I work on books that model honest and open-hearted ways of existing in the world.
I am committed to championing voice-driven stories by, about, and for people from marginalized communities. Whether fiction or nonfiction, I’m drawn to stories that depict the beauty and diversity of the human experience: the humor, the complexity, the curiosity, the magic. Anything that encourages young readers (especially queer readers and readers of color) to be more fully and unapologetically themselves, I want to see it.
I aim for every book on my list to be a source of hope and comfort in its own way. From coming-of-age contemporaries to sweeping interstellar romances, I acquire books that let readers come as they are, within whose pages it is safe to explore thoughts, feelings, and experiences away from the stakes of the real world. We all deserve spaces that hold us, heal us, and empower us—and this is especially true for readers whose communities traditional publishing has historically reduced to stereotypes or monoliths (when they’ve been reflected at all). With each book I edit, I hope to instill in young readers a sense of their own agency and significance—as well as the knowledge that they are never alone.
This wish list is updated concurrently with my MSWL website profile (which contains submission guidelines). Feel free to reference whichever format you find more accessible.
Formats and General Taste
I acquire upmarket books with high-concept plots, cinematic settings, and gorgeous prose. My projects straddle the line between literary and commercial: books with enough hook to interest a wide range of consumers on premise alone, that then deliver deeply memorable, beautifully-executed reading experiences. Across the board, my biggest considerations are always character (do they come alive on the page?), voice (is it atmospheric and compulsively readable? do I get lost in it?), and emotional depth (does it make my heart hurt/soar/sing? do the threads and themes build to something satisfying?)—in other words, how a story is told. This wishlist clarifies what a successful telling looks like for me, as well as detailing the premises, themes, and narrative elements I find most compelling with respect to what a story is about. The more of these present in any given project, the more likely I’ll fall in love with it.
Format-wise, I edit both fiction and nonfiction projects for the following audiences:
– Picture book (ages 4-9)
– Middle grade
– Young adult
– Graphic novel (all ages)
In nonfiction and history, I gravitate to stories about art and science, the natural world, and the experiences of people of marginalized identities. Narrative and visual nonfiction projects (including compendiums and collections with gift appeal) tend to resonate with me the strongest. In fiction, I look for stories with a compelling voice and a solid command of the reader’s emotional response, with any topic welcome. Here’s how I conceptualize my taste, roughly, in each format:
Picture Books
Richly layered with meaning and heart. Inviting, evocative, and warm—whether informative (e.g. And Tango Makes Three), cheeky (e.g. I’m Sorry You Got Mad), or poignant (e.g. Watercress).
Middle Grade
Expansive, immersive stories of discovery, friendship, and adventure. Honest yet hopeful, especially in science fiction and fantasy (e.g. The Last Cuentista), contemporary (e.g. Front Desk), historical (e.g. Esperanza Rising), and blends thereof.
Young Adult
Character-driven, emotionally resonant stories of testing limits, redefining possible, and becoming. Propulsive, irresistible prose with themes of improving self-knowledge and finding a place in the world, whether leaning into genre (e.g. Six of Crows), evoking a lush literary feel (e.g. We Deserve Monuments), or landing somewhere in between (e.g. Last Night at the Telegraph Club).
Graphic Novels
Distinctive and visually dazzling, across all age ranges. Think cozy fantasy; slice-of-life contemporary; whirlwind road trips and travel stories; and ambitious, immersive journeys across space and time.
Not for me
I am generally not the right editor for books in the following genres, or that center the following content:
– Dystopian
– Excessive gore (and most instances of body horror)
– Thrillers, or anything where suspense is the genre rather than an aspect of the telling (psychological fiction is not my thing)
– Military themes (unless in speculative genres, and then only very selectively)
– Trauma-focused narratives that are dark and heavy without relief
– Ongoing abuse or assault as a central plot point
– Disordered eating, heavy drug use, suicide, self-harm, or gang/gun violence as a central plot point
– Picture books motivated by “lessons” or morals
– Purely educational or purely humorous (slapstick, punny) picture books
– Picture books where straightforward early concepts (counting, colors, shapes, etc.) are the core hook
Favorite Elements and Themes
- Clever and unexpected humor (I’m a huge fan of irony)
- Interesting settings, from hidden cities to extravagant museums to outdoor environments where the natural world feels like a character
- Heritage, family history, and cultural traditions—and all the feelings that come with them
- Explorations of belonging, being in-between, and navigating a blend of identities/cultures (especially when there are no easy answers)
- Multicultural casts of three-dimensional, fully-realized characters (more Black and brown characters written by Black and brown creators!)
- Figuring things out as you go, making things up on the fly, putting out good intentions and hoping for the best (basically, big Aries vibes)
- Believable, pitch-perfect dialogue that shapes tone and pace (Banter and snark! Dry wit and flirty subtext! Meaningful pauses, well-timed reactions, voices so real you almost hear them!)
