US Illustrated / Picture Books Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Adult nonfiction, health, relationships, nutrition, fitness, parenting, self-help, popular psychology, addictions, women's issues, career, business how-to, personal finance, popular science, cookbooks, blogs, websites, podcasts, illustrated books, photo books, celebrity themes, business narrative, reference, pets, pop culture

Wants: Query letter, author bio, nonfiction proposal, sample chapters, exclusive status

Linda Konner Literary Agency specializes in practical adult nonfiction written by or with recognized experts in their fields. Specialty areas include health, relationships, love, marriage, divorce, nutrition, fitness, parenting, self-help and popular psychology, addictions, women's issues, career and business how-to, personal finance, and popular science. On a book-by-book basis, LKLA also considers cookbooks by established food professionals, books based on popular blogs, websites, and podcasts, illustrated or photo books, celebrity themes, business narrative, reference, pets, and pop culture.

Email queries to ldkonner@cs.com. Send a query briefly stating the subject of the proposed book and what makes it different or special, plus a brief author biography for yourself and or or your co-author. Indicate if the submission is exclusive if applicable. Attachments from unknown senders will not be opened, if interested, LKLA will request a full nonfiction proposal and one or two sample chapters.

Adult books, children's books, illustrated projects, graphic novels, fiction, nonfiction, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, brands, illustrators, content creators

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, full picture book text, portfolio link, sample

Kathleen Ortiz represents content creators, authors, illustrators, and brands from around the world, with a focus on books and media for adults and children, especially projects with a visual element. She loves media and books that bring humor and joy and inspire others. She is interested in illustrated projects, graphic novels or otherwise, that feature pop culture, joy, encouragement, and humor, and she is interested in fiction and nonfiction for adults and children. She is also actively looking for contemporary romance in all genres, especially rom-coms, K-drama feels, second-chance-love stories, and slow burn romance.

Email query@komediamanagement.com with the subject line Query for Kathleen Ortiz: Title. Query only one KOMM agent. Paste the query and samples into the email body because attachments will not be opened. Authors should include the first 5 pages of text, or the entire text for a picture book. Illustrators and content creators should include a portfolio link.

Romantic comedy, women's fiction, ghost stories, thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, young adult, middle grade, picture books, graphic novels, children's books

Wants: Query letter, first fifty pages, proposal, sample chapter, complete poetry collection, full picture book text, graphic novel pitch package

Katelyn Detweiler is a literary agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management whose list spans all age groups and categories, with an emphasis on fresh perspectives and strong voices. She looks for voice and quality writing above all else. On the adult side, she wants smart, swoony rom coms, women's fiction with love in many forms, atmospheric ghost stories, thrillers or mysteries with emotional cores and compelling narrators, and sweeping historical or twisty dual-timeline intergenerational sagas. She is open to narrative nonfiction and memoirs that feel intimate, immersive, and as compelling as novels. In YA she likes fresh contemporary with humor and heart, magical realism, fantasy, speculative, historical, and light sci-fi grounded in teen experience. In MG she likes stories that capture the complicated moments of growing up, and she likes picture books that illuminate deeper truths in funny, inspiring, and unconventional ways.

Email submissions to info@jillgrinbergliterary.com and address the query directly to Katelyn Detweiler. Use the subject format QUERY: Title of Project by Your Name or Your Book's Age Category and Genre or ATTN: Katelyn Detweiler. Paste the query letter in the email body. For fiction, send the first 50 pages as a docx attachment. For nonfiction, send a query letter and proposal with overview or outline, chapter summaries, comparable titles, a sample chapter, biography, and bibliography. Picture book submissions should include the full text, and graphic novels should include a full pitch package.

