Agent Interview: Janine Le (Janine Le Literary Agency)

On April 28, 2025July 13, 2025 By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider

Welcome to Janine Le, the founder of Janine Le Literary Agency, “a full-service agency representing authors and illustrators of award-winning and critically acclaimed books for children and young adults.” With over a decade of experience in children’s publishing—including her time as an agent at Sheldon Fogelman Agency—Janine brings a blend of editorial insight, business expertise, and deep passion for storytelling.

Her agency, launched in 2022, represents a diverse roster of award-winning authors and illustrators. Janine is drawn to picture books that beg to be read aloud, feature playful or poetic language, and offer fresh perspectives on childhood experiences. She has an eye for stories that spark joy, celebrate multicultural worlds, and offer creative storytelling twists.

Let’s learn more about her right now!

RVC: When did you first realize you wanted to work in children’s publishing?

JL: In high school, I got an inkling of what an editor was and thought that could be a good fit. I was always a bookworm, and in elementary school I thought I might want to be an author or a librarian. I also considered accounting in high school and professorship in college, but ultimately I wanted to be where the children’s books are made. Thanks to my mom for all the books and library trips and for indulging all my read aloud requests! (And turns out kidlit does not preclude you from doing accounting!)

RVC: That’s a good point about the accounting/kidlit combo platter! How did studying creative writing at Bucknell University shape your career path?

JL: I was incredibly lucky at the flexibility I had at Bucknell to select my own courses. I was able to take a good mix of writing courses in both poetry and prose and literature courses in a variety of periods and subjects, including children’s literature, as well as to pursue my honors thesis on the scholarly side.

There’s a wonderful literary community outside the classroom as well. I was an officer at a student literary & art magazine, attended many poetry readings, and interned with on-campus professional literary magazine West Branch. I also became a peer writing consultant. All of this together helped build my foundation of writing and editing tools and confirm that I was more passionate about helping others with their writing and advocating for their success than being a writer myself.

RVC: I assume attending NYU’s Summer Publishing had a real impact as well?

JL: SPI was very helpful in giving a survey of how publishing actually works and building NYC connections. I don’t think I’d heard of agenting before then, but I loved the agent panel. It was at their career fair that I connected with Sterling Lord Literistic, where I would do my internship.

RVC: And that led you to working at Sheldon Fogelman Agency or more than a decade. Now why/how did you make the decision to launch your own agency after that?

JL: Like any decision of that magnitude, there were a lot of factors (and even a pro and con chart), but the main motivator was flexibility to make my own schedule. The more seriously I thought about it, the more excited I was about focusing on my clients and building something new!

RVC: What’s the biggest difference between working at an established agency and running your own?

JL: SFA was very collaborative, so it was both challenging and freeing to go solo and trust my own instincts. Three years in, I’m so happy with my decision. I can handle most things on my own, and I have networks of agents when I need to phone a friend.

The first new client I signed at JLLA, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, won the 2024 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature for her debut novel Kareem Between, and I’m working on a contract for our ninth book together (including pictures books, chapter books, and MG verse)! I’m so glad I not only trusted myself but that all my clients trusted me to build from the ground up!

I also spent six weeks that first summer doing a camping/national park roadtrip with my family from New York to California and back, which I don’t think I could have done otherwise. I try to continue using my flexibility for more quality time with family despite having the responsibility that I can’t be fully away from my desk since I don’t have any coverage.

RVC: Can you share the story of the first picture book you sold and what made it stand out?

JL: I connected with Heather Preusser through 12 x 12. Her writing stood out to me for how clever and punny it was. We sold her picture book manuscript A Symphony of Cowbells to Sleeping Bear through an editor request at a conference she attended. It’s a great read aloud with plenty of onomatopoeia and alliteration, beautifully illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen. And you can now find even more of Heather’s wit in her chapter book series Hedgehog Whodunit!

RVC: What was the biggest surprise (or lesson) that book provided?

JL: I’d been managing foreign rights, where we split advances 50/50 between author and illustrator, so I was accidentally overly ambitious with my counter offer after researching what the publisher had paid one of the agency’s illustrators. As I quickly learned, domestic text advances are closer to a third of what an illustrator is advanced, but royalties are still split 50/50.

RVC: By way of contrast, what was the story of your first picture book sold at your own agency?

JL: Shortly after I opened, Walker Books asked Leanne Hatch to illustrate Angelo & Angelina, The Christmas Angels by Anne Booth. It’s a beautiful story of Christmas, and neighborly love, and little miracles, so it felt like an auspicious start. It turned out gorgeous in Leanne’s hands, of course! That was my fifth book with Leanne, and I’m thrilled we’re now in the double digits in our partnership!

RVC: What’s the first thing that makes you think, “Yes, I need to represent this project”?

JL: It’s sort of like chemistry. I have to connect on an emotional level and want to drop everything I’m doing to work on your project.

The first line in Leanne’s debut Unraveled is “The bond was instant.” Although she’s referring to a baby and his blanket, I think it’s a good metaphor for that must-have feeling!

RVC: How important is visual pacing in picture book storytelling, and can you share an example of a recent book that does this especially well?

JL: It’s so important, not only to help pull readers through the story but also to give it the rereadability that’s crucial to picture books. Leo and the Pink Marker by Mariyka Foster is a great example. I particularly love the action shots that show the protagonist multiple times in one image to portray movement! She also does a great job keeping the visual interest up with a variety of layouts. Full page art vs spots vs two page spreads, close ups vs wide angle shots. There are even some Easter eggs like a hidden mouse. This book was also recognized in SLJ’s Endies Endpaper Awards, which along with their Undies may be the most fun awards in kidlit!

RVC: How do you guide debut authors and illustrators through the publishing process, especially those selling their first book?

JL: I’m very hands on. We start with a phone or video call to get to know each other and discuss edits in broad strokes, followed by at least one round of written notes and revisions. I then consult with the client on the submission list and pitch, share feedback from editors, and revise and submit further if needed. I am happy to walk debut creators through offers and contracts as much as needed, and I stay copied in all publisher communications throughout the publication process so I can follow their progress and support as needed.

RVC: How do you balance working with debut creators vs. more established clients?

JL: I signed most of my clients with their debuts and we don’t take their place in the industry for granted even as they get more established. I continue to work with them on project development, though editing and submitting sometimes gets easier. On the other hand, we have more backlist to manage.

I love helping debut creators break out and wish I could always keep an open door, but I am closed to submissions most of the time in order to focus on my existing list.

RVC: Are there any trends or innovations in picture books that excite you right now?

JL: One of the things I loved about my background at SFA is that I got to work on classics that are still selling 20, 30+ years later. Although I like books to feel fresh, I don’t really chase trends, which publishers tend to fill up on quickly. I’m most excited about books that feel like they have those enduring qualities.

RVC: One last question for this part of the interview. What’s coming up for your agency that you’re most excited about?

JL: I am genuinely excited about every one of our books, but I want to mention our upcoming author-illustrator picture book debuts, which include the sensory Nora At Night by April dela Noche Milne, the road tripping Rus & Moose by Chuchu Wang, and a curious capybara in Look Alike by Natali de Mello. Middle grade novelist Kerry O’Malley Cerra also makes her picture book debut with The Gallaudet Eleven: The Story of NASA’s Deaf Bioastronauts, illustrated by Kristina Gehrmann.

RVC: Okay, Janine. It’s time for the much-anticipated, never-equaled, always-surprising LIGHTNING ROUND. Let’s prepare to zing and zap here. Are you ready?