- Stories that blur, challenge, and reimagine the boundaries of genre (I am all about driving genre fiction like you stole it—and I tend to love stories pitched as “part X, part Y, part Z”)
- Tropes that are subverted, reinvented, or just excellently, uniquely executed! Give me tropes, give me vibes, play with genre expectations—just make it satisfying
- Strong, healthy relationships of every sort
- Supportive communities, friends, and found family (I love an ensemble cast!)
- Imperfect families: people who do their best to love and uplift each other, even when doing so gets messy and complicated
- Radical empowerment, however the characters themselves understand it—developments that feel right for them in the context of their story
- Realistic and person-first depictions of trauma, disability, and mental health conditions that don’t center an impulse to “fix” (Acceptance! Normalization! Self-compassion!)
- Inclusive world-building, especially in fantasy and science fiction (More anti-imperial, anti-capitalist, and anti-war themes! More lore that upends stereotypes and biases!)
- Celebration of anything special to a story’s characters (identity, choices, memories, individuality, you name it)
- Food in absolutely any form (Cooking and baking! Gardening and farming! Explorations of food justice, history, politics, community, and cultural ties to cuisine!)
Stories I’m Specifically Seeking
Because of my own background and identities, I am always especially excited to acquire queer stories, stories from the Latine diaspora, and stories that feature characters with invisible and/or mental disabilities.
More General:
- Mixed-race perspectives (always and forever)
- Guilty pleasures and cozy comfort reads
- Explorations of pre-colonial history
- Queer joy!!! Broadly, stories that create space for people across the entire LGBTQIAP+ spectrum to exist, rest, heal, and celebrate
- Dynamics with tension simmering under the surface: think opposites attracting, unlikely or reluctant alliances, keeping up false pretenses (fake dating, anyone?), and more!
- Fresh, genre-bending takes on mythology, folklore, legends, and fabulism (particularly from Indigenous and non-European cultures)
- Romances (either incidental or core to plot) between two or more characters of color
- Slightly insufferable love interests who utterly win me over by the end—but also wholesome, cinnamon-bun love interests I want to be endgame from the start
- Narratives rooted in fat activism and body liberation (more joyful stories with fat protagonists please!)
- Global perspectives and stories set outside North America
- Stories that explore the impact of immigration, migration, diaspora, and displacement
- Multigenerational stories, especially those that explore the echoes of the past in the present and future
- Lush historical fiction, whether well- or little-known, that centers marginalized perspectives (especially those most impacted by colonialism and imperialism)
- Low-stakes, slice-of-life stories across all genres, but especially in high fantasy (think Legends & Lattes, Diana Wynne Jones, Becky Chambers—everyday protagonists in extraordinary worlds) and historical fiction
- Horror that ranges from lightly spooky/otherworldly to chilling/eerie, if it also touches on themes elsewhere on this wishlist (folk horror, horror as critique, monsters as metaphor, etc.)
- Surprises, twists, and pivots born of plans going sideways, in which characters need to quickly figure out new ways forward (think Six of Crows, There Will Come a Darkness, or Little Thieves)
- Stories with “unlikeable” characters (and/or antiheroes, and/or characters who handle their situations poorly) in whom readers from historically marginalized communities can see themselves and relate
- Reluctant heroes, accidental heroes, failed heroes, heroes who fall short—play with the Chosen One trope in ways that will surprise and delight me!
- Novels in verse, as well as novels told through letters/emails/lists, from alternating POVs, across different time periods, etc.—any approach that plays with narrative or visual form
- Narratives that center characters of color owning their agency, reclaiming their stories, and upending structures of power and oppression—whether through acts that seem epic (taking down the system) or ordinary (continuing to exist, and thrive, in a world that wishes otherwise)
- Anything infused with a sense of everyday wonder, magic, and possibility—a feeling that the world is bigger than previously thought—across all ages and genres
- Anything with the energy of my favorites (below)
More Specific:
- A Latine holiday romance
- Atmospheric, gentle fantasy stories in the vein of Studio Ghibli
- Angry, fed-up girls and nonbinary folks who are done taking shit
- Creatures, gods, and spirits from non-European cultures (dragons!!!)
- Vampires, (fallen) angels, and demons from non-European cultures
- A queer Robin Hood retelling (ideally with lush Sherwood Forest vibes)
- Autistic and neurodivergent characters being heroes, front and center
- Tween stories starring characters of color and queer characters—give me the next Princess Diaries or I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You, but with a fresh conceit and a stand-out voice
- High society settings with queer characters and characters of color (mystery, romantasy, historical, you name it)
- Witchery, brujería, magical realism, and magic rooted in nature (I especially love healing, botanical, and food magic)
- A dark academia boarding school with a fresh twist, magical or otherwise (hidden secrets! forbidden knowledge! moody, atmospheric prose!)
- Gothic and/or supernatural stories with strong regional settings (think New Orleans, San Francisco, Shanghai, Seoul, etc.)
- Something smart, suspenseful, and heist-y—ideally with themes of reparation—in the vein of Portrait of a Thief
- Indigenous perspectives past and present—in any genre, but especially fantasy and speculative (I’m eager for more Native Hawaiian stories!)
