More About Jordan Scott (He/Him)
Languages: English
Jordan Scott is a poet and children’s author. His debut children’s book, I Talk Like a River (illustrated by Sydney Smith), was a New York Times best Children’s Book of 2020. I Talk Like a River is translated into nineteen languages and was the recipient of the American Library Association’s, Schneider Family Book Award, which honors authors for the artistic expression of the disability experience. I Talk Like a River has won numerous international awards and was nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Prize for Young People’s Literature.
Scott is also the author the award winning My Baba's Garden(illustrated by Sydney Smith) and the newly released Angela's Glacier (illustrated by Diana Sudyka). Scott is also the author of four books of poetry and the recipient of the Latner Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize, given to a mid-career poet in recognition of a remarkable body of work, and in anticipation of future contributions to Canadian poetry.
You can find Jordan online at:
Jordan’s strengths are…
Jordan's strengths are narrative, poetry, sound, and writing from a child's perspective.
What Jordan is looking for…
Jordan is looking for a mentee that is open to engaged editorial feedback and who is willing to consider both line-edits and perhaps structural changes to a manuscript.
He is open to working on multiple picture book manuscripts and can also help with the business side of publishing.
A Note from Jordan:
“I'm really not so great at giving advice about writing. I usually just write stories that are meaningful to me and ones that I wished I could have read as a kid. I like this level of intimacy that writing for my childhood self engenders and often imagine myself writing these stories in a cozy tree stump or a giant snail shell. I guess I would say to write stories that are meaningful to you and be open - and even take joy in! - the editing process.”
Jordan’s Picture Books
Jordan writes in other markets. To view his full catalog, please visit his website.
I TALK LIKE A RIVER, written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith
*Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award
*Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner
*A New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year
*Named a Best Book of the Year by The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, Shelf Awareness, Bookpage, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Publishers Lunch, and more!
MY BABA’S GARDEN, written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith
*Named a Best Book of 2023 by New York Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal
*Winner of the Chen Bochui Best Picture Book Award
ANGELA’S GLACIER, written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Diana Sudyka
Jordan’s Upcoming Picture Book
MY SISTER THE APPLE TREE, written by Jamal Saeed and Jordan Scott, and illustrated by Zahra Marwan
If Jordan created a Visual Wish List, it would be made up of…
*Unless otherwise stated, the below serves as a wish list only. Each mentor is excited about the opportunity to find a manuscript they can’t stop thinking about. Please apply if you think you’d be a good fit.
DO YOU REMEMBER? written and illustrated by Sydney Smith
LITTLE LAND, written and illustrated by Diana Sudyka
THE LAST STAND, written by Antwan Eady and illustrated by Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey
WATERCRESS, written by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Jason Chin
Let's Go! haw êkwa! by Julie Flett
THE TREE AND THE RIVER by Aaron Becker
Jordan is a good fit for…
Picture book manuscripts in any genre that explore any theme.
Who can apply to Jordan? Unagented AND Agented authors.
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