Commercial nonfiction, cookbooks, lifestyle, memoir, pop culture, health, wellness, essay collections, illustrated books, gift books, feminist voices, underrepresented voices, select fiction, young adult, middle grade, poetry, ghostwriting

Wants: Query letter, proposal, sample chapter, cover letter, manuscript

Katherine Latshaw is looking for commercial nonfiction including cookbooks, lifestyle, memoir, pop culture, health and wellness, social media-platformed projects, incisive essay collections, illustrated and gift books, feminist and underrepresented voices, select fiction, and seasoned collaborators and ghostwriters. Her official profile also lists nonfiction, cookbook, memoir, narrative nonfiction, prescriptive nonfiction, YA, middle grade, poetry, and ghostwriting.

Email submissions directly to klatshaw@foliolit.com. Folio asks writers to review all agents, follow the individual agent page guidelines, submit to one Folio agent at a time, query one project at a time, and prepare a polished completed novel or a complete nonfiction proposal with sample chapter as applicable.

Adult thriller, horror, speculative fiction, mystery, grounded science fiction, young adult thriller, young adult horror, young adult speculative fiction, young adult contemporary, young adult literary fiction, young adult historical fiction, picture books

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, full manuscript for picture books, sample art

Jennifer March Soloway is actively building her Starling list and is drawn to complicated, deeply human characters and stories about the difficulty of getting along with others. She is seeking adult literary psychological thrillers, horror, gothic, grounded science fiction, page-turning mysteries with unexpected twists, stories that blur the real and imagined, beautiful line-level writing, horror about motherhood, rural settings, scandal, and messy characters. In Young Adult she wants thriller, horror, speculative, contemporary, literary, and historical work, including high-school horror, dark speculative stories, psychological thrillers, grounded science fiction, creepy doll stories, coming-of-age, recovery from addiction, friendship breakups, and historical stories that show how the past led to the present.

Submit through Jennifer March Soloway's official QueryManager form linked from her Starling profile. Starling asks writers to query one Starling agent with one project at a time and only through the agent query form. The query form asks for a query letter and the first 10 pages, or the full manuscript for a picture book, and supports sample artwork where applicable.

New adult, young adult, middle grade, picture books, romantasy, mystery, speculative fiction, comedy, romantic comedy

Wants: Query letter

Estelle Laure edits picture books, middle grade, young adult, and new adult at Folio Jr. and shares a list with Emily van Beek. She is looking for new adult coming-of-age stories with series potential, romantasy, cozy mystery, high-concept speculative fiction, family drama, comedy, rom-coms, high-concept YA with bold voice and emotional connection, carefully chosen imaginative middle grade, funny or mischievous middle grade, and picture books by author-illustrators with award-worthy artwork and diverse stories.

Email Estelle Laure directly at estelle@foliolitmanagement.com. Her official profile says queries to her should also be considered queries to Emily van Beek.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, children's fiction, illustrated books

Fiona Kenshole represents children's and YA authors from picture books to older teenage. She is hungry for middle grade, especially animal stories, stories about the natural world and saving the planet, funny books, commercial YA page-turners, quirky contemporary, humor, unreliable narrators, wilderness adventures, immigrant stories, sister stories, practical feminism, ghost stories, and funny picture books, especially clever British-style humor and author-illustrators.

Submit to Fiona Kenshole through the official Submit Here link on her Transatlantic profile, which points to QueryMe. Transatlantic asks writers to review each agent's mandate, submit to one agent at a time where possible, disclose simultaneous Transatlantic submissions, and not submit by mail.

Middle grade, young adult, adventure, fantasy, mystery, thriller, suspense, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, speculative fiction, science fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, pop culture nonfiction, picture books, adult horror, adult mystery, adult thriller, women's fiction, new adult

Wants: Query letter, first 20 pages

Marlo seeks emotionally involving stories with compelling characters and tight plots. She is interested in middle grade and young adult across many genres, picture books primarily from author-illustrators, and adult horror, mystery, thriller, suspense, women's fiction, and romance.

Submit a query and the first 20 pages through Marlo Berliner's QueryManager. Picture book queries should include a portfolio link and the full text of the manuscript. Email, social, and postal queries are not considered.

