and graphic novels.

Submit only via Query Manager. Include query letter in body and first 25 pages of manuscript for fiction or proposal with sample chapter for nonfiction. For picture books, include full text and dummy or sample art if available. For graphic novels, include first 25 pages of script plus illustrated pages if author or illustrator.

Young adult, middle grade, children's books

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Kelly is a senior agent and contracts director at KT Literary and is actively building a client list. Her publishing background centers on children's and young readers' work.

Kelly Van Sant is currently closed to queries according to KT Literary's official agents page.

Middle grade, young adult, picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, upmarket fiction

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Kari represents middle grade and YA at the heart of her list, plus picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, and upmarket fiction.

Kari Sutherland is currently closed to queries according to KT Literary's official agents page.

Adult fantasy, young adult fantasy, science fiction, horror, speculative fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, mystery, thriller, crime fiction, young adult contemporary

Wants: Query letter, first twenty pages, synopsis, comparable books

Ernie Chiara specializes in adult and young adult fantasy, science fiction, and horror, speculative upmarket and literary fiction, BIPOC mystery, thriller, and crime fiction, and young adult contemporary. He wants character-driven stories with layered worldbuilding, original settings, immersive plotting, propulsive pacing, genre blends, distinct voice, and complex characters.

Ernie Chiara is currently closed to unsolicited queries and is considering queries by personal referral or event request only. When open, he accepts submissions exclusively through QueryManager, email and social-media queries are deleted unread.

Picture books, chapter books, middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, adult fiction, middle grade nonfiction, young adult nonfiction, adult nonfiction

Award-winning authors and illustrators of picture books and chapter books that present the world in unique and unusual ways, with characters that live vividly on and off the page. In nonfiction across middle grade, young adult, and adult categories, book ideas and platforms that tell untold stories by creators offering a distinctive perspective on current issues, hopes, and fears of both today and tomorrow.

Tricia accepts queries by request or referral, or from people who have attended conferences where she is faculty. Submit your query through the contact page on her website or through the agency's contact and submissions form.

Children's books, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, genre fiction, thrillers, historical fiction, romance, mysteries, science fiction

Wants: Query letter, full manuscript, illustration samples for children's books

Clever voices and unreliable narrators, stories told from diverse perspectives, rich world building, strong character dynamics, and firsts—first love, first heartbreak, first loss, first divorce, etc. Novels featuring smart, strong, funny, and fierce women

Email queries with specified subject headers to designated addresses

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, children's literature, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, author bio, sample pages

Kelly champions writers and artists in nearly every category, format, and age group within children's literature. She works with debut authors and illustrators as well as bestsellers and award-winning creators.

Click on the QueryManager link in the agent's bio, follow the prompts, and complete all required fields including a short query letter with description of your work, previous publishing credentials, short author bio, contact information, and sample work as specified for your format.

Picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, contemporary, fantasy, romance, suspense, non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, sample pages

She loves both contemporary and fantasy as well as the spooky and unexpected. She loves multi-generational stories, matrilineal magic, and is always happy to see high-concept contemporary romance. She also enjoys darker suspenseful reads and loves atmospheric settings that feel like a character. For picture books, she works on both fiction and nonfiction with interest in environmental and STEM themes, animals, emotional intelligence, and books for youngest readers including vehicle books.

Submit through QueryManager with query letter, author bio, publishing credentials, contact information, and sample pages. For novels: first 10 pages. For picture books text only: full manuscript. Response even if passing.

Science fiction, fantasy, graphic novels, picture books

Wants: Query letter

Kurestin wants to work with creators who are creatively ambitious, who have a wide range of ideas and are always pushing themselves to write what's most interesting and challenging to them. She's particularly drawn to illustrators with a strong sense of dynamic use of panels and movement on the page, and always loves a creature.

Submissions should be sent via Query Manager. Submit to one agent at a time at Root Literary.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, thrillers, mystery, historical fiction, young adult, nonfiction, health, science, environment, true crime, memoir, spirituality

Elizabeth Kracht represents literary and commercial fiction, women's fiction, thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction, crossover YA, and nonfiction. She appreciates writing with depth, an introspective voice, thematic layers, multicultural themes and characters, and strong settings. Her nonfiction interests include high concept, health, science, environment, prescriptive nonfiction, investigative nonfiction, true crime, voice- or adventure-driven memoir, sexuality, spirituality, and animal or pet stories.

Elizabeth Kracht is currently only open to queries and pitches through conferences, online events, workshops, and referrals. Kimberley Cameron and Associates uses QueryManager for submissions and asks writers to tailor submissions to each agent's interests, but her public QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting unsolicited queries.

Adult fiction, horror, science fiction, speculative fiction, romance, young adult, picture books, graphic novels, lgbtq and voices, underrepresented voices

Sera Rivers is a literary agent at Speilburg Literary Agency. In adult fiction she is interested in subversive horror, grounded science fiction, speculative fiction, and underrepresented voices in the vein of Emily Henry. In kidlit she is interested in young adult LGBTQIA+, horror, non-Western folklore, culture and heritage, thriller, grounded science fiction, and speculative; picture books by author-illustrators only, especially horror and work by underrepresented authors and illustrators; and graphic novels by author-illustrators only.

Sera Rivers is currently closed to queries according to the live official linked QueryTracker form. Her official Speilburg profile says she opens to adult fiction during the first 7 days of each month and is closed to unsolicited children's-book submissions except through conferences, requests, and referrals.

Children's

See source page for more info

Submission form: https://davidhigham.co.uk/submissions/

Children's books, young adult, middle grade, picture books, illustrated books

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, portfolio

Victoria owns Storm Literary Agency and represents authors and illustrators, with a list focused on children's literature across age categories and genres except erotica romance.

Victoria Selvaggio is currently closed to submissions according to Storm Literary Agency's official about or submission guidance.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, stem, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal, portfolio

Heather considers picture books, middle grade, YA, and adult fiction and nonfiction. Her interests include books that explore currently untapped spaces, STEM picture books, layered MG/YA nonfiction, and stories that inspire readers to seize opportunities in their own lives.

Heather Cashman is currently closed to submissions according to Storm Literary Agency's official about or submission guidance.

Children's books, middle grade, young adult

Sandra Proudman is listed by Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency as a team member/agent. The official submissions page did not expose a detailed current Sandra-specific wishlist in this run because she is currently closed to queries.

Sandra Proudman is currently closed to queries according to the official Gallt and Zacker submissions page.