This page is for agented author/illustrators to pitch their middle grade/hybrid GNs. The comments section won’t be visible until 8 a.m. EDT on the Saturday before the pitch event opens for editors and agents.
How to Pitch:
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Add your pitch as a comment below.
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Keep your pitch at 600-characters or less, including any hashtags you want to use (as seen here).
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Author-Illustrators: You can upload one file 5MB or under that includes multiple pieces of project art.
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Writers-only: You may upload an image file with your bio plus a PDF of up to 4 script pages if you’d like. Both together cannot exceed 5MB.
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Be sure to review the full How to Pitch guide before posting.
Very Important:
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Only agents and editors are allowed to comment on pitches. GN creators, if you reply to a pitch your comment will be removed. We want to keep the pages as easy to navigate as possible, so please respect this rule.
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Illustrators, if you want to reply to an author who has indicated a wish to find a collaborator, please DO NOT reply to their pitch, use the contact info they provided to reach out to them instead.
Thanks for being part of KidLitGN — we can’t wait to see your stories!
After getting dumped on the last day of seventh grade, Iranian-American Parastoo Ighani thinks her summer can’t possibly get any worse. That is, until her dad stops being able to snap his fingers. When her eccentric Iranian grandmother whisks the family on an uber-uncomfortable road trip to San Francisco with her zany extended family, Parastoo uncovers the true goal: reaching a top neurologist for her dad’s ALS diagnosis. As the journey unfolds, Parastoo must rally her family while facing a terrifying new reality.
#OWN #IMM #HA #CON
Aristor, an insecure space-elf accountant, is kidnapped by a desperate mercenary to retrieve the legendary Light and save his fallen kingdom. Joined by a hermit warrior frog, the trio journeys to an ancient sanctuary where they avert a tragic betrayal. After defeating dark forces and restoring the rightful king, Aristor rejects the crown. Instead, he, the mercenary, and the frog co-found a high-octane cosmic mercenary agency, blending high-stakes action, emotional redemption, and sharp accounting.
Comp titles: Unfairies – Dog Man
#AD #HA
Miserable about his looks and mocked by Thor, a hot-headed Bill falls for Loki’s trick, embarking on a quest for a galactic artifact that supposedly grants human form.
Facing Skrulls, Thanos and Galactus, he struggles to control his rage. Reaching Odin, he begs to change. Odin reveals changing his face won’t fix his self-loathing, reminding him he isn’t repulsive: he’s just Bill.
A tale of self-love.
Comp titles: TMNT Splinter’s Dojo – Hulk Teach!
#AD #HA
She’s the bravest warrior in the galaxy. She just doesn’t know it yet. Taken to the planet Emandia, 10-year-old Nina must evade the evil Agent Kragan while training under the frustratingly silly Meyrin, a bionic frog who knows more jokes than battle tactics. Can Nina convince Meyrin and Kragan she’s not Krimson Kaos, the alien warrior princess they think she is? Or is there more to Nina–and her new friends–than meets the eye? Created by award-winning artist, Marc Lataste, and Ringo-nominated writer, Kim Shearer, Nina Krimson is sure to captivate readers with its silly humor and high-stakes action. #FA #HA #AD
I’d love to see this! Could you/your agent please send it to ivan.taurisano@firstsecondbooks.com?
Mr. Paw leads the Paw Agency, an organization of special agents
whose goal is to protect Earth from the dangers that threaten it:
monsters, aliens, and the most notorious of villains. But what happens
when the greatest threat to civilization…is a nervous 10-year-old boy?
Created by award-winning artist, Marc Lataste, and Ringo-nominated
writer, Kim Shearer, The Paw Agency’s zany, intergalactic characters
and crime-stopping fun are sure to engage young readers as they
embark on the ultimate battle between good and evil!. #FA #HA #AD
Looks like fun; I would love to see more.
Her military father was just deployed, she’s adjusting to living with her
grandparents, and her role as a 4th grade safety patrol has her facing
an “orange cone nemesis” every afternoon. Quinn Conner is feeling
like everything is out of her control these days. But when she finds an
old answering machine that predicts the future, Quinn and her best
friends, Chris and Matt, must work together to make their voices
heard loud and clear! Created by award-winning artist, Marc Lataste,
and Ringo-nominated writer, Kim Shearer! #FA #HA #TT
TRUTH OR LEGEND?: THE BONE WARS
Clio has a history puzzle on her hands. As a Junior Historical Technician, she checks history files—the accepted versions of historical events—for inaccuracy. And this one’s a doozy! It’s the story of the Bone Wars, the legendary feud between paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and O.C. Marsh. Did they actually throw rocks at each other? Is it true that they destroyed fossils? Did Cope really want his brain measured to show it was bigger than Marsh’s? The tale is larger than life, but which parts are fact and which are fiction?
