(one-on-ones will be available)

Alice Jin "AJ" Zhang (she/they) is an Artist Agent at BookEnds, where they are cultivating a diverse range of illustrators across a spectrum of styles. They champion artists with a passion for craftsmanship, creative problem solving, and storytelling from a place of authenticity.

About BookEnds Literary Agency

BookEnds Literary Agency partners with authors and illustrators to build successful writing careers through expert publishing and rights licensing services.

Recent Books:

• • WIPE OUT illustrated by Karen de la Vega, written by Saadia Faruqi

(one-on-ones will be available)

Britt Siess began her publishing career at the Taryn Fagerness Agency, working in foreign rights before moving on to Wales Literary Agency. She then went to the sales division of The Quarto Group’s becker&mayer! imprint where she specialized in licensing and in selling both domestic and foreign rights before becoming an agent in 2018. In 2020, she founded Britt Siess Creative Management, which represents some of the biggest names in graphic novels and comics.

About BSCM:

"Founded in 2020, Britt Siess Creative Management LLC is a Seattle based full service literary and illustration agency with an emphasis on graphic novels. We are editorially focused and hands on as we work closely with our clients to develop their projects and guide them through publication and beyond. We aim to find the perfect home for each project."

Recent Books:

• ODDITY WOODS by Kay Davault
• ILLUSTRA: DAYBREAKER by Tori Tadiar
• TO DANCE THE MOON & STARS by Tasia M.S. and Barbara Perez Marquez

(one-on-ones will be available)

Felicia Low-Jimenez is the Co-Founder and Publisher of Difference Engine, an award-winning independent comics publisher based in Singapore. She has worked in bookselling and publishing for over a decade. She co-writes the bestselling middle-grade mystery series Sherlock Sam and is the writer of Tiger Girls, a young adult fantasy graphic novel selected for the White Ravens 2025 list.

About Difference Engine

"Difference Engine is an award-winning independent comics publisher based in Singapore. Powered by stories from Southeast Asia and beyond, we are inspired by diverse, thought-provoking tales by creators both new and experienced.

Our goal is to create comics that nudge readers to look at the world differently. As a team of creators ourselves, we see each comic as a collaboration, a conversation, and an opportunity to experiment beyond the printed form to push the boundaries of what comics can be."

Recent Books:

• TO THE LAST GRAM by Shreya Davies and Vanessa Wong
• MAGICAL SWEET GULA: MONSTER MAYHEM by Johanes Park and Jessica Leman
• TANARAYA: THE YAKSA SLAYER by Kathrinna R.

(one-on-ones will be available)

Hollie is excited to continue building her list as a newer agent. While working toward her M.A. in Creative Writing (Scripts) from City University of London, Hollie worked for the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency as a reader. When she returned to NYC, she joined the Gersh Agency as an assistant in the Theatrical Department. Hollie moved into theater education, during that time, she ventured into publishing, expanding her background to writing books for kids and eventually back into the agenting.

About Martin-Newens Literary Management

"Martin-Newens Literary Management, is a full service literary and media management agency. We focus on representing authors of adult nonfiction, fiction, and books for children and young adults. Our clients’ titles have appeared on the New York Times bestseller and other national bestseller lists, received many awards, and garnered national media attention. Many of our clients’ works have been optioned and developed for film and television projects and have helped promote speaking engagements."

(one-on-ones will be available)

Ian Tseng is the Assistant Editor in Children’s at Chronicle Books, where he reports to Executive Publishing Director Jody Mosley and Senior Editor Mary Colgan, and he is actively acquiring books for his own list as well. He is currently the editor of the Little Finger Puppet board book series and more.

About Chronicle Books

"Chronicle Books is an independent publisher based in San Francisco since 1967. We are inspired by the enduring magic of books, and by sparking the passions of others. We are committed to an inclusive company culture that respects and uplifts people of diverse backgrounds and points of view, and we believe in partnering with artists, writers, and organizations that represent the diversity of our world."

Recent Books:

• OUR STARRY STARRY NIGHT by Jimmy Liao
• WELCOME TO THE RABBIT RESIDENCE by Haluka Nohana
• BABY CORGI BUTT by Yu-Hsuan Huang

(one-on-ones will be available)

Ivan Taurisano is an Associate Editor at First Second Books, where he’s on the lookout for commercial, laugh-out-loud graphic novels with quirky characters that make kids fall in love with reading. He holds an MA in Children’s Literature and an MFA in Writing for Children, and worked across every corner of children’s publishing—from board books and picture books to middle grade and graphic novels. He lives in New Jersey with his husband.