JL: Ready!

RVC: Your go-to snack while reading submissions?

JL: Reading happens at any hour, so I’m going to go with the one food I consider appropriate for any time: cereal.

RVC: Your biggest timewaster?

JL: Probably social media, but it also serves its purposes for staying connected and informed.

RVC: Three things you can’t do your job without?

JL: My phone, tablet computer, and notebook.

RVC: What’s the last picture book that made you actually LOL?

JL: We are Definitely Human by X. Fang. I’m partial to dry humor.

RVC: A picture book every picture book maker should study?

JL: Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard and James Marshall. I loved it as a kid and it holds up really well, as do any of Marshall’s works. Bonus points for the fact that Marshall was a kind and funny person, as I learned from his agent, Sheldon Fogelman. I’m really pleased to be working with the James Marshall Trust again, now as trustee.

RVC: Janine Le is a literary agent who…

JL: is rooting for you. Whether I’m representing you or we meet in passing, I truly appreciate all the creators and professionals who work so hard to bring kids the books they need! I’m rooting for the kids as well!

RVC: Thanks so much, Janine!

Editor Interview: Maria Correa (Random House Children’s Books)

On March 24, 2025July 13, 2025 By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider1 Comment

Maria Camila Correa is an editor at Random House Children’s Books, where she acquires and edits innovative and engaging picture books. With experience in multiple aspects of publishing—including editing Dr. Seuss books and international acquisitions—Maria brings a global perspective and an eye for storytelling that captivates young readers.

In addition to her editorial work, Maria is also an author and translator. She’s written several Little Golden Book biographies, including Selena, Bob Ross, and Rita Moreno, as well as Spanish Is My Superpower! As a translator, she’s worked on books like Mi hermano está lejos (My Brother is Away) and Mi Little Golden Book sobre Taylor Swift.

With her unique perspective as an editor, author, and translator, Maria is helping shape the future of children’s literature. Let’s dive into her journey and what excites her most in new projects.

RVC: When you were a child, what role did books play in your life? Did you have a favorite that shaped your love for storytelling?

MC: Books completely shaped the way I saw the world. I was (am?) an only child, and my parents were both big readers—my dad was a journalist, and he read stories to me very theatrically, acting them out and doing voices, so the stories came alive. He also frequently took me to puppet shows, which I loved—and still do (I just saw Song of the North, an Iranian epic told through shadow puppets, at the New Victory Theater in NYC).

I was born and spent the first seven years of my life in Colombia, and a lot of the books I was exposed to were Spanish translations of European books; my very favorite was Ophelia’s Shadow Theatre by Michael Ende, which is now sadly out of print. It was very dark for a picture book—about an old lady who, after being fired from her job in a theater, takes home the shadows left behind from all the plays. Without a job, she becomes homeless, and the shadows form a traveling theater and stage plays to help her earn a living. In the end, the old woman takes in the ultimate shadow—Death.

RVC: Wow, what a story!

MC: Obviously, this isn’t the kind of story we tend to publish here in the US, but it moved me deeply, and I think this kind of emotional depth is something I still look for when acquiring; the memory of this experience also informs my belief in kids’ ability to engage with complex themes, and in their aesthetic sensitivity.

RVC: Let’s talk more about what informs your work. Your academic background is in photojournalism and children’s literature. How do these two fields influence the way you think about picture books?

MC: Well, photojournalism sharpened my eye and gave me a language with which to talk about visual storytelling that is transferable to picture books. It also taught me to be observant, and to consider different ways of approaching the same subject. The master’s in children’s literature gave me context. It was a master’s in education, and there was also a focus on literacies—literacy acquisition in the traditional sense but also visual and digital literacies—so that’s another perspective from which I try to approach my books, especially early readers.

RVC: Your Master’s dissertation focused on postmodern picture books and Suzy Lee’s wordless Border trilogy. What about that type of storytelling fascinates you?

MC: I love storytelling that is open to interpretation. Wordless picture books invite readers to co-create meaning, and they can be incredible tools for encouraging critical thinking. Without text to guide them, the reader has to determine for themselves what is happening, what the visual cues signify—and each reader will take something different from the story. In Shadow, Mirror, and Wave (aka The Border Trilogy), Korean artist Suzy Lee uses the gutter of the book as a delineation between opposing forces (in Shadow and Mirror, she plays with the real vs the imaginary). My dissertation explored these books from a psychoanalytic lens, which was a fun exercise (she says in hindsight), but at surface level these stories are very accessible for kids—in some ways more accessible than a traditional picture book, since they allow readers to engage with the story without text as a barrier.

RVC: Thanks for this quick dive into the interesting work of Suzy Lee! Now, you’ve worked in both the UK and US publishing industries. What are some key differences in how picture books are developed in each market?

MC: I’d say there are more similarities than there are differences, but two come to mind. One is the cadence to which we publish; in the UK, production timelines are often determined by book fairs, so that projects are ready to be shared at Bologna or Frankfurt, and in the US, that timeline is established based on the publication date of the book.

The other difference is that there is just more money in US publishing—and this is reflected in everything from industry salaries to author and illustrator advances, and, in my experience (though I worked for a then-indie publisher in the UK that was particularly adept at this model), this is an incentive for British publishers to have their own staff write/develop books in-house.

RVC: You acquire about 10 picture books per year at Random House. What’s the first thing that makes a manuscript stand out to you?

MC: I look for originality—is there anything new about the concept/execution, or is this something I’ve read a thousand times before?

RVC: How do you balance acquiring books that feel fresh and original while still being accessible to young readers? I’m thinking about books like Floor It and Don’t Think of Tigers.

MC: Well, I try to remember the reader, and the experience of reading a picture book, which is usually a shared experience between an adult and a child. Originality is not at odds with accessibility—it can be, if you get really avant-garde, but even though I personally love those very strange and experimental books, I want the books I publish to be enjoyable to kids first and foremost. I like picture books that are funny and playful and irreverent—that wink at the reader mischievously instead of trying to teach them something.

RVC: You’ve edited Dr. Seuss books, including How the Grinch Lost Christmas! What was it like working within such an iconic brand?

MC: Honestly, it was a full-circle moment for me. I remember reading Green Eggs and Ham in ESOL class when I moved to the U.S., so having the chance to create new Seuss stories is very special—and I say “is” because I’m still working on a new line of books called Seuss Studios, where we find emerging author-illustrators from diverse backgrounds and give them access to unpublished Dr. Seuss sketches, which they use as inspiration for their own stories. It’s a cool project that mixes brand legacy with the creators’ unique artistic vision and personal background, and it’s been very exciting to be a part of it.

RVC: That sounds fun! Let’s talk a bit more about emerging authors. What’s something about editing picture books that surprises most debut/emerging authors?

MC: The timeline! Most picture books publish at least two years after being acquired, so it’s a long, drawn-out process. When an editor signs up a book, they are committing to spending the next few years of their lives working on that project with that creator.

RVC: What’s the most common revision note you find yourself giving authors?

MC: Let the art say that.

RVC: What kinds of picture books are you hoping to acquire next? Any themes, formats, or storytelling styles you’d love to see?

MC: I’m really intrigued by the idea that the popularity of horror will trickle down into the picture book space, and I’m open to seeing darker, creeper stories that still feel age-appropriate for kids. I’m also looking for stories by Latin American creators that aren’t necessarily about that cultural experience and that don’t feel like they pander to white readers.

RVC: In addition to editing, you’ve also written several Little Golden Book biographies. What drew you to writing nonfiction for young readers?