Come for the dinosaurs, stay for the critical thinking! #NF
Emotional Support Animals at a Middle School by day, Witches’ Familiars by night!
Strangely Familiar is about the animals known as “familiars” that assist a group of wizards and witches. When BAST-the flippant, feline familiar of a dark mage-is ordered to steal a talisman hidden within a middle school, he must choose between his nefarious purpose and the better way shown to him by by the kind mages (and their familiars) who guard the object.
#FA #HA #AD
Space Dude Joe, A roller-coaster adventure through space for fans of Dogman, Star Wars and Rocket and Groot.
When regular guy Joe sits down for an after school retro gaming session he has no idea where it will lead him. A friendly alien thinking he’s a space hero beams him up to help in their fight against the greatest evil the Galaxy has ever faced. Can Joe outwit the bad guys and become the hero that saves earth?
After twelve-year-old Deme’s father is imprisoned as a political rebel, Deme must escape the Fidel Castro regime in 1960s Cuba and journey to the U.S. alone without letting the monsters of his past consume him. This historical magical realism graphic novel is inspired by the immigration story of the author-illustrator’s father. EXILED is Alexis Castellanos Isla to Island (2022) and How to Say Goodbye in Cuban (2025) meets Candice Purwin’s The Book of Murmurs (2026). The graphic novel will take on a surreal, watercolor aesthetic with a full-color palette. #MR #HF #IMM #OWN #BIPOC
I’d love to see this! Could you/your agent please send it to ivan.taurisano@firstsecondbooks.com?
Koji and Saria are two siblings living in Kassero, the Town of Gossip, where no secret goes unheard and whispered words can kill. When the townspeople turn against Koji and Saria’s aging soothsayer mother, Inay, mistaking her illness for heresy, the siblings embark on a perilous quest to find Paradisia, the fabled lost Kingdom of Gold whose discovery Inay has foretold, to prove her abilities once and for all.
It is dual-toning with finite details and is set in a Studio Ghibli-esque fantasy world. It is imagined as a three-part series but also has standalone potential. #AC #AD #FA #HA #BIPOC
BOUNDLESS BREAK:
It’s the summer before 6th grade, and best buds Javi and Alex are about to have the most epic adventures thanks to the unexpected discovery of an antique teleporting device! But in the midst of peak excursions all over the globe (and efforts to impress Alex’s crush), Javi’s family dog vanishes in a teleporting mishap. Now the boys have to find where in the world he ended up before Javi’s dad returns from his offshore job– all while keeping the device’s duplicitous co-creator from finding them and stealing it back for nefarious use!
Comps: This Was Our Pact, Amulet
#AC #CON #SF
The Festival of Forgotten Tales:
When four suburban kids chase a crashed drone into an abandoned synagogue, they become trapped inside with a manipulative supernatural being, escaped monsters, and a mysterious book of forgotten Jewish tales. To survive the night, they must read and interpret the stories — each one offering a clue, a warning, or a way past the next danger. Over the course of the adventure, the kids will face mythical creatures and magical obstacles, along with questions of identity, belonging, and the meaning of storytelling itself.
#AD #FA #H #PN #OWN
Dignity:
Told through alternating points of view, Dignity follows Aaron, a Jewish boy growing up in New York after World War II, and Naomi, a Black girl whose family came north during the Great Migration. Their lives intersect after a terrible accident, forcing Aaron to confront what it means to recognize — and protect — the dignity of another human being. The Aaron segments are illustrated by Joshua Edelglass, while the Naomi segments are illustrated by Nia Palmer.
#HF #OWN
For two millennia, the druid Lians has secretly protected Paris’s magical foundations. When a threat emerges, he summons four French heroes: Napoleon, Jeanne d’Arc, Marcel Cerdan, and d’Artagnan. The spell fails, turning the heroes into frogs and Lians into a talking snail. As a masked sorcerer steals artifacts across the city, these amphibian heroes must battle folklore creatures from the catacombs to Notre-Dame to stop an ancient evil.
