Children's

Children's book agents represent the writers and illustrators who make books for readers from toddlerhood to the teenage years. The work splits by age and format: a picture book text of a few hundred words, a chapter book for early readers, a middle grade novel, a young adult novel. An agent here knows which houses publish board books and which take on a 60,000 word YA manuscript.

What you send changes with the category. A picture book query may include art notes or a dummy. A novel query needs a synopsis and sample chapters. The agents below work across these formats.

How do I get an agent for my children's book?

Write the full manuscript first. Picture book texts run under 1000 words; middle grade and young adult novels need a complete draft. Then send a query letter with a short synopsis and the first pages to agents who represent your category.

Which children's book agents are accepting submissions?

Submission status changes, so check each agency's own page. Adams Literary, Andrea Brown, Jacinta di Mase and Madeleine Milburn all work with children's authors. Some accept email queries, others only through a form.

Are there agents who represent picture books?

Yes. Adams Literary and Andrea Brown both represent picture book authors and illustrators. A picture book submission usually includes the full text and, for illustrators, a dummy or sample spreads.

What do children's agents ask for that other agents do not?

They want to know the age band: picture book, chapter book, middle grade or young adult. They also look at word count, since a 3000 word picture book text is too long for the format. Some ask for a marketing note on how the book fits a classroom or library.

Children's agents handle picture books, middle grade and young adult fiction, and the submissions that come with them: a dummy for a picture book, a full manuscript for a novel. Adams Literary and Andrea Brown work only in this field, while United Agents and Transatlantic Agency place children's books alongside adult titles. Curtis Brown Australia and Jacinta di Mase cover the Australian market, and Madeleine Milburn represents children's authors from London. What separates these agents from those tagged Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance or Comics is the age of the reader they publish for. A fantasy agent may want a fully built world; a children's agent wants a story a seven year old can follow. A comics agent thinks in panels; a children's agent thinks in page turns. To find agents for children's books, begin with those who list picture books or middle grade as a specialty.