Picture books, graphic novels, chapter books, middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, new adult fiction, adult fiction, adult non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, first chapter, synopsis, full manuscript, sample chapter, book proposal

Picture books that are funny, unexpected, character-centric, interactive, or cover nonfiction/history. Middle-grade fiction with interactive elements, adventure/mystery stories with offbeat protagonists, and stories for kids who need consistent input. Young Adult/New Adult fantasy with big relationships, high-impact dangerous books, urban fantasy, and soapy drama. Commercial adult fiction including compelling fantasy, thrillers with bite, horror with romance, and weird feminist genre work.

Submit through QueryManager only. Fiction requires query letter, first chapter, and synopsis. Picture books need query and entire manuscript. Nonfiction needs full proposal with sample chapter.

Children's fiction, children's non-fiction, middle grade fiction, middle grade non-fiction, picture books, young adult

Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages

She focuses on middle-grade fiction and nonfiction with the goal of amplifying underrepresented voices and experiences. She particularly loves stories with friendship ties, complicated family dynamics, and grief or loss. Being a New York native, anything based in NYC has her heart.

Email queries to jky@cbltd.com with the first 10 pages of your manuscript in the body of the email with QUERY in the subject line.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, chick lit, mystery, suspense, thriller, picture books, middle grade, young adult, memoir, celebrity biography, arts, popular culture, self-help, health, spiritual

Wants: Query letter, first pages, synopsis, bio

She seeks literary fiction with unique voices and commercial fiction including women's fiction, mysteries, and thrillers. For children's books, she wants picture books and character-driven middle grade and Young Adult with distinctive voices. In nonfiction, she represents memoirs, celebrity biographies, books about arts and popular culture, and empowering self-help titles.

For fiction queries, send the first twenty pages in the email body to jenndec@aol.com with a one-paragraph bio and synopsis. For nonfiction, attach the complete proposal as a Word document with a sample chapter, plus bio and synopsis in the email body.

Children's fiction, young adult fiction, genre fiction, speculative fiction, non-fiction, illustration

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Susan Graham represents illustrators across format and age categories, genre and speculative fiction, select nonfiction, and children's and young adult prose. They are very interested in children's and young adult nonfiction.

Email query letters to mail@dclagency.com and paste the first ten pages of your manuscript below your letter. Address your email to a specific agent. Submitting to more than one agent at a time is permitted, but indicate which agents you are querying. Emails with attachments will not be opened.

Graphic novels, picture books, illustrated books, general fiction, authors, illustrators, content creators

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, portfolio link

Kate represents authors and illustrators for graphic novels and picture books. KO Media welcomes all ages, including children's, middle grade, young adult, and adult, as long as there is a visual or illustrated component.

Email query@komediamanagement.com with the subject line Query for Kate Rogers: Title. Paste query and samples only, attachments are not opened. Authors should paste the first five pages, picture book authors should paste the full text, and illustrators or content creators should include a portfolio link.

Horror, mystery, thriller, romance, cultural criticism, true crime, pop culture, lifestyle, illustrated books, general nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Claire represents a wide range of adult fiction and nonfiction, especially horror, standalone psychological thrillers, mysteries, romcoms, diverse characters and authors, friendship stories, revenge stories, sharp voices, cultural criticism, true crime, pop culture, lifestyle guides, and illustrated gift books for adults.

Follow the instructions on Helm Literary's submissions page.

Middle grade, young adult, upmarket adult fiction, grounded fantasy, adult romance, narrative non-fiction, graphic novels, picture books

Michaela is most strongly interested in finding middle grade and young adult projects of all genres, upmarket adult fiction, and grounded fantasy. They are also open to select adult romance, narrative nonfiction for both children and adults, graphic novels, and picture books. Specifically seeks sibling stories.

Submit only via Query Manager. Include full query in body, first 25 pages for fiction or proposal with sample chapter for nonfiction. For picture books, include full text and dummy or sample art if available. Query only one agent at the agency at a time.