About First Second:

First Second publishes graphic novels in every genre and for readers of all ages. Our graphic novels are available online, in libraries, in comic book shops, and wherever books are sold. Led by Editorial & Creative Director Mark Siegel, Executive Editorial Director Calista Brill, and Creative Director Kirk Benshoff, each of our graphic novels is the work of an army of creators, editors, designers, and editorial staff.

Jessica Saint Jean is a literary agent specializing in visual storytellers. Her clients work across all illustrated formats and genres in children’s publishing. Before joining Root Literary in 2024, she launched an illustrator list at Jill Grinberg Literary Management and she spent a decade working in-house at children's publishers in both the editorial and art departments. Her background offers a comprehensive perspective to the creators she represents.

About Root Literary

"Root Literary combines a boutique, hands-on approach to literary representation with a big-agency business perspective. Founded in 2017 by owner Holly Root and agent Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary represents award-winning, bestselling, and emerging creators across adult and children's literature."

Recent Books:

• VOLCANOPE by Matt Roeser
• I QUIT by Kristen Tracy and Federico Fabiani
• THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Hayden Goodman

(one-on-ones will be available)

Juan Botero fell in love with stories while hiding behind stacks of books at their elementary school library. From then on, they became a voracious and omnivorous reader. This impulse to read stories of all sorts informs Juan's editorial tastes. Juan is drawn to fantasy, horror, magical realism, and visual storytelling, but they love dipping into many genres. They especially enjoy narratives that are character forward, that bend and break boundaries, and that explore the strange parts of life.

About Candlewick Press

"Candlewick Press is a publisher dedicated to creating great literature for children of all ages. Our books include classic favorites and award-winning books across all categories: from picture books to YA, both fiction and nonfiction. As interest in graphic novels grows, we are committed to continuing to build that part of the list by supporting graphic novelists already published by us, as well as by bringing new exciting and innovative voices to the Candlewick list."

Recent Books:

• THE DEMON'S PRINCE by Remy Lai and Lauren Dimaya
• WILLI NINJA: VOGUE LEGEND by Joy Michael Ellison and Nabi H. Ali
• UNICORN RESCUERS: ADVENTURE IN MERMAID LAND by Ana Punset and Diana Vicedo

Julia Sanderson is a Senior Commissioning Editor for Fiction at Scholastic Children's Books in London, UK. With a passion for illustrated fiction and an increasing focus on graphic novels, she has worked with award-winning and bestselling author-illustrators including Aoife Dooley, James Lancett, David O'Connell and Nick East, as well as championing new graphic novels across ages and genres.

About Scholastic Children's Books

"Scholastic Children’s Books is the home of many beloved, accessible books for children with strong visual formats, including Dog Man, Captain Underpants and Tom Gates. In 2025, the imprint Graphix, originally established in 2005 by the publisher’s US division to champion the art of graphic storytelling, was brought to the UK. This imprint houses graphic novels and manga from both US and UK authors, including Dav Pilkey, Raina Telgemeier, Mai Matsuda, Sarah Bowie and Jim Smith."

Recent Books:

• SQUID SQUAD by Aoife Dooley
• WILOMINA: THE LAND OF DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES by John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs
• GALAXY RUNNERS: JELLO BREAKS THE UNIVERSE by James Lancett

(one-on-ones will be available)

Megan joined WME in 2023, where she represents graphic novels, manga, nonfiction and fiction across all ages. She's passionate about working with authors from non-traditional spaces, and is especially a fan of anything unclassifiably weird, melancholic, Latina, or queer. When not reading for work, Megan is re-reading nostalgic manga, opening another Wikipedia tab, and taking photos of silly looking dogs on the street.

About William Morris Endeavor Entertainment

"WME's book division operates as a boutique literary agency, while uniquely positioned to access resources from across the broader WME network. WME proudly represents internationally bestselling authors across all genres who have been awarded the most esteemed accolades including The Nobel Prize, The Pulitzer Prize, and more. "

Assisted with Books:

• DEATH OF THE AUTHOR by Nnedi Okorafor
• THE DRY SEASON by Melissa Febos
• BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT, JESUS IS ALIVE! by by Melissa Lozada-Oliva

(one-on-ones will be available)

Melissa Manlove is an Executive Editor at Sourcebooks. She has been a children’s book editor for 22 years. Her acquisitions encompass a wide range of ages, formats, and fiction/nonfiction. When acquiring, she looks for fresh takes on familiar topics as well as the new and unusual. She is especially excited when the structure and voice of a manuscript connect strongly to the topic and themes. She also has 25 years of children’s bookselling experience.

Melissa works across imprints (Jabberwocky, Explore, Young Readers, Fire) on primarily illustrated books; fiction and non-fiction.

About Sourcebooks

"From our humble beginnings in a spare bedroom in 1987, with just one book and a single employee — our founder, Publisher and CEO Dominique Raccah — we’ve stayed true to our passion for stories and our dedication to helping authors reach readers. We’re an innovative, mission-driven book publisher that champions diverse voices in publishing."

