US Children's Literary Agents

Fiction, narrative non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first five pages

Juvenile and adult fiction and eye-opening narrative non-fiction, particularly stories of the natural world, visible or invisible, including the human mind and body, or of people and events previously overlooked. She is also taking on a select group of illustrators.

Visit the About Us page for information about agents, their individual interests, and their query guidelines. Include a brief summary of your novel or scope of your non-fiction project, a short description why you're writing the project, any specific credentials you have for writing the book, and the first five pages for fiction only.

Adult fiction, adult non-fiction, children's books, historical fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, romance, fantasy, science fiction, biography, memoir, middle grade, young adult, picture books

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 10 pages

In Adult Fiction she seeks captivating settings and relatable characters that highlight virtues like empathy and self-sacrifice in historical, literary/upmarket, romance, or fantasy/science fiction genres. In Adult Non-fiction she wants well-researched titles that make complex topics accessible, biography and memoir that connect diverse readers, and books about poverty and justice. For children's literature, she loves books that can be read aloud and shared with families, especially middle grade, and seeks books with hopeful, informative, or lyrical tones.

Starting January 2026, queries must be submitted through QueryManager only. Address your query to the specific agent you think would be the best fit. Only send one query to Dunham Literary as agents share queries with each other when appropriate.

Fiction, nonfiction, children's books, illustration

Ariana Philips represents a diverse range of award-winning fiction and nonfiction for adults and children, as well as talented illustrators. She loves to find new talent and work with clients to develop strong manuscripts and proposals. Her philosophy is to take on an author for the duration of their career and help guide them through the ever-changing publishing landscape.

Ariana Philips is an agent at the Jean V.

Illustrators, authors, children's books, picture books, middle grade, adult non-fiction

Closed to submissions except referrals or requested materials. Represents children's books from toddler to teen and select adult nonfiction, and works with illustrators and creatives whose work can cross over to children's and adult markets.

Full Circle accepts submissions through QueryManager only and does not review submissions sent directly by email or mail. Stefanie is currently closed except referrals or requested materials.

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

Wants: Closed to queries

Carrie Hannigan is a partner and literary agent at HG Literary. She specializes in children's books and represents a select, limited list of adult books. Her profile highlights children's, YA fantasy, and select adult nonfiction clients.

Carrie Hannigan is closed to queries. HG Literary's official profile and submissions page both state that Carrie is closed to queries.

Historical narrative, biography, offbeat fiction, nonfiction, children's books, nature writing

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

William has a long-running interest in historical narratives, biography, slightly offbeat fiction and nonfiction, children's books, and nature writing.

William Reiss is closed to submissions according to the current John Hawkins and Associates agent profile.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, fantasy, science fiction, horror, romance

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Alexandra Levick is growing picture book, middle grade, young adult, and adult lists. She is interested in author-illustrated picture books and illustration portfolios, spooky or strange middle grade, YA across contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, and adjacent genres, and adult speculative, genre-bent, upmarket, literary, romance, horror, and fantasy work. She likes distinctive voice, strong themes, transportive stories, complex characters, layered narratives, intersectional feminist work, humor in dark stories, atmospheric YA horror, socially conscious horror, non-Western or diaspora folklore, dark futures with hope, ocean stories, rural stories, confined settings, and romances that stop her in her tracks.

Alexandra Levick is currently closed to unsolicited queries. When open, she asks writers to query only one Writers House agent at a time and to send a personalized query letter plus the first ten pages pasted into the body of the email with no attachments through QueryManager, or by accommodation email only if needed.

Picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, middle grade, children's, author-illustrators, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Julie considers fiction and nonfiction projects for children ages 0-12, including authors and author-illustrators of picture books, chapter books, graphic novels and middle grade. She wants kid-forward work with charm, strong writing, unexpected twists, empowerment, real kid life, nature, global perspectives and inclusive approaches.

Julie accepts queries exclusively through QueryManager when open. She is currently closed to unsolicited queries, emailed or snail-mail queries will not receive a reply.

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

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Flannery Literary represents authors writing books for children and young adults, looking for strong writing, unique viewpoints, memorable stories, intriguing characters and thought-provoking dilemmas for young readers.

Flannery Literary is currently not accepting queries.

Children's fiction, adult fiction, select nonfiction, picture books

Wants: Query letter, author bio, first five pages, picture book text

Leslie focuses on under-represented voices, especially work centering disability, poverty, women, neurodivergence, Judaism, Islam, and non-Western religions. She seeks books with a strong commercial premise, distinct prose, and multiple layers of meaning.

Leslie accepts submissions only via QueryManager. Her usual process is to open to unsolicited queries for the first full week of each month, but the current form says she is closed until the new year. Required materials are a query letter, short bio, and first five pages, or complete picture book text or dummy.