Romance, women's fiction, young adult, middle grade, picture books, thrillers, mysteries, nonfiction

Wants: Querymanager form

Cori Deyoe is actively looking to expand her list. She represents all subgenres of romance, women's fiction, young adult, middle grade, picture books, thrillers, mysteries, and select nonfiction.

Submit through Cori Deyoe's official QueryManager link. 3 Seas does not accept email queries, asks writers to use the QueryManager links on agent pages or the submissions page, and says no response within 12 weeks should be considered a pass.

Fantasy, mystery, horror, speculative fiction, romance, picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, one paragraph pitch, first 3 chapters

She is primarily looking for bold, emotional narratives with layered characters, lyrical and atmospheric writing, voicey genre-blending tales, big stakes, speculative worlds filled with haunting quietly wondrous magic, sharply funny rom-coms and coming of age narratives, witty and heartfelt picture books, and fearless storytellers tackling big ideas. She loves working with and supporting marginalized authors and their stories.

Submit materials via Query Manager.

Thriller, horror, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, adult fiction, board books, picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade, young adult fiction, young adult non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, first 10 pages

Lara is currently open to adult fiction queries only. She seeks thrillers, horror with purpose, historical fiction that feels immediate and hooky, and grounded and unexpected science fiction and fantasy. She is always excited to see unreliable narrators, twisty mysteries, eerie settings, psychological horror, and character-driven stories with sparks of magic.

Submit through QueryManager with a short query letter, author bio, contact information, and first 10 pages of text for novels. Complete the required fields in the submission form.

Picture books, middle grade fiction, middle grade non-fiction, young adult fiction, young adult non-fiction, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter

High concept stories with high level writing that bring something new to shelves. For middle grade, she loves books with ensemble casts, books about good kids making bad decisions, quests and hijinks, spooky stories and mysteries, and historical novels that feel relevant. For young adult, she seeks books with atmospheric settings, lush writing, and romance threaded through but not primary. She is particularly interested in fantasy told from unique perspectives, ghost stories, accessible science fiction, magical realism, and contemporary stories that challenge assumptions.

Submissions through QueryManager only. Fiction requires completed manuscript. No simultaneous submissions to multiple agents at the agency.

Middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, picture books, fantasy, horror, women's fiction, science fiction, pop culture, humor, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first twenty pages or proposal, artwork or portfolio link

Emily S. Keyes is actively searching for children's literature and select adult genre fiction that is not serious literature. She is generally looking for books for young readers and the young at heart, especially work that fosters the joy of reading in kids. In nonfiction she is looking for nonfiction picture books, interesting nonfiction for middle grade and YA readers, especially from creators with a platform, and select adult nonfiction.

Submit through Emily Keyes' official linked QueryManager page. The form asks for author information, title, word count, genre, query letter, optional synopsis, target audience, comparable books, AI-use disclosure, first 20 pages or full nonfiction proposal, and optional artwork, illustrations, or portfolio link.

New adult, young adult, middle grade, picture books, romantasy, mystery, speculative fiction, comedy, romantic comedy

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, picture book dummy, portfolio link

Emily van Beek is looking for new adult coming-of-age stories with series potential, romantasy with a fresh hook, cozy mysteries with series potential, high-concept speculative fiction, family drama, comedy, rom-coms, high-concept and well-written YA with bold voice and emotional connection, exquisitely imagined middle grade, funny or mischievous middle grade, and picture books by author-illustrators with award-worthy artwork, character-driven series potential, and diverse creators featuring diverse stories.

Email Emily van Beek at emily@foliolitmanagement.com with QUERY in the subject line. Send a query letter and the first ten pages of the manuscript in the body of the email. For picture books, attach a PDF dummy, portfolio links are welcome. Send queries to this address only because queries to other addresses may not be considered.

Children's picture books, pop culture, cookbooks, gift books, general nonfiction, brand extensions, lifestyle or design books

Children's Picture Books, Pop Culture, Cookbooks, Gift Books, General Nonfiction, Brand Extensions, Lifestyle/Design Books. NOT interested in Memoirs or Medical/Reference. Typically Sports and Self-Help are not a good fit. Also does not represent Travel Books.