MCC: I enjoy the research, and they have a built-in narrative arc, so in that sense I find them less challenging than writing fiction. But I also think it’s rewarding to shed light on figures whose lives kids can draw inspiration from.

RVC: You’ve translated books like Mi hermano está lejos (My Brother is Away) and Mi Little Golden Book sobre Taylor Swift. What do you find most rewarding about translation work?

MC: Expanding the audience for any book is incredibly rewarding, as is the feeling of having understood and captured the author’s intention behind the original work.

Lately, I find myself thinking about the rise of AI and the threat this poses to translators, but translation is an art—it isn’t mechanical. As Japanese translator Fischer Udagawa said in a recent PW article, “a translator translating an author’s prose to move an audience is doing something fundamentally creative and artistic, like a musician playing a composer’s piece or an actor speaking the lines of a playwright.”

I am very passionate about the role of translated literature in encouraging cross-cultural dialogue, and I think translated children’s books open kids’ minds to other experiences and ways of seeing the world. I think, as an industry, we should be looking to other cultures and translating more books into English.

RVC: What’s the biggest challenge when translating a picture book? Are there specific things that are harder to adapt between languages?

MC: Translating rhyme is always challenging but can be equally rewarding. Idioms and slang are also difficult to translate—you have to find an approximation that captures the essence or vibe of the original rather than the literal definition.

RVC: As someone who is not from the US, why do you think it’s important to tell stories by writers from different backgrounds and experiences?

MC: I think editors and publishers have a responsibility to reflect the richness and diversity of the world kids are living in. Especially now, when those books are being challenged and banned. Stories make us feel connected and remind us of our humanity, and by presenting kids with a multiplicity of perspectives, we cultivate empathy.

RVC: What is it you think is special about the picture book as a format?

MC: Picture books are limitless in potential—the dialogue and tension between text and art makes them a uniquely powerful reading experience. They also tend to be quite short, and I love shortform storytelling because it forces the creator to distill their ideas into their most essential form. And often (and certainly in my case), picture books are the foundation for a lifelong love of reading.

I love that Mac Barnett, who was recently named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, is celebrating picture books with his platform Behold, The Picture Book! Let’s Celebrate Stories We Can Feel, Hear, and See.

RVC: One last question for this part of the interview. What upcoming projects at Random House are you especially excited about?

MC: I’ll call out a picture book publishing each season next year: in Spring, I’m excited about Croûton, a very charming picture book about a shelter cat (Croûton) who thinks she’s the one adopting her human; in Summer, To Knit a Ghost features a little witch instructing readers on how to literally knit a ghost, featuring funny and witty interjections by her ghost friends; in Fall, there will be a sequel to Alfie Explores A to Z, an incredibly detailed seek-and-find, this time featuring escaped dogs and time travel.

(I am so grateful to get to do what I do.)

RVC: Alright, Maria—it’s time for the fast and fun LIGHTNING ROUND! Super-quick answers only! Ready?

MCC: Come at me, Ryan.

RVC: What’s your favorite punctuation mark?

MC: The question mark. The design is—let’s face it—sexy, and it signifies curiosity, which—let’s face it—is also sexy.

RVC: You’re stuck in a library overnight—what section are you exploring first?

MC: Picture books (surprise, surprise!).

RVC: What’s a picture book title that would make a great band name?

MC: Julián Is a Mermaid.

RVC: You can collaborate with any historical figure on a book—who’s your pick?

MCC: Frida Kahlo.

RVC: A picture book from your childhood that still holds up today?

MCC: Frog and the Stranger by Max Velthuijs.

RVC: What’s one word you’d use to describe the PERFECT picture book?

MCC: World-expanding.

RVC: Thanks so much, Maria!

Agent Interview: Jessica Saint Jean (Root Literary)

On February 24, 2025July 13, 2025 By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider1 Comment

Jessica Saint Jean is a literary agent at Root Literary, where she’s on a mission to bring bold, narrative-driven art to the forefront of children’s publishing. With nearly 15 years in the industry in a variety of roles, she knows the ins and outs of both storytelling and design. Jessica represents illustrators and author-illustrators across formats like board books, picture books, middle grade, and graphic novels, and she’s all about finding projects that pair striking visuals with unforgettable stories.

Jessica’s sharp eye for expressive art and her knack for nurturing creative careers make her a standout advocate for her clients (I know this is true–I asked a few!). Known for her love of Airtable, color-coded spreadsheets, and deep-dive submission lists, she balances organization with boundless enthusiasm for great storytelling. In this interview, Jessica dishes on her career, her favorite projects, and what it takes to succeed in today’s competitive kidlit market.

Learn more about Jessica here:

RVC: You’ve worked in publishing for almost 15 years, first as an editor, then on the art side of things, and now as an agent. How have those roles shaped your approach to representing illustrators and authors?

JSJ: My time working in-house at publishers informs just about everything I do as an agent. Though I was never actually an art director! At Candlewick, I worked in the Art Department but I had a pretty unique role – I wore many hats, but my primary responsibility was to coördinate illustrator commissions: after an editor acquired an author’s story for a book that would be illustrated (a picture book text for example), I would help select which artist Candlewick would hire to illustrate that book, and then negotiate the deal with the illustrator’s agent.

RVC: Oh, that’s interesting. I bet that gave you some great insight.

JSJ: Being part of that process searching for the perfect illustrator for a particular story gave me a lot of key insights into how I represent my clients and promote their work with publishers – from what type of information is helpful to share in email campaigns to helping my clients develop their portfolios.

And of course, negotiating many illustrator deals on behalf of the publisher gave me a lot of great intel now that I do the same thing from the other side of the desk!

RVC: How did your time at Barefoot Books and Candlewick Press influence your understanding of children’s publishing, particularly for illustrators?

JSJ: Barefoot is a small publisher, so beginning my career there gave me a great overview of all facets of children’s publishing – I was working in the same room as the Creative Director, the heads of sales and marketing, the CFO, etc. I kept my ears open and offered to help doing lots of different types of tasks that needed doing. It made my workload a little overwhelming but also taught me a lot! At larger companies, it can be harder to learn about what your colleagues are doing in different departments, and how their work impacts yours (and the bottom line). So that early role as an editor gave me experience in many corners of this business, which helps me guide my clients through lots of different situations.

And my time at Candlewick gave me a deep understanding of the market. To inform my work commissioning illustrators, I got to know every agent representing kidlit artists and each of their lists, met college students graduating from illustration programs, kept a close eye on all the key children’s lit awards, and, of course, read as many picture books as I could. It all helped hone my artistic tastes and commercial instincts.

RVC: Let’s talk about Root Literary. Why did you choose it, and how does it align with your vision for your clients?

JSJ: When I became an agent, I wanted to build a boutique list of illustrators at an agency that wasn’t currently representing illustrators so I had room to establish the look and feel of my list. But after several years working solo on so many aspects of my job, I realized I could grow my business (and my clients’ careers!) faster if I had colleagues who represented illustrators too.

Two agents at Root Literary, Molly O’Neill and Kurestin Armada, were already representing illustrators and I loved both of their lists. We have similar tastes without actually overlapping, so I felt my roster of illustrators would harmonize well with theirs. And I love Root’s approach to agenting – it’s very collaborative. So, I knocked on Holly Root’s proverbial door and was over the moon when she invited me to join the team.

RVC: What’s the story behind the first picture book you edited?

