Marzieh is looking for unagented authors.

Marzieh is a good fit for: Diverse voices (specifically BIPOC) ★ Nonfiction ★ Fiction ★ Prose ★ Lyrical ★ Multigenerational ★ Food ★ Family ★ Cultural celebrations ★ Joy.

Marzieh is not a good fit for: Grief stories.

Sara is looking for unagented authors.

Sara is a good fit for: Rhyme that enhances the story or concept ★ Quirky humor ★ Friendship stories ★ School settings ★ Subtle SEL ★ Retellings ★ Nonfiction ★ Authors who write in a variety of styles and genres.

Sara is not a good fit for: Toilet humor ★ Pun-only humor ★ Anthropomorphized food.

⚠️Historically marginalized creators are especially encouraged to apply, but Sara is open to everyone.

Alliah is looking for unagented AND agented authors.

Alliah is a good fit for: Black Voices ★ Black Joy ★ Human protagonists ★ Select anthropomorphic characters with a fresh voice and vibe ★ Humor with heart ★ Contemporary Fiction ★ Light Potty Humor ★ Punny Humor (haha!) ★ Rhyming Verse ★ Non-fiction ★ Prolific writers.

Alliah is not a good fit for: Grief ★ War ★ Sad Stories ★ Fables ★ Forced Rhyme ★ Anything preachy.

⚠️Please don’t submit any stories including death.

Nell is looking for unagented AND agented authors.

Nell is a good fit for: Science/Nature nonfiction ★ Informational fiction with a nature theme ★ Authors who write about locations - neighborhoods, specific kid-friendly places that you have a connection to like markets, parks, playgrounds, stoops, backyards, trails, lakes, ponds—think creatively!

Nell is not a good fit for: Character-driven stories ★ Biographies ★ Fictional stories that have no tie-in with nature or a location.

⚠️BIPOC, disabled, LGBTQ+ preferred but open to all applicants.

Livia is looking for agented authors.

Livia is a good fit for: Books that appeal to both children and adults ★ Universal themes ★ Love ★ Family ★ Loss ★ STEM-related books ★ Creative nonfiction ★ Books with an epic feel ★ Fantasy ★ East Asian voices.

Livia is not a good fit for: Rhyme ★ Books telling kids how special/unique they are ★ Slice of life unless there is a strong emotional core.

JaNay is looking for unagented authors.

JaNay is a good fit for: A lot of heart ★ Learning elements that are woven into the narrative (concept books included) ★ Strong rhyme ★ Lyrical and rhythmic language ★ Spunky characters who take initiative ★ Characters of color and from diverse backgrounds ★ Stories that make for dynamic and engaging read-alouds!

JaNay is not a good fit for: Forced rhyme ★ Overly didactic stories ★ Non-fiction.

Jesse is looking for unagented authors.

Jesse is a good fit for: Fiction ★ Nonfiction ★ Stories that stem from personal experience (even if they have an execution not rooted in reality) ★ Stories that center heart ★ Tearjerkers ★ Economy in writing—Challenge yourself to ask “how briefly can I say this without losing flavor or function?”

Jesse is not a good fit for: Rhyme—If rhyme as a vehicle doesn’t seem like the most effective or only way to execute your story - Jesse may ask what the script might look like in prose.

Ruth is looking for unagented AND agented authors.

Ruth is a good fit for: BIPOC stories ★ African American stories ★ Black joy ★ Inspiring and heartfelt work ★ Family relationships ★ Lyrical (but not necessarily rhyming) work ★ Magic/whimsy ★ Unconventional storytelling.

Ruth is not a good fit for: Strictly rhyming books ★ Historical/ biographies (especially dense biographies) ★ Science books ★ Dense work ★Toilet humor.

⚠️Ruth is interested in BIPOC and BIPOC women’s stories, especially African American women's stories, but all are welcome.

Laura is looking for unagented AND agented authors.

Laura is a good fit for: Writers working in multiple genres ★ Writers experimenting with inventive structures or outside-of-the-box concepts ★ Writers who love science ★ Writers who love nature ★ Funny writers ★ Jewish writers ★ Neurodiverse writers ★ Any writer interesting in sharing their ethnic/cultural/religious/gender identity through their work.

Laura is not a good fit for: Writers whose humor is primarily pun-based ★ Food stories (unless history- or science-based nonfiction) ★ Didactic books (unless the underlying message is balanced out by humor, lovable characters, or a unique format).

Jyoti is looking for unagented AND agented authors.

Jyoti is a good fit for: Nonfiction ★ Fiction ★ Stories that reflect specific cultural traditions and yet have universal themes ★ Heartfelt ★ Community ★ Stories that offer mirrors and/or windows ★ Lyrical ★ Rhyming ★ Narrative prose.

