US Young Adult (YA) Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Mystery, thriller, speculative fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal fiction, romance, literary fiction, humor, spirituality, science, sports, middle grade, young adult, book-to-film

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

Jackson champions bold, voice-driven fiction, especially mystery, thriller, speculative, and fantasy, with interest in genre-bending and socially conscious stories that explore power, question systems, and illuminate the human condition.

Email a query to jtkeeler1106@gmail.com with a brief pitch or query letter, short author bio, and first 5-10 pages pasted in the email body. No attachments.

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.

Debut fiction, horror, mystery, new adult, paranormal fiction, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, romance, general fiction, literary fiction, middle grade, young adult, children's fantasy

Wants: Query letter

Kesia represents debut fiction, horror, mystery, new adult, paranormal, science fiction/fantasy, thriller, romance, general and literary fiction, middle grade, young adult, and children's fantasy.

Queries are considered only via QueryTracker.

Commercial fiction, horror, thriller, suspense, romance, mystery, young adult, non-fiction, true crime, essays

Wants: Query letter

Kristen seeks commercial fiction including horror, thriller/suspense, and romance. She wants horror novels with dark twists, ghosts, and romance, plus young adult slashers. For mysteries/thrillers, she prefers ambiguous endings, contained whodunits, and surprising twists. In romance, she loves second chances, beach settings, and coming-of-age stories, plus crossover romance with fantastical elements. She also accepts respectful true crime and personal essay collections.

Send a query letter using the online form to one literary agent only. The query should include only a paragraph about yourself, a brief plot synopsis and your contact information. Do not include a manuscript, proposal, or writing samples. Do not send a manuscript or proposal until requested.

Literary fiction, thriller, young adult, memoir

Wants: Query letter

Great storytelling that gets into your head and heart, anything you can't stop thinking about. Books and stories that touch the soul, make you laugh or cry or both. Stories that haven't been told before or are told in a different way.

Send a query letter using the online form to one literary agent only. Query should include only a paragraph about yourself, a brief plot synopsis and your contact information. Do not include manuscript, proposal, or writing samples.

Author-illustrators, picture books, board books, middle grade, young adult, children's books, poetry

Wants: Query letter, portfolio link, picture book dummy, first three pages, bio, comparison titles

Authors and author-illustrators of books for children and teens, including board books, picture books, fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, Middle Grade, and Young Adult. She does not want adult projects and does very few chapter books or Young Adult projects.

Email the full text for board books or picture books in the body of the message. Author-illustrators should include a link to the dummy and sample illustrated pages, with no attachments. Longer works should include the first three pages, project description, bio information, relevant experience, recent comparison titles, audience notes, and why Mary Cummings may be a fit.

Author-illustrators, picture books, graphic novels, middle grade, young adult, children's books

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, portfolio link, art samples, picture book dummy, first 20 pages, graphic novel sample

Author-illustrators who write their own picture books and graphic novels, Middle Grade fiction and nonfiction, and Young Adult fiction. LK Literary Agency does not represent adult work, picture book text-only authors, or illustrators who are not yet writing their own work.

Email a cover letter with pitch, synopsis, contact information, and online presence in the body of the message. Novel submissions should paste the first 20 pages into the email. Emailed illustrator portfolios are accepted at 72 dpi, online portfolios are welcome, picture book dummies should be PDF attachments, and graphic novel submissions should include a PDF of two to three illustrated chapters with text.

Adult fiction, thriller, psychological thriller, historical fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, young adult romance

Wants: Query form, first five pages unless form specifies otherwise

Jillian Schelzi is a junior agent at HG Literary. She is primarily looking for adult fiction, especially psychological thrillers, shocking twists, page-turning suspense, and rich historical fiction set against war. She also likes mental-health representation, darker and challenging themes, literary and upmarket fiction, book club fiction, and YA romance. She is not looking for middle grade, picture books, religious books, fantasy, romantasy, or horror.

Submit through Jillian Schelzi's official QueryTracker form. HG Literary accepts electronic submissions only and asks writers to query one agent at a time. Unless the agent-specific form says otherwise, HG requests a query letter and the first five pages. HG does not represent screenplays or religious fiction.

Fiction, middle grade, young adult, science fiction, fantasy, african-american fiction, literary fiction, mystery, thriller

Wants: Query form, first five pages unless form specifies otherwise

Jon Cobb is a literary agent at HG Literary. He reads all genres of fiction and has particular interest in contemporary middle grade and YA, science fiction and fantasy, African-American fiction, literary fiction, mysteries, and thrillers. He also has a soft spot for track and field, geek culture, weird science, and cutting-edge technology.

