Critique-a-Palooza 2025
Jun 13, 2025 - Jul 25, 2025
Online event
*THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION* Registration officially opens on Friday, May 16, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. MDT. Please do not attempt to register before that date, even if this page intermittently appears to be live and accepting registrations. If you try to register before this day and time, the process may fail and/or your registration may have to be deleted.
Event Overview
Get professional feedback on your manuscript or illustration portfolio from an agent, editor, or art director who works in children's publishing! This year, we've lined up six agents, six editors, and one art director for you to choose from. The first step is to register for a critique with the agent, editor, or art director of your choice ($65 per critique for SCBWI members/$90 for non-members, limit 2 per participant). Then you'll upload your properly formatted manuscript to Google form linked below by June 13, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. For each critique, you may submit a complete picture book manuscript, up to 10 pages of a middle-grade or young adult novel, one complete picture book dummy, or up to 10 pages of a graphic novel. Our faculty members will provide written feedback using the SCBWI Gold Form, which our volunteers will email back to you by July 25, 2025. At the conclusion of the event, participants will receive submission information for all 13 faculty members, with the invitation to query them within 5 months after the event is over. (NOTE: All registrations are final. If your manuscript is not received by the deadline, your registration fee may be forfeit.)
Submit all files by June 13, 2025 at 11:59 MDT using this Google form. Writers, please format your document according to the Manuscript Formatting Guidelines below. Illustrators, please submit a PDF illustration portfolio consisting of up to 10 total pages and up to 20 individual illustrations, with a file size up to 10 MB.
If your preferred faculty member is sold out, you may join our waiting list here.
Faculty
Katie Erickson, Agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Illustrator portfolios INTERESTS: I love character-driven stories and art that explore what it means to be human while leaving room for hope. I love reading books with a diverse cast of characters, as well. Overall, I prefer a high-stakes, fast-paced story with a fantastic premise that leaves me thinking about the book long after I close it. While I am eager for artist-illustrators, I most love lyrical language and tight text. (Being an artist also is not required).
Amy Jameson, Agent, A+B Works
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult INTERESTS: I'm interested in smart, clever picture books that don't talk down to children; MG historical, light fantasy/sci fi, realistic contemporary; YA historical, romance, contemporary (light fantasy/sci fi elements are okay in any of the above categories)
Tricia Lawrence, Senior Agent, Aevitas Creative Management
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Non-fiction, Illustrator portfolios, Nonfiction for all the above ages INTERESTS: I love mysteries, lyrical picture book texts, humor and commercial picture book texts, huge fan of nonfiction for all ages, and illustrator-only or author-illustrator portfolios/dummies.
Jen Newens, Vice President and Senior Literary Manager, Martin Literary Management
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Non-fiction INTERESTS: Children's/MG/YA/Graphic Novels. Books that portray historically excluded voices, disability, neurodivergent characters, LGBTQ topics. Author/illustrators with strong storytelling skills and a clear vision. Quirky and humorous stories. Cat content
Bonnie Bader, Acquisitions Editor, Marble Press
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Non-fiction INTERESTS: I am looking for books that will inspire children: books that will challenge their imagination and ignite their curiosity, books that make a difference, books that stand out because of their style and substance. I am interested in books that are honest and diverse, books that offer new perspectives and outside-the-box experiences. My interests are picture books, early readers, chapter books, early middle grade, graphic novels and nonfiction.
Bobbie Bensur (she/her), Publisher & Editorial Lead, Paw Prints Publishing & Cam Cat Books
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels INTERESTS: Bobbie is interested in humorous picture books, SEL-driven picture books; multicultural picture books; picture books with diversity and representation; creative nonfiction for ages 4-8; contemporary and character-driven Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, and Young Adult; Young Adult Rom-Com, Young Adult Thrillers, and Young Adult Fantasy-light. She also enjoys blends of genres and formats.
Zoie Janelle Konneker, Assistant Editor, Peachtree Publishing Company
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult INTERESTS: I am seeking children’s fiction across middle grade and young adult audiences, as well as both fiction and non-fiction picture books. Non-fiction picture book projects should align with current U.S. curriculum standards and should focus on a unique perspectives or lesser known subject matters. For fiction, I gravitate toward writing styles that fits somewhere in the intersection between literary and commercial without moving too far in one direction. Manuscripts should be child-centered and should contain realistic, culturally relevant themes. For all genres and categories, I tend to fall in love with books that makes me laugh and/or cry—especially books that do both!
Kelsey Murphy, Senior Editor, Viking Children's Books
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels INTERESTS: Kelsey is particularly interested in middle grade and young adult fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, mysteries, magical realism, contemporary realism, horror, romance, adventure, genre-blending projects, historical and sports nonfiction, and more, with a blend of literary and commercial appeal. She also enjoys heartfelt, literary, or sophisticated humorous picture books, those that surprise and delight. Kelsey’s always looking for projects by underrepresented creators.
Andy Lopez Soberano, Assistant Editor, Scholastic
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Early Readers/Easy Readers; Board Books INTERESTS: Andy is an assistant editor on the 0-8 team at Scholastic with a focus on board books, picture books, and early readers and early chapter book series. She's interested in stories by and for marginalized creators/communities; stories with fun, lightly-irreverent, laugh-out-loud humor; and any bilingual books in the 0-8 categories. For early reader and chapter books, she's interested in series that is made for newly independent reader in mind, stories with an outerspace or lite-horror themes are a plus!
Erica De Chavez Wong, Design Manager, HarperCollins Children's Books
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Illustrator portfolios INTERESTS: Erica hires artists and author-illustrators for board books, picture books, coloring books, illustrated middle grade chapter books, and graphic novels for all ages. I am open to reviewing artist portfolios that fit the aforementioned book formats. I will only review picture book and board book dummies with text laid out on top of sketches/sample color art and graphic novel pitches that include an outline, sample chapter manuscript, and 1-2 pages of final color sequential panel art samples. I do not review text-only manuscripts.