Jyoti is not a good fit for: Stories with potty humor ★ Silly/funny or meta stories ★ Stories with animal characters ★ Folktales.

Julia is looking for unagented authors.

Julia is a good fit for: Humor ★ Bold characters ★ Whimsy ★ High-concept stories ★ Spooky tales ★ Animal and human protagonists ★ Lyrical ★ STEM ★ Unconventional structures.

Julia is not a good fit for: Biographies ★ Wordless picture books.

Rita is looking for unagented authors.

Rita is a good fit for: Humor with heart ★ Fiction ★ Nonfiction ★ Authors who write across genres.

Rita is not a good fit for: Concept books ★ Board books ★ Rhyme — unless you are a very experienced rhymer.

Shana is looking for unagented authors.

Shana is a good fit for: Nonfiction ★ STEM ★ Exceptional children’s stories ★ Anything fairytale or folktale inspired ★ Magic & whimsy ★ Authors who enjoy writing in a variety of genres ★ Emotional ★ Humor ★ Relatable ★ Slice-of-life.

Shana is not a good fit for: Rhyme ★ Books dealing with illness/cancer/aging parents ★ Potty humor ★ Alliterative character names.

⚠️Please don’t submit stories that include cancer or disease (stories including a pet’s death can be submitted).

Angela is looking for unagented authors.

Angela is a good fit for: Fiction ★ Non-fiction ★ STEM ★ Humor ★ Lyrical ★ Family Stories ★ Stories about community ★ Girl Power.

Angela is not a good fit for: Rhyme.

⚠️Please do not submit stories about violence or themes of abuse (dark humor is fine!)

Rajani is looking for unagented AND agented authors.

Rajani is a good fit for: Fiction ★ Nonfiction (including and especially those involving science and math) ★ Stories with humor and heart ★ Authors who enjoy writing about a variety of topics in a variety of genres ★ Stories about family bonds ★ Authors who are not afraid to reimagine a manuscript and are willing to listen to suggestions about what might need to be changed ★ Authors who are ready to work hard to pursue their dreams.

Rajani is not a good fit for: Scatological humor ★ Rhyme (unless it's excellent rhyme and a story that must be written in rhyme) ★ Stories with marginalized protagonists written by non-marginalized creators.

CK will be mentoring for our new pilot program, BEYOND PB RISING STARS: AN EXTENDED EXPERIENCE, and working with a past mentee for 2025.

★While CK won’t be open to applications this year, please see their profile below to read their bio, support their books, and learn more about the new pilot program.

Mónica is looking for unagented, BIPOC authors.

Mónica is a good fit for: Authors from marginalized backgrounds ★ Authors who write for multiple age groups/multiple genres ★ Bilingual stories ★ Lyrical stories ★ Picture Books with a message.

Mónica is not a good fit for: Humor.

⚠️Applications from BIPOC authors only.

Maria is looking for unagented AND agented authors.

Maria is a good fit for: STEM ★ Nonfiction (excluding biographies) ★ Faith-inspired works ★ Cultural stories ★ Lyrical ★ Unique structures.

Maria is not a good fit for: Rhyme ★ Humor.

Jackie is looking for unagented authors.

Jackie is a good fit for: Imaginative books ★ Lyrical stories ★ Books featuring brave and bold kids ★ Stories with heart ★ Culture ★ Community ★ Inclusion ★ Stories that feel like a hug ★ Multigenerational and family life ★ Manuscripts highlighting tough topics ★ Slice-of-life ★ Whimsy.

Jackie is not a good fit for: Nonfiction ★ Concept books ★ Didactic text ★ Rhyme ★ Meta ★ Toilet humor ★ Animal main characters.

Rina is looking for unagented authors.

Rina is a good fit for: Non-fiction that will be a game changer ★ Cultural (only if you come from that background) ★ Biographies with a different spin ★ Lyrical fiction and non-fiction ★ Manuscripts that will surprise the reader in any way ★ Board books.

Rina is not a good fit for: Wordless picture books ★ Didactic stories that have a very obvious message for kids ★ STEM.

⚠️Please don’t submit stories including: Death, disease, animal characters that talk, potty humor, and cliche or forced themes.

Ana is looking for unagented AND agented authors.

Ana is a good fit for: Humorous stories ★ Intergenerational books ★ Books filled with different cultures and tradition ★ Stories with lots of action.

Ana is not a good fit for: Rhyme ★ Quiet books ★ Concept books ★ Nonfiction ★ Stories with anthropomorphized animals or objects.

Natasha is looking for unagented authors.