JSJ: I started at Barefoot as an editorial intern and worked my way up, so I was initially supporting the other editors’ lists. The project that looms the largest in my mind all these years later is Barefoot Books World Atlas, which was an extraordinarily complex project to create! I will never forget that the day we finally sent it off to the printer was the same day South Sudan became an independent state. So… I started a list of reprint corrections before the book even hit the press. That might be a record?!

RVC: I bet it is! Now, how did this experience compare to the first picture book you repped as an agent?

JSJ: The first deal I closed as an agent was for Ashley Yazdani’s Cosmic Wonder: Halley’s Comet and Humankind, which, ironically, also takes a sweeping look at history and the earth. But thankfully with zero maps!

RVC: Let’s dig into the agenting side now. What’s a typical day like for you?

JSJ: It is super hard to describe a typical day as an agent because there are so many different facets to our job. And very, very often, what I spend all day doing isn’t necessarily what I planned to work on. We sometimes have to make quick pivots if time-sensitive things come up, like a surprise offer on a book (yay, the best disruption!) or a sticky situation our clients need help navigating.

The easiest thing to say is that I spend a lot of time writing emails. So, so many emails!

RVC: That’s a popular answer, to be sure. What’s a misconception about picture books that you’d like to debunk?

JSJ: Picture book authors, you do not need to hire an artist to illustrate your book! In fact, I am begging you not to do this. Publishers like to pair illustrators with picture book texts themselves (see: my old job at Candlewick!) so most of the time, it’s actually detrimental to your book if you submit it with an illustrator already attached. (Unless, of course, you are an author-illustrator planning to illustrate the book yourself.) It’s also better for the illustrator to be hired by the publisher, who can give them a share in the book’s royalties and handle all the accounting for that, etc. So, save yourself and everyone else the trouble!

RVC: For illustrators who also write, what unique challenges or opportunities do you see during the submission process?

JSJ: Sometimes an editor might love an author-illustrator’s art style but not connect as much with their story, or vice versa. An editor needs to love both to acquire a book. But the upside when editors pass on a submission but fall in love with one facet or another of a creator’s work, is that there’s usually an opportunity to follow that lead and connect on another project – even if it ultimately takes a while to get all the stars to align!

RVC: In another interview, you mentioned sometimes relying on “gut feelings” when matching projects to editors. Can you share an instance when your intuition paid off in a big way?

JSJ: One of the first submissions I sent out as an agent was a very special book, Lonely Bird by Ruth Whiting. It’s whimsical and sensitive, warm and hopeful but also a little melancholy, and the art is absolutely incredible (realistic oil paintings with paper collage) but a far cry from the digital styles that are very on trend right now. So, in short: it’s an amazing book but I worried it wasn’t going to be an easy sell. I knew I had to get it in front of the right editor, someone who would really “get” this story creatively and who would also know how to position it in the market so readers would understand it too.

I was still getting to know a lot of editors, so I did a ton of research while building my submission list. But when a book is doing something pretty different than what’s out there, you can only connect the dots so much – ultimately you have to trust your instincts. And I knew exactly who I was going to share Lonely Bird with at Candlewick from the jump: Mary Lee Donovan. She’s a brilliant editor and I had a good feeling that she was going to see the same magic in Ruth’s debut that I did. And happily, I was right! She made an offer not only for Lonely Bird, but two sequels as well, at lightning speed. She’s been an incredible partner to help bring Ruth’s vision to life.

RVC: That’s a great success story. Now, you recently launched a newsletter. Care to share what and why?

JSJ: There are a lot of smart people who are sharing their knowledge of the publishing industry in various places (including here!), but I’ve found there isn’t quite as much out there specifically for children’s book illustrators. I wanted to help contribute to that knowledge pool, but I didn’t want to do it on traditional social media platforms run by algorithms. I was intrigued by substack (I used to love blogs back in the day) and wanted to learn more about it. And I figured, what better way to do that than to start a newsletter myself? I’m still finding my rhythm with writing posts but I really love that corner of the internet.

RVC: Best of luck with the newsletter! One final question for this part of the interview. What are some upcoming client projects that you’re really excited about?

JSJ: Oooh, I love this question! I cannot wait for The Dinosaur Seed by Lindsey Yankey to hit shelves this summer. It’s such a unique book – the story is told completely through the dialogue of four kids as they play pretend at the park, almost like a short play. I really want to do a dramatic reading of it with a few of my friends each voicing one of the characters. And the art is absolutely exquisite. I think kids are going to love it.

I’m also super excited about Floor It, written by Bex Tobin Fine and illustrated by my client Federico Fabiani. It transforms a baby’s ordinary crawl across the floor into a racecar-themed adventure, with lots of clever wordplay and mesmerizing, slightly surreal art. I’m a huge Formula 1 fan so love all the racecar jokes.

And last but not least, my client Hayden Goodman illustrated a fabulous new take on The Night Before Christmas, which is coming out this fall. It’s set in a NYC apartment building, and it’s funny and sweet and absolutely gorgeous. There are lush cutaways of all the different families’ homes with tons of little details to discover, and Santa has a fresh look and a magnificent magical pipe.

RVC: Alright, thanks for that–best of luck with all of those projects. But now…it’s time for the LIGHTNING ROUND. Let’s zip through questions and zap in those answers. Are you ready, Jessica?

JSJ: Ready!

RVC: What’s the most Virgo thing you do every day?

JSJ: Ha! So many answers to this, but the #1 thing may be the way I tag almost every single email I send/receive with myriad color-coded labels.

RVC: What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve ever used Airtable for?

JSJ: Gardening! I have a base where I track all the perennials I grow in my yard, the care instructions, when they bloomed each year, etc. It’s ridiculous but also fun. I call it my “recreational spreadsheet.”

RVC: How many projects can illustrators juggle without losing it?

JSJ: This depends on the illustrator. Though I try to encourage my clients to have only 2 new picture books publish per year, max. For lots of reasons, but workload chief among them.

RVC: A picture book from 2024 with underappreciated-but-awesome art?

JSJ: I have to mention Lonely Bird again, because the second book in the series, Lonely Bird’s Dream has the most incredible art. Ruth’s process is fascinating – she paints in oil, which is its own special feat, but she also creates all her illustrations in real life and photographs them as references for her paintings. Which means she’s literally built all the flying contraptions that Lonely Bird builds in the story, and she spends a lot of time lying on the floor taking photos from Lonely Bird height. She did a few interviews talking about her process that I recommend checking out!

RVC: If your life were illustrated as a picture book, what would the title and art style be?

JSJ: I’m very bad at brainstorming good titles in real life (I desperately wish I were better at this!) so whatever I came up with myself, the editor would probably gently suggest we change, haha. I don’t know if I could choose just one art style! I would need someone else to spearhead the illustrator search for my own book. Doctors are the worst patients, and all that.

RVC: What’s your favorite quotation about agenting, publishing, or writing kidlit?

JSJ: “Tell them stories….That’s what nourishes them. You must tell them true stories, and everything will be well, everything. Just tell them stories.” from The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (my all-time favorite book!)

RVC: Thanks so much, Jessica!

Agent Interview: Sam Farkas (Jill Grinberg Literary Management)

On January 27, 2025July 13, 2025 By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider1 Comment

Welcome to Sam Farkas, a literary agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management who helps bring innovative and impactful picture books to life. With a background in publishing that includes subsidiary rights at Penguin and extensive experience connecting authors and illustrators with global audiences, Sam is passionate about championing stories that captivate young readers.