Use Query Manager submission form

New adult or adult: romance, romantasy, and fantasy, young adult, middle grade, picture books

New Adult/Adult: Romance, Romantasy, and Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Picture Books. NOT interested in Graphic Novels for any age group or Early Readers, Chapter Books, or Board Books.

Use QueryTracker submission form

Picture books, middle grade fiction, young adult fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

She seeks characters who feel in-between, stories of self-discovery and character growth, explorations of sibling relationships and intergenerational families, and stories from creators whose voices have been traditionally underrepresented. She values cultural specificity and stories borne from personal experience.

Submit through QueryManager with query letter, author bio, contact information, and first 10 pages for novels or full text for picture books. Include synopsis and confirm work is not AI-generated.

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

Wants: Query letter, bio, manuscript or proposal, portfolio link

Abigail Frank wants weird, expansive books for young readers, including original picture books, chapter books with big personalities, and novels about unforgettable teens falling in love. She is especially interested in author-illustrators, lyrical and inventive picture book texts, distinct visual art, stories by marginalized creators, and select adult projects including visual nonfiction, gift nonfiction, genre-defying nonfiction, lightly speculative fiction, commercial rom-coms, and work about labor and capital.

Query Abigail Frank at afrank@sjga.com with the subject line QUERY - project title. Include a brief bio in the cover letter and attach the manuscript or proposal. Visual artists should include a portfolio link. Greenburger accepts email queries only and asks writers not to query more than one Greenburger agent simultaneously.

Picture books, author-illustrators, nonfiction picture books, middle grade, young adult, contemporary fiction, light fantasy, near-future dystopian, speculative fiction, psychological thriller, mystery, literary ghost stories, women's fiction, memoir, bipoc voices, diverse voices

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, picture book manuscript, portfolio

Allison is looking for author-illustrator picture books, nonfiction picture books, middle grade with voice and a strong main character, YA contemporary coming-of-age, fantasy grounded in reality, near-future dystopian and high-concept speculative work, psychological thrillers, twisty mysteries, literary ghost stories, women's fiction, and memoir. She is interested in diverse and BIPOC voices.

Email Allison Remcheck at the spelled-out SLS submissions address listed on the Stimola submissions page. Picture book manuscripts should be attached as Word documents, dummies or portfolios as PDFs, first ten pages of middle-grade, YA, and adult fiction should be pasted in the email, a synopsis attachment is welcome.

Nonfiction, practical lifestyle, how-to, wellness, mindfulness, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction, history, cultural criticism, ecology, food, social justice, illustrated books, literary estates

Wants: Query letter

Jenny represents award-winning nonfiction, including practical lifestyle and how-to projects, wellness and mindfulness, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction about history, cultural criticism, ecology and the natural world, food, and social justice. For adults and kids, she loves highly designed books that inform and inspire through text and image.

Submit through Sterling Lord Literistic's submissions page and choose only one SLL agent to query. The agency says it can only respond if interested in seeing more material.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, new adult, fantasy, thriller, mystery, adventure, contemporary romance, horror, paranormal romance

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, author bio, comparable books

Lindsey is building a list in picture books, middle grade, young adult and new adult. She is open to fantasy, thriller, mystery, adventure, contemporary romance, horror and paranormal romance, with fresh concepts, strong voice, high stakes and emotional drive.

Submit through Lindsey Aduskevich's QueryTracker form. Query only one Martin-Newens representative at a time.

Adult nonfiction, illustrated books, cookbooks, lifestyle, design, art, pop culture, travel, humor or gift, health and wellness, self-care, personal finance, personal or professional development, select memoir

Wants: Query letter, sample manuscript pages for fiction, full proposal for nonfiction

She loves working on illustrated books of all stripes—including cookbooks, lifestyle, design, art, pop culture, travel, humor/gift, health and wellness, and self-care, as well as personal finance, personal/professional development, and select memoir. She is drawn to fresh voices and perspectives and books that help people live better, more meaningful lives. She is not currently taking on fiction projects.

