Are you looking to publish your children’s book, but you are unsure where to start? Hiring a literary agent may be the best option for you. As mentioned in our previous blogs a literary agent can be an extremely helpful asset throughout the editing and publication process. Most traditional publishing houses require manuscripts to be endorsed and furnished by a literary agent. Literary agents will be able to represent you throughout the sales process and advocate on your behalf in commercial transactions. They also have a greater understanding of market trends, and they may be able to negotiate the best deal for your specific needs. Due to the subsidiary rights literary agents have at stake (usually agents request a ten-20 percent cut of the profits made from your novel.) they will use their expertise and knowledge to ensure you achieve your goals.
Submitting your work to a literary agent
When submitting your work to a literary agent its best to carry out the following main steps.
1. Finalize your manuscript – Make sure the final piece is well edited and also request feedback from relatives / friends.
2. Background research – Make sure to select the correct agent for your genre / needs. Follow the Specific submission guidelines as per each agent’s website. Furthermore keep a record of all submissions made, alongside potential follow up dates.
3. Send query letters – Craft a fool proof query letter with a unique pitch regarding your work. It should include a few reasons why you want to work with that specific agent. If the agent responds they may request the synopsis and or sample chapters.
Without the above points in mind, please see our selection of children’s book literary agents for you to choose from.
Top Twenty Literary Agents
Elana Roth Parker
Elana Roth Parker is a literary agent with Laura Dail Literary Agency, Inc (LDLA). She specializes in Children books publishing and focuses in particular on the categories of juvenile fiction, children’s books, picture books middle grade, and young adult fiction. She has represented clients like New York Times bestseller Kiera Cass, Andy Marino, and Shannon Price. In order to submit your work to Elana she has requested that you send the synopsis, a short pitch letter, the title and the first five to ten pages of your work via email to be considered.
Bernadette Baker Baughman
Bernadette is a literary agent based with Victoria Sanders Agency. She has represented New York times best selling authors like Tony Cliff, Carson Morton, and Leslye Walton. The Categories she bases her work on is Children’s books, young adult fiction, middle grade etc. Baughman has requested that you issue your query letter via email and follow the submission guidelines as per Victoria Sanders Agency website.
Heather Cashman
Heather Cashman is a senior literary agent working on behalf of ‘Storm Literary Agency’. She specialises in children’s books ranging from middle grade to teenage fiction. She currently is accepting submissions via email. Check out Storm Literary Agencies guidelines for further information regarding the submission process.
Stephanie Fretwell- Hill
Stephanie Fretwell-Hill is a literary agent working with Red Fox Literary group, California. She specializes in representing the authors of children’s picture books, and young adult fiction in any type of genre. Some of the Authors she has represented have gone on to win prizes such as the Bank Street Best Children’s book prize, the YALSA Best fiction for young adult’s award and the Parent’s choice awards. She is not currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts at this time but may do so in the future. You can make your submission via email and follow the associated guidelines.
Madelyn Burt
Madelyn Burt is a Literary agent working for Stonestrong literary agency. Her main interests are based around Historical events which is fuelled by her background MA in medieval studies. Novels based on stories about gravediggers, female spies, burglars etc are her speciality. She welcomes emailed submissions from both budding and more seasoned authors.
Erin Casey
Erin Casey works as an agent for Galt and Zacker Literary Agency. Her main focus is on adventure novels. Most of the novels she has worked on are vivid imaginative pieces with colourful characterisation. She is more partial to works that would appeal to a large audience, such as Children and Adults. She is currently accepting submissions via email.
Chelsea Eberly
Chelsea Eberly was once a Senior Editor at Random house, and now works with Greenhouse Literary agency. She endorses a broad range of categories from middle grade to the young adult age range. She prefers tales based on magical realism with talking animals/ fairy-tale type scenery.
Abigail Frank
Abigail Frank works with Sanford J. Greenberger Literary Agency. She is on the search for, picture books that rhyme well and adventure books with larger-than-life main protagonists. She is currently accepting submissions via email.
