You don’t need an agent to write for the children’s book industry. There are numerous magazine and book publishers who work with unagented children’s authors.
However, if you feel your writing holds merit and you want to be published with the big houses, then an agent is required.
It seems there are fewer and fewer agents who represent children’s books, especially picture books. So I’m compiling a list of agents you can contact during times they’re open to acquiring new clients. I’m hoping this will make your search for an agent a little bit easier. (If you know of any I’m missing, please e-mail me at jeffandnancys@gmail.com with their info and I’ll add it to the list.)
At the time of this posting, the following agents represent children’s authors and picture books. Note that some agents, even though they do not expressly state they are looking for picture books, represent picture book authors, so they are included on this list. However, most on this list do state clearly that they are actively seeking children’s authors, including picture book submissions. (Please explore these sites at your own discretion. Posting them here does not mean I endorse an agent or have even explored their sites.)
Adams Literary
Website: www.adamsliterary.com
Agents interested in picture books:
Tracey Adams
Josh Adams
Quinlan Lee
Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Website: www.andreabrownlit.com
Agents interested in picture books:
Jamie Weiss Chilton
Mary Cole
Jennifer Mattson
Jennifer Rofe
Kelly Sonnack
BookStop Literary Agency
Agent interested in picture books:
Kendra Marcus
Caren Johnson Literary Agency
Website: www.johnsonliterary.com/
Agent interested in picture books:
Agent Alana Roth is interested in author/illustrator submissions
Curtis Brown LLT
Website: www.curtisbrown.com/
Agents interested in children’s books:
Ginger Knowlton
Laura Blake Peterson
Anna Webman
The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency
Website: www.ethanellenberg.com
Foundry Literary + Media
Agents interested in picture books:
Stephen Barbara
Full Circle Literary
Website: www.fullcircleliterary.com/index.html
All agents interested in select picture books:
Adriana Dominguez
Lily Ghahremani
Stefanie Bon Borstel
Herman Agency
Agent to contact regarding picture books:
Ronnie Ann Herman
Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency
Website: www.jdlit.com
Agents interested in picture books:
Jennifer DeChiara
Stephen Fraser
Levine Greenburg
Website: www.levinegreenberg.com/
Agent interested in picture books:
Kerry Evans
Liza Dawson Associates Literary Agency
Agents interested in picture books:
Anna Olswanger
McIntosh and Otis
Website: www.mcintoshandotis.com
Agent interested in picture books:
Edward Necarsulmer
The McVeigh Agency
Website: www.themcveighagency.com
Agent interested in picture books:
Mark McVeigh
Nancy Gallt Agency
Website: None at present
Agents interested in picture books:
Marietta Zacker
Prospect Agency
Agents who work with picture books:
Teresa Kietlinski
Rachel Orr (illustrators preferred)
Rodeen Literary Management
Paul Rodeen
Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
Website: www.dijkstraagency.com
Sanford J. Greenburger Associates (SJGA)
Agents interested in picture books:
Brenda Bowen
Faith Hamlin
Courtney Miller-Callihan (a limited number of children’s books)
Scott Treimel
Website: www.scotttreimelny.com
Sheldon Fogleman Agency
Agents interested in picture books:
Marcia Wernick
Linda Pratt
Sean McCarthy
Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.
Agents interested in picture books:
George Nicholson
Charlotte Sheedy
Stimola Literary Studio LLC
Rosemary Stimola
Upstart Crow Literary
Website: www.upstartcrowliterary.com
Agent interested in picture books:
Michael Stearns
Note: Michael accepts picture book submissions only from writers he has met at conferences and expressed an interest. See website and blog for more information.
Writers House: A Literary Agency
Website: www.writershouse.com
Agents interested in picture books:
Jodi Reamer
Rebecca Sherman
Ken Wright (occasional picture book)