Submit through Jon Cobb's official QueryMe.Online form. HG Literary accepts electronic submissions only and asks writers to query one agent at a time. Unless the agent-specific form says otherwise, HG requests a query letter and the first five pages. HG does not represent screenplays or religious fiction.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, young adult, children's books, biography, memoir, music, popular science, politics, social justice, adult illustrated, cookbooks, sports, health and wellness, fashion, art, design, popular culture

Wants: Query letter

Thompson Literary is always on the lookout for both commercial and literary fiction, as well as young adult and children's books. Nonfiction is their specialty, with interests including biography, memoir, music, popular science, politics, social justice, adult illustrated, cookbooks, sports, health and wellness, fashion, art, design, and popular culture.

All agents at Thompson Literary Agency are now accepting queries through Query Manager. Please click to view agent bios, which have specific query instructions for each.

Literary fiction, young adult, narrative non-fiction, speculative fiction, magical realism

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

For adult fiction, she seeks innovative literary fiction that is sharp, subversive, evocative, and genre-bending works including speculative concepts, ghost stories, and magical realism. For Young Adult, she wants high concept and voice-driven novels that are atmospheric and haunting. In nonfiction, she gravitates toward community-oriented narrative nonfiction with engaging research, social/cultural histories, and intersectional work that questions existing institutions and systems.

Starting January 15, 2025, she no longer accepts unsolicited email queries. Submit queries via Query Manager form with query letter and first 5 pages in the body.

Narrative non-fiction, memoir, historical fiction, literary fiction, history, pop culture, cultural studies, women's studies, natural history, children's

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Katherine loves books that explore the lesser-known territories of human experience.

For fiction, include a cover letter listing previously published work, a one-page summary and the first five pages in the body of the email (not as an attachment). For non-fiction, query first. When a proposal is requested, include an author biography, overview, chapter-by-chapter summary, marketing and publicity plan, analysis of competitive titles, and sample chapters or text.

Children's, young adult, romance, science fiction, fantasy, middle grade

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, sample pages

She enjoys clever, heartfelt, and commercial middle grade and Young Adult in prose or graphic novel format across genres. In adult science fiction and fantasy, she seeks contemporary fantasy, near future science fiction, and romantic fantasy. She's drawn to character-driven stories about family and friendships from diverse protagonists, especially those passionate about arts, STEM, activism, and geeky fandoms.

Submit through QueryMe.Online or thaole platform. Do not send queries to multiple agents at SDLA. Include query letter, 1-page synopsis, brief bio with publishing history, and first 10-15 pages for fiction.

Adult fiction, young adult fiction, non-fiction, children's literature

Synopsis, Sample Pages

Complete a form available on genre submission pages for fiction, nonfiction, children's or Young Adult, and photography or illustration. Submit a synopsis and first fifty pages or first three chapters for fiction, proposal for nonfiction.

Non-fiction, adult fiction, picture books, young adult

Wants: Synopsis, first 50 pages, proposal

She is especially interested in nonfiction including memoirs, true crime, self-help, business, nature, travel writing, medical, STEM, psychology, health and fitness, music and film, food and drink, investigative journalism, social theory, and cultural commentary. She is also looking for adult fiction, specifically psychological thrillers, suspense, horror, and humor. Kelly also represents a limited number of children's projects, including picture books and young adult titles, with a particular interest in stories that feature Vikings, pirates, or mythology.

Complete a form available on genre submission pages. No query letter required though welcome in addition to the form. Submit synopsis and first fifty pages or first three chapters for fiction, proposal for nonfiction.

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

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Short, punchy picture books that are humorous and have a strong marketing hook. Non-fiction picture books, especially biographies or stories with a historical angle. Literary and commercial middle-grade and Young Adult across all time periods and genres.

Submit a query letter, three chapters and a brief synopsis in a single document. For picture books, submit the entire manuscript. Use the online submission form and select Rachel Orr as your agent.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction

Query Letter

Query the WME agent of your choice through their profile page. Query only one WME agent at a time, if no response after six weeks, try another agent in the department.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction

Query Letter

Query the WME agent of your choice through their profile page. Query only one WME agent at a time, if no response after six weeks, try another agent in the department.

Fiction, non-fiction

Query Letter

Query the WME agent of your choice through their profile page. Query only one WME agent at a time, if no response after six weeks, try another agent in the department.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction

Query Letter

Query the WME agent of your choice through their profile page. Query only one WME agent at a time, if no response after six weeks, try another agent in the department.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction

Query Letter

Query the WME agent of your choice through their profile page. Query only one WME agent at a time, if no response after six weeks, try another agent in the department.

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.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, adult fiction, young adult, middle grade, short stories, narrative nonfiction, memoir, historical fiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Leigh Feldman Literary is particularly interested in historical fiction, contemporary YA, literary fiction, memoir and narrative nonfiction. The agency is not interested in adult or YA paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, romance, thrillers, mysteries or picture books.

Email a query letter and the first ten pages of the manuscript or proposal to query@lfliterary.com.

Fiction, non-fiction, adult books, juvenile books, illustrators

Query Letter, First 10 Pages

Writers House asks writers to email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript to one agent at a time, postal submissions are not accepted.