Send a query letter and sample manuscript pages (for fiction) or your full proposal (for nonfiction)

Picture books, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, portfolio, sample pages

Kait specializes in picture books and graphic novels and is only accepting queries from illustrators.

Query Kait through the route linked from KT Literary and Kait Feldmann's website. She is only accepting queries from illustrators.

Picture books, chapter books, middle grade, graphic novels, young adult, new adult, select adult, illustrators, commercial fiction, contemporary, fantasy, dystopian, mystery, horror, romance, science fiction, humour

Hollie Michaels is building a list across children's and adult work. In picture books she wants humour of all kinds including dark and wacky, kids being kids, commercial fiction, and nonfiction told in an engaging way, and is not a good fit for didactic or lesson-based books. In middle grade and chapter books she wants commercial, contemporary, fantasy, dystopian, mystery and horror with humour, heart and a strong voice. She takes graphic novel pitch packets at chapter book, middle grade and young adult level, preferring author-illustrators, though writers with a real background in comics are welcome. In young adult she wants commercial, fantasy, dystopian, romance, science fiction and horror. In new adult she wants romance, fantasy and genre mashups. In adult she is selective and looking for humour and a unique voice across commercial, science fiction, dystopian and romantic comedy, cosy and witchy fantasy, and supernatural or speculative horror. She also represents illustrators working in traditional and digital styles and does not accept AI-generated work.

Submit to Hollie Michaels through her official QueryTracker form. The form asks for a bio, the book title, word count, genre, a covering letter, a synopsis and the first twenty pages pasted in, with artwork or a portfolio link where relevant. Martin-Newens accepts submissions by email or through QueryTracker only, asks writers to put QUERY and the title in the email subject line, and asks that only one representative at the agency is approached at a time. Mention publisher submission history and previous publishing credits if you have them, and tell the agency straight away if you receive an offer of representation.

Adult nonfiction, graphic novels, picture books

Wants: First four pages of graphic novel or complete graphic novel proposal, self-illustrated picture book manuscript with at least two pages of full-color illustrations

Visual storytellers and their captivating art-driven literature. Adult non-fiction writers who are determined to break apart conventional wisdoms

Please *only submit* - attached as a pdf to a brief email introducing yourself, including 'Query' in the subject line

Narrative nonfiction, music, pop culture, cookbooks, illustrated projects

Nonfiction authors including artists, witches, and revolutionaries; cookbooks about more than food, illustrated projects that inspire delight, and other nonfiction books that seek to change the world

Please use Query Manager to send Kara a query.

Picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, psychological horror, fantasy

Wants: Query letter, first three chapters, synopsis, picture book text, sample illustrations

Paula is open to picture book texts, illustrator portfolios, author-illustrator picture book proposals, high-concept chapter books, middle grade mysteries and adventure stories, YA heists, thrillers and rom-coms, psychological horror, and fantasy with unique magic systems.

Submit through Paula's QueryManager link or the ASH Literary submissions email, with a strong preference for QueryManager. Do not submit to multiple ASH Literary agents simultaneously or in succession.

Literary fiction, crossover fiction, creative nonfiction, illustrated work

Wants: Query letter, sample chapter

Meredith represents literary and crossover fiction, creative nonfiction, and occasional illustrated work, with emphasis on bold, humane storytelling and literary-leaning narratives that incorporate genre elements.

Email info@thegernertco.com with a query letter describing the work, author information, and a sample chapter if appropriate. Indicate which agent you are querying, do not email agents directly.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, nonfiction, memoir, cookbooks, thriller, fantasy, horror, young adult, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

The Book Group represents award-winning novelists and illustrators, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, thrillers, fantasy, horror, young adult classics, memoirs, cookbooks and picture books.

Email a query letter addressed to the agent at submissions@thebookgroup.com. Put the agent name in the subject line and paste the first ten sample pages below the query. The Book Group only accepts electronic queries to that inbox and does not read attachments.