Her tastes lean toward picture books with kid-friendly texts that beg to be read aloud, out-of-the-box nonfiction, and books that celebrate our multicultural world. Recent sales like Eight-Nine-Tengineers and Floor It! showcase her knack for finding stories that combine heart, creativity, and meaningful messages. In this interview, Sam shares insights into the world of picture book publishing, what she looks for in submissions, and how she supports creators in crafting unforgettable books.

Learn more about Sam here:

RVC: When you were a kid, was it obvious you’d end up in a book-related career?

SF: In hindsight, yes. I was always reading and writing. Then, as a teen, I spent a lot of time reading publishing blogs (mostly written by agents) because I found the industry so fascinating, but I viewed it more through the lens of wanting to be an author. At that time, I was very against the idea of living in New York City (how that has changed!), so I didn’t think publishing would be open to me. It wasn’t until college that I seriously considered it as a career path.

RVC: Let’s talk about college then. You attended William & Mary as an undergraduate. What did you study there, and how has it shaped your approach to agenting?

SF: When I went to college, I thought I was going to be an archaeologist. I loved history, and I had a very romanticized view of the archaeology field. However, after a semester cleaning potsherds with a toothbrush, I decided that it was not for me, so I abandoned those courses and declared myself a double major in English and History. That said, I still sometimes view my work as an agent through an archaeological lens, especially when I’m digging through the slush. The thrill of discovery. Putting pieces together to unearth a great story. Polishing things up until they shine (with an edit letter, not a toothbrush).

RVC: That’s a lovely way of thinking about it. Now, you worked at Barnes & Noble for a while after college. How useful was that for your future career in the publishing industry?

SF: Very! When I was first interviewing for publishing jobs in 2015, that was the piece of my resume that the hiring managers asked about the most. As a student, it’s easy to get lost in the books you have to read for coursework; working at Barnes & Noble reminded me what’s being published and selling now. (Also, I met my husband while working there, so it was a very influential time in my life!)

RVC: Bonus score! Eventually, you worked directly in publishing as a rights coördinator. How did that prepare you for agenting?

SF: There is a lot of crossover, as both are all about selling rights. The main difference is that as an agent you’re also doing editorial work and managing an author’s career. It’s more overarching. But my time as a rights coördinator taught me how to pitch, how to negotiate deals, how to do a contract, what different markets look like and what we can expect from them.

RVC: What’s a common misconception about book rights?

SF: A lot of new writers don’t think about subrights at all. Or they think that rights sales are a given, when in fact there are a lot of factors that affect how and whether a book sells subrights. A rhyming picture book, for example, is going to have trouble in the translation market—translating rhyme is hard!

Another example: preferences in art style vary dramatically territory-by-territory, so what works here doesn’t necessarily work overseas. I’ve sat in many a meeting where I’ve been told, “This will never work for France!” (French editors, if you’re reading, I think you’re great!)

RVC: How has your love for travel and global cultures influenced the way you think about the picture book market?

SF: This isn’t specific to picture books, but I’m often thinking about what makes books appealing to foreign markets—it’s more complicated than whether something is a great book. It can be the length (shorter is better, as translation adds to the page count), details in the art (yellow school buses? Too American), even the genre itself (horror is not nearly as popular overseas as it is here). While it doesn’t affect whether I offer on something, I get really excited when I see a lot of translation potential. It’s special to see a book resonate with readers around the world.

RVC: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned since joining JGLM in 2018?

SF: Oh, I have to pick just one? I’m going to cheat and pick two.

RVC: Go for it!

SF: 1) Trust your gut. It’s usually correct.

2) It’s okay to be the bearer of bad news. It’s no secret that there are a lot of things in publishing that are very difficult, whether that’s books dying on submission or lackluster marketing support. It’s tempting to try to sugarcoat it, but that helps no one—we have to be honest with our authors and support them as best we can.

RVC: What’s the story behind the first picture book you sold as agent?

SF: The first book I sold as an agent was Charlotte Gunnufson’s Dream Submarine. I had admired Charlotte’s work from my Penguin days—I was there when her book Prince & Pirate published—so I was really excited to represent her.

Dream Submarine is a beautifully multifaceted bedtime book about the ocean at night, and it sold to Candlewick pretty quickly once we took it out on submission.

RVC: The biggest lesson that book taught you was…

SF: Trust your gut! We discussed a lot of projects before deciding which to take out on submission, and there were many strong contenders, but this one felt right. Sometimes, you can’t put into words why one project feels more right than the others, but listen to your instincts.

RVC: In your opinion, what makes a great counting book, like Eight-Nine-Tengineers, or other concept-driven picture books?

SF: It has work on multiple levels. It’s not enough to just be a counting book, or a colors book, or an ABC book—it has to do something else, too, such as tell a great story or bring in additional educational content. Charlotte Gunnufson’s Eight-Nine-Tengineers is a counting book, but it’s also a kid-friendly introduction to environmental engineering, showing how we can work together to build a greener planet.

RVC: When assessing a manuscript, what’s the first thing that makes you think, “Now THIS is something I need to represent”?

SF: I can’t stop thinking about it. When I read a picture book manuscript, I usually know right away if it’s a “no,” but if it’s not a quick “no,” then it goes in my “take a closer look” pile. Occasionally, I will forget about it there, and then that tells me that it wasn’t a good fit and I let it go; but if I keep opening that manuscript, read it multiple times, and can’t let it go, then that’s a sign that I want to work on it.

RVC: How do you support your clients during the submission process, especially when navigating feedback or rejections?

SF: I let the author take the lead in how they’d like me to handle feedback or rejections. Every author is different: some want to hear every bit of news, some only want the highlights, others don’t want to hear a peep until it’s a “yes.” I trust my clients to know what’s best for their mental health, and I’ll work to accommodate that so they can focus on the writing.

RVC: I’m sure authors appreciate your flexibility there.

SF: If we get a pattern of feedback in the passes—multiple editors saying the same thing—then we’ll pause and see if we might be able to address it before taking the book out on submission again. Or if there’s no specific editorial feedback, but the book just isn’t hitting for whatever reason, sometimes we’ll pull it and move on to a different text. The nice thing about picture book writers is they tend to be prolific—if something isn’t working on submission, there’s always a new project waiting in the wings.

RVC: What advice would you give to creators choosing comp titles for their picture book manuscripts?

SF: Choose books that published within the last 5–7 years. Choose books that have done well, but try to avoid mega-hits, as those tend to be outliers.

RVC: In your “wish list” online, you’ve mentioned a love for out-of-the-box nonfiction. What kinds of nonfiction picture books are you hoping to see in your inbox?

SF: Ah, tricky! I don’t really know until I see it, but I do know that I’m burnt out on picture book biographies. I love picture book bios, but I’ve struggled to sell them, so I’m hesitant to take them on.

RVC: Brag time! What new projects are you most excited about?

SF: I’m really excited for Bex Tobin Fine’s Floor It!, illustrated by Federico Fabiani. It takes a simple conceit—a baby’s crawl across the floor—and turns it into a fun-filled racecar-themed adventure. Coming from Random House Children’s Books in Fall 2025!

RVC: Sounds like some high-octacte fun.

SF: Charlotte Gunnufson’s Hard Hat Hank and the Sky-High Solution, illustrated by Brian Biggs, is releasing in February on the inaugural Disney Planet Possible list, and it’s a very kid-friendly construction book with a focus on eco-friendly building.

And I just welcomed a new client who has a gorgeous literary text that I can’t wait to take on submission.

RVC: Thanks for the updates, Sam. But prepare yourself because it’s now time for the Speed Round. Rocket-fast questions and racecar-quick answers. Ready?