Natasha is a good fit for: Fiction ★ BIPOC stories ★ Lyrical ★ Poetic ★ Prose ★ Intergenerational stories (all things family) ★ Themes of adoption and foster care (by those with lived experience) ★ Grief and loss ★ All things social-emotional (think "what would I need a counselor for?") ★ Holidays ★ Cultural stories (by creators who identify with that culture) ★ Fairytale retellings ★ Intersectionality of identity.

Natasha is not a good fit for: Rhyme ★ Talking animals ★ Concept books.

⚠️Please do not submit stories with demons or ghosts.

Seina is looking for unagented authors.

Seina is a good fit for: Diverse voices ★ Multi-generational stories ★ Community based stories ★ Animal protagonists ★ Human protagonists ★ Fresh/fun characters and plots ★ Stories that feel classic and timeless ★ Stories that play with structure and bend and break rules.

Seina is not a good fit for: Rhyme ★ Non-fiction ★ Potty humor ★ Horror ★ Creators who become despondent or defensive in response to critiques.

Anne is looking for unagented illustrators and author-illustrators from any background + unagented, trans or nonbinary text-only authors.

Anne is a good fit for: Illustrators ★ Author-Illustrators ★ Illustrators who want to be author-illustrators ★ Author-illustrators/Illustrators who enjoy writing/illustrating in a variety of genres/styles ★ Illustrators who work in Procreate or Photoshop ★ Illustrators who work in watercolor or gouache ★ Humor ★ Humor with heart ★ Subversive and/or quirky stories, dummies, and art ★ Lyrical and/or whimsical stories, dummies, and art ★ Stories/Art tackling anxiety and mental health.

Anne is not a good fit for: Nonfiction ★ Rhyme ★ Stories/art about religion.

⚠️Anne is open to everyone but LGBTQIA+ applicants are encouraged to apply, particularly trans and nonbinary creators.

Michelle is looking for unagented illustrators and author-illustrators.

Michelle is a good fit for: Intergenerational stories ★ Lyrical manuscripts ★ Stories about cultural traditions and/or food ★ Magical and whimsical stories - especially ones based on folklore or mythology ★ Biographies and historical nonfiction ★ Graphic or comic-inspired picture books (think LIFT by Minh Le and Dan Santat) ★ Social-emotional learning stories about topics like grief that are difficult to discuss ★ Stories with LGBTQ+ themes ★ Digital illustrators ★ Illustrators who work with traditional paints of any kind.

Michelle is not a good fit for: Rhyme ★ STEM books ★ Illustrators who have a collage or cut paper style ★ Books with religious themes ★ Potty humor ★ Over-the-top humor.

*Michelle is open to everyone, but BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ applicants are especially encouraged to apply.

Aya is looking for unagented AND agented illustrators & author-illustrators.

Aya is a good fit for: Unconventional story-telling ★ Nonfiction ★ Illustrators who work in Procreate ★ Multigenerational ★ Family ★ Community ★ Lyrical ★ Celebrations ★ Holidays ★ Traditions ★ Graphic/hybrid (Comics) ★ Books dealing with "heavy" subject matter for children ★ Illustrators who work digitally.

Aya is not a good fit for: Just-for-fun humor stories ★ Illustrators who work (only) traditionally ★ Biographies.

Natasha is looking for unagented AND agented text-only authors & author-illustrators from marginalized backgrounds.

Natasha is a good fit for: Authors and Author-Illustrators who enjoy writing in a variety of genres (lyrical, humor, nonfiction) ★ Illustrators who work in digital mediums (procreate, photoshop) ★ Lovers of revision ★ Creators who have read at least 100 picture books that have come out in the last 5 years ★ People who want to change the world - one book at a time ★ BIPOC stories.

Natasha is not a good fit for: Rhyme ★ Books dealing with aging parents/grandparents/grief ★ Manuscripts/dummies that have been recently submitted to agents.

⚠️Natasha is only looking for creators from any and all marginalized groups to apply.

Shamar is looking for BIPOC, unagented AND agented illustrators and author-illustrators.

Shamar is a good fit for: Any art medium ★ Digital illustrators that work in Procreate ★ Fiction ★ Imaginative/whimsy manuscripts ★ BIPOC voices ★ Lyrical ★ Humor ★ Unique characters.

Shamar is not a good fit for: Nonfiction.

⚠️Shamar is looking for BIPOC applicants only.

Julia is looking for unagented illustrators and author-illustrators.

Julia is a good fit for: Digital illustrators who want to incorporate traditional materials ★ Traditional illustrators who want to use more digital elements ★ Humor with heart ★ Illustrators looking to be writer/illustrators ★ Any medium.

Julia is not a good fit for: Nonfiction (unless it has a humorous spin).