Amanda Gaglione
My Manuscript Wish List®
Submission Guidelines
Hi there! I’m Amanda Gaglione, an assistant editor at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. I’m currently considering picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction titles for my list! Please note that, per company policy, I can only consider agented submissions.
I’m on the hunt for:
ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS:
- Diverse protagonists/stories (especially latine, queer, OCD, anxiety, & autism representation)
- Mostly speculative (fantasy, horror, sci-fi, magical realism) even if there’s just a hint
- Voicey protagonists and humor (even/maybe especially in horror)
- Anything spooky—from genuinely dark tales to eerie vibes to campy (The Addams Family) to whimsigoth cuteness
- Diverse cultures in mythology and folklore
- Siblings and blended families
- Found family/group of misfits trope
- Commercial plots and tropes with lyrical writing
PICTURE BOOKS:
- Fairytales or folktales, especially if they’re odd. Anything with magic or monsters
- Cottagecore/cozy—stories that feel like cider and fairy rings
- Offbeat or clever humor
- Cute animals in even cuter clothes (Beatrix Potter vibes)
- Stories and art with a classic, almost vintage feel
- OR art that feels bright and funky and entirely new
- Animals (especially the odd/underappreciated)
- Clever/new use of anthropomorphism
MIDDLE GRADE:
- Fun, voicey adventures for reluctant readers
- Interesting/experimental formats (interactive, highly illustrated, etc.)
- Shorter page counts/chapters
YOUNG ADULT:
- Genuinely cozy / slice of life fantasy
- Horror of any kind, with a soft spot for gothic
- Queer fantasy
- Queer historical fiction/fantasy (or alternate history), especially Victorian
- Teen slasher, especially with speculative elements like body swapping (Freaky), time travel (Totally Killer), or time loops (Happy Death Day) or subverted tropes (They/Them)
- Retellings (fairy tales and classic literature) centering diverse characters
- Detailed and unique world building
- Dystopian relevant to current events (i.e. climate crisis, AI)
- Queer romance with a splash of speculative (One Last Stop)
Vital Info
Favorite sub-genres:
BIPOC, Classic retellings with BIPOC characters, Clever picture book, Cozy Fantasy, Dark Humor, Disability, Fairytale Retellings, Folklore, Found Families, Funny MG, Gothic, LGBTQIA, Latinx stories, Magic Realism, Middle Grade Fantasy, Middle Grade Horror, Monsters, Mythology, Near-future SF, Neo-Victorian, Neurodiversity, Paranormal, Portal fantasy, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, YA SF/F, YA horror, light Sci-Fi, non-Western fantasy, quirky, spooky mg, stories that don't fit neatly into a genre, whimsical, witchcraft, witches, witty
I’d like the next…
Legends & Lattes for a MG or YA audience
Fun, voicey middle grade for reluctant readers
Edward Gorey-esque picture book for a modern audience
My favorites include…
Picture books:
- Gustavo, the Shy Ghost
- Little Witch Hazel
- The Skull
- The Doubtful Guest
- Mole is Not Alone
- Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden
- Into the Goblin Market
- Little Shrew
Middle grade:
- The Clackity
- Ghost Squad
- This Appearing House
- Small Spaces
- Goosebumps
- May Bird
Young adult:
- The Spirit Bares its Teeth
- Gearbreakers
- The Daughter of Smoke & Bone
- The Honeys
- The Witch King
- The Sunbearer Trials
- Immortal Dark
Graphic novels:
- Garlic and the Vampire
- Mooncakes
- Plain Jane and the Mermaid
- The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Adult:
- Legends & Lattes
- The Once and Future Witches
- Circe
- Darker Shades of Magic
- Mexican Gothic
- One Last Stop
TV/Movies:
- The Owl House
- The Addams Family
- Over the Garden Wall
- What We Do in the Shadows
- Encanto
- The Magicians
- Crimson Peak
- Halloweentown
- Howl’s Moving a Castle
- Coco
- Alice in Wonderland
- Big Fish
- The Corpse Bride
- Scream