Picture books, board books, middle grade, christian fiction, memoir, suspense, mystery

Andrea represents children's and adult books. Her listed favorite children's books are picture books, board books, and middle-grade fiction; her favorite adult books are Christian fiction, memoirs, suspense, and mystery.

Inscriptions is currently closed for submissions. The official site says not to email manuscript submissions and to follow the site submission guidelines when open.

Picture books, illustrated novels, graphic novels, middle grade, young adult, children's, adult crossover, author-illustrators

Wants: Query letter

Lori considers fiction and nonfiction projects from picture books to New Adult/adult crossover books, plus author-illustrators creating picture books, illustrated novels and graphic novels. She is drawn to character-driven stories with accessible, authentic and unforgettable voices.

Lori accepts queries solely through QueryManager when open. She is currently closed to unsolicited queries, emailed or snail-mail queries will not receive a reply.

Literary fiction, memoir, graphic novels, picture books, middle grade, young adult, adult

Wants: Personalized pitch letter, first five pages

Anjali Singh focuses on literary fiction and memoir and represents graphic novel writers and illustrators across all age ranges.

Anjali Singh is currently closed to queries except by referral. For permitted referral queries, send a personalized pitch letter with the first five pages of the manuscript in the body of the email and the project title in the subject line to queries@anjalisinghagency.com. She will likely respond only if interested.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, narrative non-fiction, memoir, history, pop culture, children's non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 25 pages

Jim is particularly interested in literary fiction, underrepresented voices, fantasy, mysteries, romance, anything unusual or unexpected, and any book that makes him cry or laugh out loud. He wants to see more children's nonfiction.

Submit to Jim McCarthy only via Query Manager at https:// queryManager.com or JimMcCarthy. Include query letter in body with first 25 pages of manuscript for fiction or proposal with sample chapter for nonfiction.

Picture books, graphic novels, illustrated books, children's

Wants: Query letter

Anna is currently focused on illustrated books, including picture books and graphic novels.

The official Olswanger site confirms Anna Olswanger as a literary agent but does not publish a direct query route in the captured page text.

Fiction, nonfiction, children's books, adult books

Marisa Cleveland is Executive Director and Agent at The Seymour Agency. She loves working with authors who write for a broad range of readers, children and adults, within fiction and nonfiction. She wants manuscripts she cannot put down until the last page and cannot stop discussing, with voice as a key factor and protagonists who feel like best friends or partners in crime.

The official Seymour Agency about page says Marisa Cleveland currently only takes queries through referrals.

Literary fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, current affairs, pop culture, children's books

A wide range of nonfiction including narrative and expert-driven works, memoir, current affairs, and pop culture, as well as literary fiction and children's books

Submit your query through the contact and submissions form available on the Aevitas Creative Management website, or contact the agency by phone at and 1 (212) 765-6900. The agency is located at 19 W. 21st Street, Suite 501, New York, NY 10010.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, science fiction, fantasy, narrative nonfiction, history, memoir, biography, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, children's fiction, children's nonfiction, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, credentials, synopsis, first ten pages

Writers House represents adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction, including literary and commercial fiction, women's fiction, science fiction and fantasy, narrative nonfiction, history, memoir, biography, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult and juvenile work, picture books, and illustration.

Email an individual Writers House agent with a query letter, credentials, an explanation of what makes the book unique, a synopsis, and 10 pages in the body of the email. Consult the agent's Publishers Marketplace profile for any agent-specific requirements. Do not query two Writers House agents simultaneously.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, young adult, graphic novels, picture books, latinx voices, african-american voices

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Johanna is a senior agent at Writers House. Public profiles describe her as building a list across literary and commercial fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, YA fiction, graphic novels, and picture books, with interest in diverse voices, particularly Latinx and African-American writers.

Writers House asks writers to email an individual agent with a query letter, credentials, what makes the book unique, a synopsis, and 10 pages in the body of the email. Writers should consult the agent's individual profile for any specific requirements and should not query two Writers House agents simultaneously.

Picture books, children's fiction, children's nonfiction, ya, illustration

Writers and illustrators across children's publishing, from picture books through young adult novels. Beautifully written stories and nonfiction that connect, inspire, and affirm the lives of young people.

Submit via the Aevitas Creative Management contact and submissions form on their website.

Children's books, nonfiction, science, nature, stem, picture books, middle grade

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

Lisa is a literary agent at Storm with a background in biology, environmental science, educational/trade writing, and children's publishing. Her interests align strongly with children's nonfiction, science, nature, STEM, and kidlit.