SF: Ready!

RVC: Your go-to snack when reading submissions?

SF: Black licorice.

RVC: If animals could talk, which animal would be the most annoying?

SF: My cat, Paprika, who can already be the most annoying. I shudder to think what she’d say if she could talk. It probably wouldn’t be very nice.

RVC: What’s one thing you couldn’t do your job without?

SF: My awesome colleagues. The women at JGLM are absolute stars—so helpful, and wise, and kind.

RVC: What’s one word every picture book needs?

SF: “The” (although I imagine there are picture books without it!)

RVC: Last picture book that truly made you LOL?

SF: I Quit! by Kristen Tracy, illustrated by Federico Fabiani—the illustration of the cat sticking her face through a loaf of bread makes me laugh every time!

RVC: Your picture book philosophy (or agenting philosophy) in 3 words?

SF: Trust your gut!

RVC: Thanks so much, Sam!

Editor Interview: Kathleen Merz (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)

On October 28, 2024July 13, 2025 By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider2 Comments

Welcome to Kathleen Merz, Editorial Director at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. We bumped into each other at the ALA conference a few months back in San Diego, and hearing her speak about her books and their creators told me all I needed to know–she had to join me for an OPB interview.

What do we need to know about her before we dive into the interview? Try this!

Kathleen joined Eerdmans in 2009 and has since worked on numerous award-winning titles, including books that have been awarded the Batchelder, the Sibert Medal, and the Caldecott Honor. With a background in English and linguistics, she has a particular love for translated works and nonfiction picture books. She’s drawn to stories that celebrate diversity and thoughtfully address contemporary social issues in ways that feel organic, compelling, and honest. Outside the office, you can usually find Kathleen enjoying the outdoors in Michigan—whether she’s biking, kayaking, camping, or curled up in a hammock with a good book.

With that, let’s jump right into the interview!

RVC: Let’s circle back to the beginning. At what point did you realize you were going to have a career in books?

KM: I’ve been a literature nerd since high school. In college, I was an English major with a linguistics minor and a Latin double major. When you’re an English major, everyone always asks, “What are you going to do with that—teach?” I knew teaching wasn’t for me, but I was interested in publishing. Senior year, one of my professors passed my resume to someone at Eerdmans, where there was an opening in the children’s department. I hadn’t seriously considered a career in children’s literature before, although I’d taken a course on it, but I jumped on the opportunity. I’m so happy I did because I love it and can’t imagine being as happy in any other branch of publishing. Despite the uncertainties, thin margins, and all that, it’s been a great fit.

RVC: Your story is a bit unusual! Most people in the industry hop around different places, but you’ve been with Eerdmans for 15 years. What’s kept you there so long?

KM: I know, it’s rare to stay with one publisher for so long. I love that Eerdmans is based in Michigan, which is my home state, and I like working for a small indie press. The team is great, and the books we publish are unique—quirky international titles, beautifully illustrated works, and thoughtful stories. Being part of a small press means I get to have my hand in everything, which I love. I feel fortunate to have stumbled into this job.

RVC: What does it mean to be an Editorial Director, and what role do you play in submissions at Eerdmans?

KM: We’re a small team. It’s me, our Associate Editor, our Art Director, our Publisher, and the sales and marketing team we share with the rest of the company. In my role, I manage the editorial side of the program, and some parts of the program as a whole.

For submissions—we’re open to unsolicited submissions, and our guidelines can be found on our website. Our Associate Editor does the first read of most of those unsolicited submissions and filters them through. I work on every project we publish, though, whether I take the first read through it or not. (If submissions to us are simply addressed to “Acquisitions Editor,” they’ll find their way where they need to.)

RVC: How many books do you publish per year, and how many submissions do you receive?

KM: We publish around 18 to 20 books a year, with two seasons of about 8 to 10 books each. Over half of those come from international publishers, so we’re looking at just 2 or 3 U.S.-originated books per season. In terms of submissions, I’d estimate we receive about 3 to 6 submissions a day. Out of all those, only a small handful—maybe one every couple of years—makes it from the slush pile into publication.

RVC: What’s the process like for acquiring books from other countries? How does that happen?

KM: A lot of it happens through international book fairs, especially the Bologna Book Fair, which is a major event for children’s publishing. Our publisher attends, and she has about 50 meetings over four days with different agents and publishers. We also receive projects year-round. We’re always on the lookout for publishers around the world who are doing interesting work. A lot of these books happen because of relationships—connections that we create with publishers, agents, or translators whose projects we admire and whose taste we trust.

RVC: You seem to have a soft spot for translated books. What’s the appeal?

KM: I love them because they open up a bigger world. One of the best things children’s books can do is crack open a wider world for young readers, introducing them to new perspectives, experiences, and ways of living. Translated books offer that in spades. And while these books showcase differences, they also highlight our shared humanity. In a world where there’s often fear of the “other,” international book can remind us of powerfully of what connects us all.

RVC: Can you share a book that illustrates this effectively?

KM: Absolutely! One book we’re publishing is The Cat Way, which is a translation from Swedish that tells the story of a character who goes for a walk each day with their cat. They’re always the one to lead—until one day the cat asks, “Why do you always get to lead?” The next day, the cat leads the way—down paths the human would never have chosen to take. But it turns out there are some beautiful surprises that come with letting go of control. It’s quirky and gorgeous, and I hope it will make readers stop to ponder what life might look like if they’re willing to see things from other perspectives.

RVC: Let’s talk about your editorial style. How do you approach working with authors, especially for translated projects?

KM: No matter the project, the editorial process moves from the big to the small. We start with macro edits—overall structure and flow—then move to more granular things like line edits and copy edits. For translated books, we’re usually working with books that have already been published—so those big-picture edits have already been done. We usually can’t change much at that level, though there are exceptions. So for translations most of my work is on the level of line edits and copy edits. For U.S.-originated projects, I’m doing all the different levels of work.

For any book I’m working on, I see my role as a curious, engaged reader. I pay attention to how a text holds my attention, and I look for the places where I’m pulled out of a story because of issues—whether it’s inconsistencies or awkward phrasing or confusing language. I try never to tell an author exactly how to rewrite. At the end of the day, it’s their writing, not mine. But I can ask questions, and offer some potential ways forward—and hopefully in the end the text is stronger than either of us could have found our way to on our own.

RVC: What’s a book you’ve worked on recently that challenged you in unexpected ways?

KM: Every project has its own set of unique challenges. Maybe the challenge is getting a character’s voice just right, or making sure the pacing doesn’t lag, or figuring out how to translate onomatopoeia or wordplay that works differently in another language. The fact-checking that nonfiction books require always adds an extra layer of complexity, and often sends me down editorial rabbit trails that I might not have anticipated. We spent more than a few hours checking and re-checking several pages of scientific names for Kingdoms of Life. And I know way more about Ediacaran lifeforms than I would have if I hadn’t worked on How the Sea Came to Be!

RVC: What was the first picture book you ever worked on?

KM: The first book I remember working on—and then getting to hold in my hands when it arrived from the printer—was a collection of stories about saints, written and illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. We had previously published it and were reformatting it, so I only did some light edits, but I still remember that first time I got to feel the thrill of holding a book I helped make.

RVC: What was it like working on The Right Word, a Caldecott Honor book?

KM: It’s still one of my favorite projects. Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet are brilliant creators and wonderful to work with. Jen and Melissa had worked together on A River of Words before, so they had a strong rapport. The process was very collaborative, with lots of revisions. Peter Mark Roget had a life jam-packed with fascinating details, so we had a lot of work trimming the story down to the core material. There was a lot of back-and-forth, shaping and honing the story and the art, and seeing it come together was just beautiful.

