TALK: "Breaking Through Blocks and Making Magic With Words & Pictures" As writers and illustrators, we all hit blocks when trying to craft our stories. Eliza Wheeler will discuss tools of storytelling that can help us break through those blocks; point of view, tense, pacing, finding the heart of the story, visual storytelling tools, and the art of balancing words and pictures together. Using concrete examples from her work, she’ll share processes behind crafting picture book components to show how they evolved from NOT working at all to making a story sing. This talk is intended for all levels of picture book creators. BIO: Eliza Wheeler is the author-illustrator of A COZY WINTER DAY, HOME IN THE WOODS, and the New York Times bestselling picture book MISS MAPLE'S SEEDS. She was a recipient of the Sendak Fellowship Award and SCBWI Portfolio Showcase Award, and has illustrated numerous books for children, including WHAT ROSA BROUGHT by Jacob Sager Weinstein, WHEN I'M WITH YOU and WHEREVER YOU GO by Pat Zietlow Miller, John Ronald’s DRAGONS: STORY OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN by Caroline McAlister, and Newbery Honor book DOLL BONES by Holly Black. She has lived in the northwoods of Wisconsin, the hills of Los Angeles, and now lives by the lakes of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
BIO: Foyinsi Adegbonmire is an Editor at Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. She acquires Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction, and is open to contemporary, mystery, romance, and fantasy, while enjoying lighthearted stories with conversational narrative voices. She was named a PW Star Watch Honoree and her acquisitions include New York Times-bestseller ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Indie Bestseller DEAR WENDY by Ann Zhao. When not reading or thinking about her very large TBR pile, she can be found watching Black sitcoms from the 90s/early 2000s, obsessing over crafting, or being sucked into Twitter and TikTok (@Foyinsi_Pub). CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: MG, YA, SCI/FI, Mystery, Fantasy, Novels in Verse, Romance, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism or Dystopia
BIO: Kristie Choi joined the editorial staff at Simon & Schuster in 2020 after previously sleuthing as a private investigator. She works on a range of young adult, middle grade, picture books, and graphic novels. Her books have won high accolades, awards, and hit the NYT bestseller list. Kristie is looking for high-concept character and voice-driven stories with an original and timeless feel that young readers of all backgrounds can get lost in and feel seen in. Regardless of format, she's drawn to stories that are inventive and creatively ambitious; traditionally marginalized/underrepresented voices; smart and absurd, silly humor; complex characters; big ideas; twists and turns; literary fantasy; and a standout voice. Kristie has been a lifelong detective of sorts and loves reading everything from mystery/thrillers written with beautiful prose to coming-of-age tales of characters discovering the secrets of the universe. Her taste tends to run literary or "upmarket" for genre fiction, and she loves when writing doesn't underestimate the intelligence of young readers. Many of the stories she's fallen in love with have been quirky or a bit innovative—the kind she would never have thought to ask for with a manuscript wishlist. In her spare time, she loves exploring the hiking trails and hot springs around Denver where she's based, rock climbing, and listening to true crime podcasts. Find her on Bluesky @kristiechoi.bsky.social.
BIO: Celia is an executive editor at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, where she works with creators on all things illustrated, from picture books and early illustrated chapter books and middle grade to graphic novels for all ages. Authors and illustrators she’s partnered with include Alex Willan, Aisha Saeed, Whitney Gardner, Tami Charles, Ashley Woodfolk, Kyle Lukoff, and Beth Ferry. Celia previously worked at Scholastic, where, in addition to editing, she helped start their employee diversity committee as well as coordinated their partnership with We Need Diverse Books™. Celia served for two years as a member of the Children’s Book Council (CBC) Diversity Committee and is a mentor for POC in Publishing. She studied English Literature and Art History at Virginia Tech and earned a MS in Publishing from NYU. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: PB, Rhyming PB, CB, GN (text & art), dummy.