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

Adult practical nonfiction, popular psychology, health and wellness, self-transformation, children's, gift, fiction

Adult practical nonfiction, with a particular focus on popular psychology, health and wellness, and self-transformation, as well as select children's, gift, and fiction projects in these same areas. She is especially drawn to intellectually rigorous, research-driven books that question inherited truths about complex, universal subjects and offer new frameworks that resonate beyond the page

Check agent's submission page

Ya, children's literature, upmarket fiction, projects on religion and spirituality

Elevating voices and stories that start important cultural conversations and is particularly interested in YA and children's literature, upmarket fiction, and projects on religion and spirituality

Check agent's submission page

General fiction, nonfiction, commercial fiction, history, thriller, suspense, popular culture, children's books

Wants: Query letter

Andrea Barzvi represents general fiction and nonfiction, including commercial fiction, history, thrillers and suspense, popular culture, and children's books.

Consult Empire Literary's current submission guidance before querying, no direct public query route was confirmed in this pass.

Picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, children's literature

Erin Casey Westin is a literary agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. She is open to all kidlit age groups, from picture books through YA, and is especially drawn to work that shows world- and character-building ability. She wants to believe in the world of the book, whether familiar or fantastic; she wants authentic, thoughtful representation so every kid can find a book that speaks to them; and she likes dialogue that feels perfectly written for the character.

Erin Casey Westin is open to queries from the 1st to the 7th of every month through QueryManager according to the official Gallt and Zacker submissions page. Query only one GZLA agent at a time.

Illustrators, authors, children's books, picture books

Children's book illustrators and authors represented by Catbird Agency. The official site does not publish creator submission requirements.

Official Catbird pages verify Kirsten Hall as founder of a boutique agency representing illustrators and authors.

Children's illustration

See source page for more info

Submission form: https://thebrightagency.com/uk/submissions/new

Mystery, thriller, diversity-focused fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, comps, sample pages

Beth is the owner of Ladderbird Literary Agency and works in agenting while looking for new and exciting ways to bring more diversity into publishing. Earlier agency data associates her with mysteries and thrillers across age categories.

Use Ladderbird's agent-specific QueryManager routes and do not query more than one Ladderbird agent at a time. Beth's current public profile does not show a direct query link.

Adult books, children's books, illustrators

Peter Ginsberg is President at Curtis Brown, Ltd. His official profile confirms his publishing and agency background, but it did not expose current detailed interests or a public email address in static text during this run.

Curtis Brown says to refer to each agent page for interests, specific submission requirements, and individual email addresses. Peter Ginsberg's official profile is the best agent-specific source found, but no detailed public submission route was exposed in static text during this run.

Serious nonfiction, literary fiction, children's books, graphic novels, history, sociology, psychology, anthropology, medicine, cultural criticism, popular culture, journalism, african american work, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult

Tanya McKinnon is Principal at McKinnon Literary. She represents serious nonfiction, literary fiction, children's books, and graphic novels. She is always looking for work that takes her beyond current boundaries, including history, sociology, psychology, anthropology, medicine, cultural criticism, popular culture, journalism, and sheer whimsy. In fiction she looks for story- and character-driven engrossing work with a strong voice. She has a particular interest in multicultural and African American work, has a passion for graphic novels for adults or young readers, and represents children's books from picture books through chapter books and middle grade readers to young adult.

McKinnon Literary's official Tanya McKinnon profile confirms her interests but did not expose stable public submission instructions or a public query route in this run. No third-party submission details were imported.

Authors, illustrators, children's books, picture books

Children's book authors and illustrators through Folio Jr. The public page does not list agent-specific interests for this agent.

Review the Folio submission page and follow the instructions for the selected agent. Do not submit to more than one Folio agent at the same time.

Authors, illustrators, children's books, picture books

Children's book authors and illustrators through Folio Jr. The public page does not list agent-specific interests for this agent.

Review the Folio submission page and follow the instructions for the selected agent. Do not submit to more than one Folio agent at the same time.

Authors, illustrators, children's books, picture books

Children's book authors and illustrators through Folio Jr. The public page does not list agent-specific interests for this agent.

Review the Folio submission page and follow the instructions for the selected agent. Do not submit to more than one Folio agent at the same time.

Authors, illustrators, children's books, picture books

Children's book authors and illustrators through Folio Jr. The public page does not list agent-specific interests for this agent.

Review the Folio submission page and follow the instructions for the selected agent. Do not submit to more than one Folio agent at the same time.

Authors, illustrators, children's books, picture books

Children's book authors and illustrators through Folio Jr. The public page does not list agent-specific interests for this agent.

Review the Folio submission page and follow the instructions for the selected agent. Do not submit to more than one Folio agent at the same time.

Authors, illustrators, children's books, picture books

Children's book authors and illustrators through Folio Jr. The public page does not list agent-specific interests for this agent.

Review the Folio submission page and follow the instructions for the selected agent. Do not submit to more than one Folio agent at the same time.