Recent Books:

• WILDSPEAK by Sangma Francis and Lexi Vangsnes
• I NEED MY LEWIS by Laurel Snyder and Vera Brosgol
• BIRDWHILE by Philip Stead

(one-on-ones will be available)

I’ve been at Scholastic since 2015 and am currently Editorial Director of the Graphix Media and AFK imprints, curating their respective lists of licensed graphic novels and video game tie-ins. I am a lifelong lover of graphic novels and video games who as a kid could always be found on new comic book days at Lonestar Comics in my home state of Texas.

About Scholastic Graphix

"Scholastic's Graphix imprint is where the most popular graphic novels and the most talented creators are published. Since 2005, we've championed the art of graphic storytelling by seeking out and empowering groundbreaking visual authors, publishing diverse and vibrant stories, and instilling a love of reading in young adults that last a life time. Graphix Media publishes graphic novels based on licenses, brands, and other media."

Recent Books:

• HULK TEACH by Jeffrey Brown
• MAX, A LITTLE AXOLOTL by Joey Spiotto
• SPLINTER'S DOJO by Dan & Jason

"I'm very proud to head up our graphic novel list, Puffin Graphics, which was launched in 2024 to capture young readers by publishing immersive, escapist, inclusive and fun stories, which celebrate the joy of reading through art. I also work across all 6+ fiction age-ranges, and publish a wonderfully wide range of creators, including Malorie Blackman, Jamie Littler, Bea Fitzgerald, Dapo Adeola, Huw Aaron, Asako Yuzuki, Hana Tooke, H. F. Askwith, Wenyi Geng and CBBC superstar Andy Day."

About Puffin Graphics

"Puffin Graphics is a carefully curated and commercial list that spans a wide variety of genres and age groups. Our books are immersive and accessible, with imagination on every page! We launched in March 2024, and are one of the very few dedicated children’s comics lists in the UK. Our aim is to become the go-to home for best-in-class graphic novels – for home-grown creative talent; US-based partnerships; and stories in translation."

Recent Books:

• UNFAIRIES by Huw Aaron
• ELFIE'S SPELLBOOK by Christophe Arleston (author), Audrey Alwett (author), Mini Ludvin (illustrator), and Anam Zafar (translator)
• PAWS by Michele Assarasakorn (illustrator) and Nathan Fairbairn (author)

(one-on-ones will be available)

Rachel Stark is a senior editor at Little, Brown Ink. In their decade of editing graphic novels, they’ve worked for LB Ink, Disney Hyperion, and First Second, and edited bestselling and award-winning comics including John Patrick Green’s InvestiGators; Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks’s Pumpkinheads; Jen Wang’s Stargazing; and Pablo Cartaya's Curveball, and more. They also helped spearhead Kugali Ink, a graphic novel imprint dedicated to African creators and storytelling.

About Little, Brown Ink

"Little, Brown Ink, founded in 2022, is Little, Brown Books for Young Readers's graphic novel line, publishing commercial middle grade, fun graphic novel chapter books, and compelling YA narratives. Our focus is on authenticity—authentic stories, authentic representation. We publish visual stories that readers will relate to, learn from, and return to again and again. Little, Brown Ink: Picture yourself on every page!"

Recent Books:

• RUNELESS by Bill Masuku & Daniel Quartey
• ÀKÀNNÍ by Jessica Tagbajumi & Jason Lamy
• CURVEBALL by Pablo Cartaya & Miguel Díaz Rivas

(one-on-ones will be available)

About Sara Crowe Literary

Sara represents a diverse group of children's and adult fiction and nonfiction; everything from picture books to graphic novels to literary fiction and adult romcoms. Her clients include Newberry and Printz medalists and honorees, National Book Award Finalists, Lambda award winners and finalists, and NYT Bestsellers.

Recent Books:

• SQUALO & MAGE by Kara Bodegon
• EMBER by Jason Pamment
• DEMON BOI by Jennifer Dugan and Kit Seaton

(one-on-ones will be available)

Before joining Azantian Literary Agency, T.S. Ferguson worked for 16 years as an editor for some of the top children's and teen book publishers in the business, including Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Harlequin Teen/Inkyard Press, and JIMMY Patterson Books. He has worked with New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors. His graphic novel clients include Nishka Fialoke, Nat Solis, and KCU team member Bailey Culver.

About Azantian Literary

"Founded in 2014, Azantian Literary is committed to guiding the careers of both new and established voices in fiction and nonfiction, particularly those who have been historically underrepresented.

Whether a heart-warming contemporary, a moving true story, or a grand epic fantasy, we look for the universal truths in our stories that connect us all."