RVC: What do you think of the current state of children’s literature?

KM: I love that the industry has finally recognized the need to reflect the full range of people reading these books. The push for diversity and inclusivity has reshaped books being published—it’s been a long time coming and there’s still so much work to do (especially diversifying the industry itself), but it’s exciting and necessary work. It’s opened the door for a much more interesting range of stories to be told.

At the same time, the rise in book bans is incredibly frustrating. It’s another huge issue in the industry right now. I give credit to authors and publishers for standing their ground and continuing to publish important books despite the challenges, but there’s inevitably some quiet censorship that happens anyway. Educators and librarians are having to be much more cautious about the books they order, and that affects publishers across the board. And so many professionals risk losing their jobs if they dare to speak up. This is a major ongoing challenge that we all have to keep fighting against.

RVC: Since COVID, I’ve always tried to ask a health and wellness question, so here’s yours. What do you do to recharge when you’re not working with books?

KM: Anything that I could do outside. I love backpacking, camping, biking, and oh…I just had the trip of a lifetime!

RVC: Do tell!

KM: My dad grew up in California, and when he was in his early 20s, he backpacked to this one lake in the Sierras a couple times. For as long as I can remember, ever since I was a little kid, I remember him talking about Sky Blue Lake, and my sister and I have always wanted to go back there with him. Last month, we finally made it happen. We went backpacking up in the Sierras with my dad to this place that he’d gone to decades ago, and it was an incredible trip. Our world is staggeringly beautiful, and I love getting the chance to go out and see parts of that.

RVC: What’s one thing you wish literary agents understood better about your job?

KM: How guilty I feel not getting back to them more quickly! I wish that I were able to answer all the emails I get as soon as they land in my inbox, but…you know.…

Thankfully, most people are pretty gracious about that.

RVC: I quite agree. Most agents are terrific. Now, what’s the most common misconception people have about editors?

KM: Sometimes, especially with early-career writers, I notice certain personalities can be very protective of their writing, even threatened by suggestions for change. I get it—it’s tough because this work is their baby, something they’ve spent months or years on. What I often want to gently whisper in their ear is that we’re all on the same side. As an editor, my goal is to help make the best book possible and ensure it finds success in the world. I’m human and fallible, and I have limited time, which brings certain restrictions, but at the end of the day, my aim is the same as theirs: to create the best book we can.

RVC: What’s the most important thing people should know about Eerdmans?

KM: We’re small, we’re independent, and having such a small list means we’re deeply invested in every book we publish. Bigger publishers have their A, B, and C lists, where only the top books might really get much focus. But since we only publish 8 to 10 books a season, they all have to be good, and they’re all very important to who we are. We tend to keep books in print for a long time. We’re committed to taking on projects that really stand out, and doing them justice by making the highest-quality books we can.

RVC: Complete the following sentence: “Kathleen Merz is an editor who…”

KM:…is very passionate about the books I work on. I love the chance to continue learning and discovering stories I didn’t even know were out there.

RVC: It’s brag time! What are some forthcoming books you’re excited about?

KM: One book from our Spring 2025 list that I’m particularly excited about is A Universe of Rainbows, a poetry anthology by Matt Forrest Esenwine, illustrated by Jamey Christoph. It’s gorgeous and explores all the different ways rainbows appear around the planet—the rainbows in the sky you think of first, of course, but also rainbows in rivers and hot springs and mountains and plants and animals. It’s a wonderful cross-section of our planet’s beauty, and along with the poems there are sidebars and back matter full of information for kids to dive into.

The rest of the Spring 2025 list is fantastic too. A few highlights: We’ve got a sly detective/murder mystery picture book (Ramon Fellini the Dog Detective). We’ve got a story about refugees that uses the imagery of knitting—and plenty of yarn in the art—to describe what it’s like for a life to unravel and need to be knitted back together (Thread by Thread). And we’ve got a book about a dog who whose energetic personality keeps him from being adopted, until he finds the perfect fit working as a conservation dog (Trouble Dog).

RVC: Okay, it’s time for the speed round now. Fast questions and speedy answers, please. Are you ready?

KM. Sure!

RVC: If you could only have one app on your phone, what would it be?

KM: Maps–definitely.

RVC: What movie quote do you use on a regular basis?

KM: Probably Monty Python and the Holy Grail: “And there was much rejoicing.”

RVC: What makes your eyes roll every time you hear it?

KM: Business jargon—like when people say, “I don’t think we have the bandwidth for that.” I cringe even when I catch myself using it!

RVC: Five things you couldn’t do your job without?

KM: Tea, curiosity, a thesaurus, my floofy cat colleague, Misha, and a good walk to clear my head when I’ve been staring at a computer screen too long.

RVC: What’s a picture book from the past year that didn’t get its due?

KM: So many great possibilities. But I’ll mention John the Skeleton. It actually just came out this month, so maybe it will get its due—but I’m going to guess that even still many of your readers may not come across it. It’s a translation from Estonian about a retired classroom skeleton who goes to live with an elderly couple on their farm. We actually looked at this one a few years ago, and I’m so glad that it’s been published in English. It’s delightfully strange—and also funny and tender and profound.

RVC: If you had a dream picture book tea party with three other picture book people–authors, illustrators, or characters from picture books–who would it be?

KM: I’ll go with three creators I think are brilliant (as long as they don’t mind me spending the tea party pestering them with questions): Sydney Smith, Christian Robinson, and Candace Fleming. I’ll also say that I’ve had tea with Melissa Sweet, and it was an absolute delight—so she’s got a standing invite to any tea party I’d throw, too.

RVC: What’s the best compliment a kid ever gave about a book you worked on?

KM: Not a compliment from a kid, per se, but the reaction that comes to mind first is something that a school librarian told one of my colleagues at a conference. We recently published a book called A Star Shines Through. The author is Russian, and when Putin invaded Ukraine, she and her family fled, leaving their apartment behind and moving to Israel, and later to Montenegro. The book comes from that experience—it’s about a mother and daughter fleeing their home because of war and settling in a new, unfamiliar place. Everything feels foreign to them: the food, the language, the buildings. In their old home, they had a star-shaped lamp in the window, and one day in the new place, the mom brings home the makings of a new star lamp. They create it together, finding a small way to make the new place feel like home.

What the librarian told my colleague was that he knew exactly the kid he wanted to share the book with: a refugee student of his who was struggling to make a home in an unfamiliar city, and had started coming to the library because it felt like a safe space. There’s no better compliment and no better reason we do what we do than hearing that someone has the perfect child in mind for a book. That’s why we do it.

RVC: Great answer. Thanks so much for your time, Kathleen!

The Wisdom of Kidlit Editor Harold Underdown

On September 23, 2024July 13, 2025 By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider2 Comments

The whole kidlit world was shocked to find that after several years at Kane Press, Harold Underdown was let go and the entire press went out of business. If you hadn’t heard the details, here’s what Harold shared on Facebook.

By now you may have seen the news that Kane Press has been shut down by Astra and that I’ve been laid off. There’s a deeper story to that, of course.

Just about three years ago, I stepped into the position of Executive Editor at Kane. At the time, Kane was known for fiction with an educational element, as seen in the Math Matters! and Milo and Jazz series. It was the first imprint bought by Beijing-based TCBI, as they built up the components of what had already become Astra Publishing House when I arrived. However, their program had languished during the pandemic, and I was brought in specifically to revitalize it, and to find new directions while staying true to its core mission.