BIO: Sally Morgridge (she/her) Executive Editor, loves working on books for children of all ages. Recent highlights include Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor early reader graphic novel OWL AND PENGUIN, by Vikram Madan; Horn Book Fanfare selection, Cook Prize Silver Medalist, and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year GREAT CARRIER REEF, a nonfiction picture book by Jessica Stremer, illustrated by Gordy Wright; and THE CARREFOUR CURSE, a spooky middle grade novel by Dianne K. Salerni, which received three starred reviews and was a JLG Gold Standard selection. A new project that she’s excited about is BANNED TOGETHER: OUR FIGHT FOR READERS’ RIGHTS, a forthcoming YA anthology edited by Printz Honor author Ashley Hope Pérez, illustrated by Ignatz-nominee Debbie Fong. Sally lives in New York City with her husband and two rambunctious children, where she loves running, exploring city parks, and watching too much TV. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: PB, MG, YA, NF, Mystery, Novels-in-Verse, Graphic Novels Text and Art, Dummy, Portfolios.
BIO: Agent Chad W. Beckerman of The CAT Agency, Inc. brings over 20 years of illustration and design experience to the Agency. After studying illustration as an undergrad at RISD, Chad went on to be a Designer at Scholastic, a Senior Designer at Greenwillow Books, and then became the Creative Director at ABRAMS Kids and Comic Arts, where he spent 13 years overseeing the design of 250 books a year - from picture books, to novels, to graphic novels, and art and entertainment books. Chad is behind the aesthetic for over forty NYT bestselling and award-winning books including the blockbuster DIARY OF WIMPY KID series by Jeff Kinney, the Caldecott honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning TROMBONE STORY, illustrated by Brian Collier, and the Newbery Medal honor books EL DEAFO, and HEART OF THE SAMURAI. He executed the design architecture for countless series including ORIGAMI YODA by Tom Angelberger, THE QUESTIONEERS (Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, Ada Twist) by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts, Nathan Hale’s HAZARDOUS TALES, FRANK EINSTEIN by Jon Scieszka and Brian Biggs, THE TERRIBLE TWO by Mac Barnett and Jory John, THE SISTERS GRIMM and Jared Chapman’s VEGETABLES IN UNDERWEAR. Chad’s greatest joy is working with illustrators, and as an agent he is busy curating and cultivating a unique group of artists who are inspiring and innovating in children’s literature. Chad represents illustrators and author/illustrators from all over the globe, who create artwork for all ages and genres. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: Illustrators and Author/Illustrators Only. Graphic Novels with art, portfolios, dummies, and art samples. He will provide a Zoom video recording of his feedback instead of the SCBWI Gold Form.
Jolene Haley- Agent Panelist (10 Critiques) BIO: Jolene Haley is a literary agent at the Donald Maass Literary Agency, where she champions bold, unforgettable stories and the writers who create them. With over a decade of experience in publishing—spanning editorial, marketing, publicity, and agenting—she brings a sharp editorial eye, a creative mindset, and a deep passion for storytelling to every project. Before joining the agency in 2022, Jolene honed her expertise at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency and The Bent Agency, where she worked with bestselling and award-winning authors. Her extensive background in PR and marketing gives her a unique edge in helping authors navigate today’s evolving publishing landscape, ensuring their work not only finds the right home but thrives in the marketplace. A Cal State Fullerton graduate with a B.A. in English Literature and Composition, Jolene is also the founder of The Midnight Society, a global resource for horror writers. She is a proud member of AALA, ALA, HWA, and SCBWI. Follow Jolene on Instagram, Bluesky, the Donald Maass Literary Agency site, or her website. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: PB, MG, YA, NF, Biography, Mystery, Fantasy (preference for low fantasy, romantasy, and cozy fantasy)
BIO: Jennie Kendrick (she/her) has been reading since she was three, is a former criminal defense attorney, and will forever be a history nerd. She represents children's authors and illustrators. Jennie has worked in the publishing industry since 2013, including reviewing for publications such as Kirkus, and part-time bookselling at a local independent bookstore. Her interests include gardening, law, politics, art, tarot, rock music, San Francisco and medieval European history, and cooking. Jennie loves well-researched character-driven fiction, narrative non-fiction, and is particularly looking for works from marginalized creators. You can find more about her taste and her list at jenniekendrick.com. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: PB, Rhyming PB, Board Book, MG, YA, NF, Biography, Mystery, Graphic Novels (text + art), Dummy, Portfolio, Romance, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Horror
BIO: Sandra Proudman (she/her/ella) is a literary associate and agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency, assisting Marietta B. Zacker and representing a diverse list of authors and illustrators. She is also the editor of the YA Latinx SFF anthology, RELIT: 16 LATINX REMIXES OF CLASSIC STORIES (2/6/2024), a contributor to THE HOUSE WHERE DEATH LIVES (8/6/2024), and the writer of the YA fantasy, SALVACIÓN (out summer 2025). When not busily immersed in all things publishing, you can find her spending time with her family (usually hunting for cool insects in their backyard and neighborhood) and catching up on all her shows. Connect with her on Instagram, BlueSky, and TikTok @SandraProudman. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: MG, YA, Novels-in-Verse, Graphic Novels (text+art), Dummy, Magical Realism, Horror, or Dystopia.