- Friendship stories with Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants energy and a fresh conceit, starring queer characters and characters of color
- A road trip romance with the vibes of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour or 13 Little Blue Envelopes, ideally with queer leads
- Something with a lakeside setting—summer or otherwise—that’s central to plot, but not grounded in affluent experiences
- An affirming BIPOC travel story, set outside North America, for readers who love Casey McQuiston or Crying in H Mart
- People of marginalized genders exploring, foraging, and ultimately delighting in the outdoors
- Stories with strong seasonal settings: flowering springs, scorching summers, crisp autumns, cozy winters, etc.
- Something that centers the perspectives of farm workers, whether in the past or present day
- Smart yet snarky protagonists for tweens, in the vein of Artemis Fowl, The Bartimaeus Trilogy, or Harriet the Spy
- Stories that explore language—and its limitations—with an emphasis on connection (think Drawn Together or Himawari House) or self-knowledge
- Narratives, whether fictional or memoir, that center around the protagonist’s experience of returning to an ancestral home
- A protagonist in a big family with lots of siblings (think Love Sugar Magic or Wild Beauty)
- Agatha Christie-esque mysteries (murder or otherwise) with charm and intricate, well-plotted twists
- Stories with adoptee protagonists in which the primary plot is not searching for or reuniting with a family of origin
- Both fiction and nonfiction narratives with food central to the premise (Bakery! Tea shop! Cafe! Food truck! Please note that I see so many submissions organized around a cooking competition, and I’m likely to go in skeptical—but I’d be glad to be proved wrong)
I’d Like The Next
Picture Books
- Big by Vashti Harrison
- Saturday by Oge Mora
- This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
- Islandborn by Junot Díaz & Leo Espinosa
- My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano & Jillian Tamaki
- This Is Not My Home by Eugenia Yoh & Vivienne Chang
- My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero & Zeke Peña
- Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham & C. G. Esperanza
- Tokyo Night Parade by J.P. Takahashi & Minako Tomigahara
- If You’re a Kid Like Gavin by Gavin Grimm, Kyle Lukoff, & J Yang
- And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, & Henry Cole
- Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma by Joanna Ho & Teresa Martinez
- Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brogsol
- Mole Is Not Alone by Maya Tatsukawa
- This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe
- I’m Sorry You Got Mad by Kyle Lukoff
- Windows by Julia Denos & E. B. Goodale
- Watercress by Andrea Wang & Jason Chin
- A Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall & Vera Brogsol
- The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung & Hanna Cha
- The Katha Chest by Radhiah Chowdhury & Lavanya Naidu
- Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang & Hyewon Yum
- The World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson & Leo Espinosa
- Joan Proctor, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles by Patricia Valdez & Felicita Sala
Chapter Books & Middle Grade
- Front Desk by Kelly Yang
- Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
- Love Sugar Magic by Anna Meriano
- Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
- Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
- Let It Glow by Marissa Meyer & Joanne Levy
- Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston
- Judy Moody by Megan McDonald (but Latine!)
- From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
- May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson
- Notable Native People by Adrienne Keene & Ciara Sana
- Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration by Elizabeth Partridge & Lauren Tamaki
- Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel
- Accidental Demons by Clare Edge
- Any Day With You by Mae Respicio
- Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit
- Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
- The First Rule of Punk by Ceclia C. Pérez
- The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
- How to Be a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery
- The Last Cuentista and Alibrijes by Donna Barba Higuera
- Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith
- Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville (but starring a protagonist of color)
Young Adult
- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
- A Bánh Mì for Two by Trinity Nguyen
- Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
- Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore
- The Heartbreak Bakery by A. R. Capetta
- We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (but YA)
- The Downstairs Girl and Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee
- Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (but queer)
- The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
- A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey
- Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (but starring protagonists of color)
- Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer & Jules Zuckerberg
- Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Monique Gray Smith, & Nicole Neidhardt
- Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
- Salvación by Sandra Proudman
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
- Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
- A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
- I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang
- Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (but YA)
- Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim (but YA)
- A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (but YA)
- Gwen & Art Are Not in Love and Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher
- Young Queer America: Real Stories and Faces of LGBTQ+ Youth by Maxwell Poth
Graphics: Novels, Memoirs, & Nonfiction
- Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
- Be Prepared by Vera Brogsol
- Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
- On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
- Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo
- Himawari House by Harmony Becker
- The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill
- Beetle & The Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
- The Other Side of Tomorrow by Tina Cho & Deb JJ Lee
- Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks (but queer)
- *A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (but YA)
- Mamo by Sas Milledge
- Messy Roots by Laura Gao
- Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
- Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu
- Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen
- This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
- Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder
- Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega & Rose Bousamra
- Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable & Stephanie Yue
- *Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (but YA)
- *Year of the Tiger by Alice Wong (but YA)
* not a graphic novel, but boy would I be excited to edit something similar that is
More of My Favorites
Click any image to enlarge and bring up an in-page gallery view.
MSWL last updated: January 2025