I got to work, deliberately broadening the range of what we published, and opening up to submissions from authors and agents. I expected it would take at least 4 to 5 years to see if my approach was working. Progress was slowed by understaffing at Astra and my needing to attend to my ailing elderly mother. But I was able to get my first acquisitions out in Fall 2023, with more following this year, from the Follow My Food series, aimed at a young picture book audience, to “Checkups, Shots, and Robots,” comic-style nonfiction for middle-grade readers. A good start, I thought, but I felt that it was my 2025 lists that really showcased what Kane Press could be.

I had just about wrapped up my editorial work on the Fall 2025 list when I was let go. From my perspective, this decision is a waste of the investment of the past three years, but I suspect was driven by the condition of the Chinese economy, which forced TCBI into further cutting expenses.

It’s their loss, as far as I am concerned. I am now looking for a new position with a company in need of an experienced, innovative editor to help them turn around an imprint, to fill a gap in their program, or simply to grow. To be continued…

Harold’s one of the Good Ones in the biz, folks. Read the OPB interview I did with him in 2021 to see for yourself!

To show my support of my colleague and friend, I’m repurposing this month’s Industry Insider post to showcase some of the wisdom Harold’s shared over the years via articles, interviews, workshops, and more.

Enjoy it, and please send Harold your best wishes (and leads for editorial jobs at places that aren’t going to self-destruct).

**Note on the excerpts below. A few had grammatical issues/typos, and one even seemed to be an unedited AI transcript, so I tweaked the spelling and grammar a few times to ensure readability, though I didn’t add or replace any words.**

What are some of the essential qualities of a good editor?

To start with, you must love reading, because you’ll be doing huge amounts of it, both of manuscripts and published books, from the day you enter the field.

You must care about and be interested in books, publishing, children, schools, libraries, and all the other things you will deal with on a daily basis, and you must be open to learning more about them.

Above all, I think you need to love to work with people in the particular ways an editor does: to get inside what an author is trying to do in a manuscript, and to help them to do it better; to know who is the right illustrator for a given book, and to help them do their best work; to work every day with a team of people brought together to produce a book; and of course to advocate for and help a book within a publishing company and out in the world. We don’t just sit in our offices marking up manuscripts with red pencils!

From Miss Marple’s Musings

Shirley's Illustrations: Miss Marple's Musings, Illustrator Interview

Children’s publishing is in an interesting era right now, isn’t it? Why is it important–now more than ever–to have a foundational understanding of this industry before you start preparing and submitting?

So, there’s a few parts to that question and let me unpack that. From my experience–and I’ve been working in publishing for more than 30 years now–it has ALWAYS been important to know how the business works. And that begins with everything from the different kinds of children’s books. A lot of people come into this with only a vague idea about the complexity of the different areas of children’s books and how they connect to children.

But that’s just the start. You need to understand the process of writing from a practical point of view. Like how to get feedback, not just sitting down and writing at your computer and knowing when you’re ready to send a manuscript out. The process of doing that; what happens later? What happens if a publisher or an agent is interested and what happens eventually when you get to the point of being offered a contract? And then beyond that. How are you going to actually be working with a publisher? That’s always been really important knowledge that often is kept out of the conversation, but the focus is very much a lot of the time in our business on the writing and on the illustrating and you really have to put both of them together and that’s what I’m always aiming to do.

From Highlights Foundation

How do you approach submissions as an editor? What makes you stop reading?

I’ll answer your question as if I were working in-house, since that’s what your readers probably want to hear. I always approached submissions with tremendous hope, that the NEXT manuscript I read was going to grab me and not let me go. And, over the years, like all editors do, I did find manuscripts from people I didn’t know that surprised and excited me. That’s a wonderful moment, when it happens.

Of course, most manuscripts in the “slush pile” don’t do that, for one of a number of reasons. I can group them into two categories, I think—there are the books that are obviously wrong for my publisher, either because they don’t publish that particular type of book or because they just did publish something too much like it.

The larger category is the second one, and that’s the one in which I would put various kinds of work that just isn’t good enough. There is uninspired and pedestrian writing, the too-familiar story, talking animals that teach lessons, “clever” writing that impresses adults but bores children, stilted or clumsy sentences, a slew of bad grammar and spelling (I don’t mind a few mistakes if the story is strong). You can get some more examples of what makes me stop reading in my article “Getting Out of the Slush Pile.”

From Kidlit411

KidLit411

What do you do outside of the book world?

I try to make sure my family is happy. We have a child in kindergarten, who over the past several months has learned to read, mostly on her own initiative. I stay involved with that. It’s satisfying and challenging and nothing at all like any job I’ve ever had.

In case you’re wondering, being a father hasn’t changed how I approach my work as an editor. I’ve greatly enjoyed discovering books I didn’t know about, though, and re-discovering favorites from my childhood. The Editor as Reader, which I mentioned earlier, goes into some of the discoveries.

From Cynsations

How much should a writer pay attention to a manuscript’s “marketability” and market trends?

This is a short question but it needs a long answer. For one thing, the importance of what’s expected in the market varies by type of book. A manuscript written for a packager creating a MG series MUST be focused on what the market wants, while a “literary” novel should simply be the best that the writer can make it.

In general, paying too much attention to the market is dangerous, as trends can change or die overnight. It can also be difficult to figure out what exactly would make a manuscript “marketable.”

So, my advice for writers in this area is to ignore the trends while they are learning the craft–improving their skills, finding their voice, learning what they most like to write. Once they have a good chunk of experience under their belts they can start to pay more attention to the market, as they will not be unduly influenced by it.

From Carol Baldwin’s Blog

What are the advantages of working with an independent editor?

I don’t know if I’m the right person to ask–you should ask some of my clients! But from what people tell me, there is one reason why many of them work with an independent editor. They have gone as far as they can with the avenues that they have for getting feedback on a manuscript, whether that’s their critique group, a writer friend, conference critiques, or all of those, and they know that they haven’t yet reached the place where they want to be. And so they reach out for help from a professional editor. Their manuscripts are in many different stages–ranging from early drafts with significant flaws to oft-revised drafts that need a final polish. What they have in common, though, is that they need or want to get help to move it up another level.

From the Mixed-Up Files…of Middle-Grade Authors

In speaking with so many industry folks over the years, it seems to me that the picture book world does a very good job letting new agents and editors learn in an apprenticeship model. Was that how it worked for you?

That’s an interesting question. And I actually would say that I didn’t have a full on apprenticeship kind of situation. Because I was working for Macmillan Children’s Books–a large, general purpose children’s book imprint–we did everything from picture books up to young adult. We even had the Macmillan Dictionary for Children along with a couple of other reference books.

There were three or four editors within the imprint–Judith Whipple, Beverly Reingold, and my boss Neal Porter, who was the publisher. I was officially working for Neal, but I also interacted with everybody else, so I was actually learning from all of them. One of the things they did within the department was make copies of all their important correspondence and put it in a file. That would get circulated weekly so we could all see what everybody was working on. That was always really interesting for me to read, because I could see how an editor wrote an editorial letter and how they corresponded with an artist. Another lesson I learned was the reality that publishing is a business.

That’s a tough realization, isn’t it?

I thought of publishing as this noble calling where people are simply making wonderful books. And it is! But also, for every single book that we acquired, I had to do a P&L [profit and loss statement]. And it had to work out and make money for us, after I put in all the expenditures and an overhead percentage and so on. It had to hit a target number of profit.

From Only Picture Books