BIO: Katie Fitch is currently an Art Director at Scholastic. She has worked in the industry for over fifteen years and at several houses, including Penguin, HarperCollins, and Abrams. She studied graphic design in college, graduating with a BFA in visual communications. Day to day at Scholastic, she works on a range of formats including picture books, middle grade, graphic novels and some board books/novelty formats. Outside of work, she enjoys tennis, skiing, spending time with her family, and reading to/with her seven-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: Any genre art, no stories past PB's
BIO: Mariam Quraishi is an illustrator, designer and art director from Karachi, Pakistan. She received a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and is currently a Senior Designer at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Mariam has previously held design positions at Penguin Young Readers and Chronicle Books. When not designing books, she works on her own titles as both author and illustrator. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: PB dummies, portfolio, book covers, graphic novels.
BIO: Eddie Gamarra, PhD recently founded Gamarra Media, a media rights consultancy and IP packaging company working globally in which he helps Hollywood people break into publishing and book people navigate Hollywood. Having worked in the intersections of film, TV, publishing, and consumer products for over 25 years, Eddie has worn many hats. As Literary Manager at The Gotham Group, he represented directors, screenwriters, animators, authors, illustrators, and book publishers selling their works to studios, networks and producers. As Executive Producer, Eddie worked on THE MAZE RUNNER trilogy from 20th Century Fox based on the NY Times best-selling book series which did $950M in worldwide box office. He also EP’d Disney+’s production of Jerry Spinelli’s iconic YA love story STARGIRL, and Henry Selick’s stop motion horror comedy with Jordan Peele entitled WENDELL AND WILD for Netflix. As a VP of Literary Affairs at Paramount Global’s Kids & Family division, he was a studio executive buying in all types of projects, from original pitches to all manner of IP ranging from books and comics to games and toys. A former college professor, Eddie strategizes holistically about character, story and world building in order to develop and sell commercially successful, financially lucrative, and, most importantly, creatively fulfilling brands and franchises. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
BIO: Before co-founding Red Fox Literary, LLC with Karen Grencik in 2011, Abigail Samoun was an in-house children’s book editor for over ten years. The books she edited received such honors as the CCBC Charlotte Zolotow award, the Ezra Jack Keats award, and the Pura Belpre Honor. As an agent, Abigail represents authors and illustrators working in a range of genres, from board books to young adult novels. Her clients include Hannah Harrison, Matt Faulkner, Betsy Franco, Elizabeth Haidle, Carlyn Beccia, and Dan Krall. In addition to agenting, Abigail is the author of several children’s books, including Sterling Publishing’s LITTLE TRAVELER board book series illustrated by Red Fox’s own Sarah Watts and WHAT’S IN YOUR PURSE? (Chronicle). CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: Middle Grade, YA, Picture Book
BIO: Saba Sulaiman is a Senior Agent at Talcott Notch Literary Services, a boutique agency located in Milford, CT. She holds a BA in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies from Wellesley College and an MA from the University of Chicago, where she studied modern Persian literature. Being an immigrant who is constantly negotiating her own identity and sense of belonging in a place she now calls “home,” she is committed to championing books by writers from marginalized communities with compelling stories to tell; stories that demonstrate the true range of perspectives that exist in this world and address urgent and often underexplored issues in both fiction and non-fiction with veracity and heart. CRITIQUE PREFERENCES: PB, Rhyming PB, CB, MG, YA, NF, Biography, Novels-in-Verse, dummy, portfolio, romance, historical fiction, magical realism, dystopia, contemporary and speculative