Julia Churchill
Julia Churchill is a literary agent based at the AM Health and Co Ltd agency. The age range she focuses on are Fiction, young adult, and middle grade children. Some of her previous clients include Joan Aiken, Lloyd Alexander Zillah Benthal Helen Douglas. Julia accepts submissions from authors via email.
Gemma Cooper
Gemma Cooper works for the Bent Agency London. She is interested in debut authors and focuses on a few main categories such as Fiction, Graphic Novel, Young adult, Children’s Book, and Middle grade works. Previous clients include Derek Bacon, Ruth Fitzgerald, Shirley Marr.
Nancy Miles
Nancy Miles is a literary agent working for Miles Scott agency. She focuses on works of Fiction, young adult, nonfiction, children’s book, and middle grade picture book. Some of her previous clients include Frances Harding, Gill Lewis, Mark Burgess, and Kirsty Applebaum.
Alice Williams.
Alice Williams is a literary agent who manages ‘Alice Williams Literary agency’- based in Great Britain. Her portfolio focuses more on debut Authors in a broad range of categories Fiction, young adult, Children’s Book, and middle grade picture book. Some of her previous clients include Pete Williamson, Fabi Santiago, Rachel Delahey, and Paul Whitfield.
Darley Anderson
Darley Anderson is a literary agent who also runs her own agency, the ‘Darley Anderson Literary agency.’ She prefers to be emailed with submissions and her primary focus is Debut Authors. Anderson focuses on a broad range of categories such as commercial fiction, romance thriller, Women’s fiction, Nonfiction, and the children’s book. Previous clients include Lee Child, Martina Cole, Margaret Dickinson John Connolly, and Tana French.
Simon Trewin
Simon manages the ‘Simon Trewin Literary and Media rights agency’ , based in Great Britain. He prefers to be contacted by email. He focuses on areas such as fiction, fantasy, the graphic novel, historical fiction, literary fiction, poetry, thriller, and children’s books. Some of the prior clients include Andrew Motion, John Boyne, Andrew Miller, Lalline Paul, Mackenzie crook, Keith Lowe, and Isabel Greenberg.
Sallyanne Sweeney
Sallyanne Sweeney works with Mulcahy Associates agency based in London. She operates in a broad range of areas such as Fiction, Commercial fiction, literary fiction, young adult, nonfiction, cookbook, memoir children’s book, middle grade, and picture book. She has worked with authors such as Juno Dawson, Steve Linton, Jon Walter, and Lucy Van Smit.
Louise Lamant
Louise Lamant works with the LBA literary agency. She works on behalf of debut authors. She specialises in areas such as fiction, young adult, children’s book, and middle grade. Some of her previous clients include Anna Carey, Anne Miller, Carol Morley, and Chris Beardshaw.
Kate Nash
Kare Nash manages the ‘Kate Nash Literary agency.’ The main areas she operates in are Fiction, commercial fiction, romance, non-fiction, and children’s books. Some of the authors she has represented are Amanda Brittany, Casey King Andie Newton, and Maggie Baggot.
Gaia Banks
Gaia Banks works on behalf of ‘Sheil Land associates’ agency in London. She prefers to receive submissions via email. She operates in a broad range of areas Fiction, fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Nonfiction, Spirituality and Children’s Book. Some of the authors she has represented includes Neil Chapman, Sarah Steele, Michelle Frances, and Catherine Cooper.
Sophie Hicks
Sophie Hicks manages the ‘Sophie Hicks literary agency’. Some of the genres in her portfolio include Fantasy, Literary fiction, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, young adult, Children’s book etc. Some of her high-profile clients include Eoin Colfer, Emerald Fennel, and Paddy O’Reilly.
Conclusion
Overall, we can see from this that securing a literary agent can really take some of the pressure out of the publication process. Each agent has unique submission guidelines which should be adhered to. Ultimately however, the submission process usually includes issuing a query letter, synopsis and perhaps some sample chapters. There are hundreds of Literary agents to choose from and carrying out some background research may be the best approach to ensure you select the best agent for your specific needs!
Author: Jessica McCarthy