Comp titles: TMNT – Miraculous Lady Bug – Investigators
#AD
Sophia knows that a new middle school will be an adjustment, but the last thing she expects to find is a real live GRIZZLY BEAR in her class! She is the only one that can him recognize for what he really is. For his part, Barry is just trying to fit in like everyone else — with a little help from a pair of mysteriously manipulative mind-control glasses. And why are mysterious spies following Barry?
#HA #AD
Making new friends can feel scary. Fifth graders Violet, Scarlet, and Juliet are not all friends and in the confines of their noisy classroom, it seems they might never be. But after class ends on Friday a blizzard blows into town bringing fierce winds, icy cold, and shockingly—snow dragons! In three separate chapters, each girl befriends a different dragon and goes on an exhilarating adventure that pushes the limits of what they thought possible. They return to school on Monday feeling a bit more brave, a bit more friendly, and a bit more wild. #MR
Tired of staying with her mermaid mom, Mareen decides to run away to live with her human dad, Farmer Gil, on his floating farm. She’s barely dry before the locally hated, globally despised Mr. Takapeni arrives to repossess Gil’s farm unless he can come up with the money in three days. But Mareen just got here! She’s gotta think of something quick: The Krak-hen! If Mareen can find it, she can use the bounty to save the farm. With the help of some artsy pirates, the local coast guard, and her hammer-head pig friend Ham, can Mareen find the Legendary Krak-Hen and save the farm?
#AD #H #FA
Most people know that Otis E. Eggs is a hard-boiled warrior. Some even think he’s a dish (lookin’ at you, Shirrsey and Calypso). But those who have seen him in action know that, above all else, Otis is an egghead. With the Trojan War behind him, Otis faces his toughest battle yet: the journey back to Ithegga. If he wants to return to Penegglope with his shell intact, he’s gonna have to put mind over matter and prove that he really IS an egghead.
Grade-A yolks and eggy puns included!
The chaotic fun of Dog Man meets the kid-centered retelling of Bea Wolf in THE ODEGGSEY. #HA #AC #AD
*Open to collaboration!*
SideQuest
Violet, Tater, and their dog are on an epic quest to save their village. But along the way, a wizard forces them into completing his quest first. And soon a witch forces them into her quest. Companions are added to their number as quests pile upon quests. Will Violet and Tater ever to return their original quest and make their way home?
#FA #AD #HA
MY GHOST SISTER (215pgs) = GHOST BOOK + THIS WAS OUR PACT + PONYO + FORGOTTEN ISLAND
11-year-old Ricky Baga uncovers a family secret. He had a sister that he never knew. With the help of a shaman, he brings her back to life for just one day. Ricky takes her on an adventure in their new immigrant home: early 90’s Las Vegas. When the time of her return nears, Ricky wants to keep his sister with him- forever. They travel into the After World, ruled by Filipino gods and monsters, to steal the Amulet of Life, which is believed to have the power to bring the dead back for good.
#AD #CON #IMM #BIPOC
When twelve-year-old Gregory’s parents leave him home alone to babysit his impish little sister, they make one thing very clear: if anything goes wrong, he can kiss a trip to Cooperstown with his baseball team good-bye. Not that his little sister cares. When she glitterfies the couch cushions with hot pink glitter glue, Gregory wishes on a star that Isabel would go away—and the star, an alien, eagerly grants Gregory’s wish. To get his little sister back, he’ll have to win three grueling fights in an intergalactic gladiator ring before his parents come home. Illustrated MG. #HY
Calamity Cove has seen its share of disasters from sea squalls to shipwrecks, man-eating squids, sink holes and then some. You could say the place is cursed.
When a sardine cannery explodes, Ida Plouf, disaster specialist, arrives to clean up the fishy mess. She is so busy helping others she has little time for her daughter Enid, an independent, violin playing goth girl with a pet rat.
Left on her own, Enid explores the quaint coastal village. Soon she is drawn to the creepy village cemetery and finds herself helping ghosts of past disasters so they can move on with their umm, lives?
When component thefts throw Toon City into chaos, short-tempered Captain Cockroach assigns the case to Uni, an idealistic unicorn, and McGum, a stretchy chewing gum. Racing through the city in their iconic car, they trace the crimes to an elite Ninja Cat robot, exposing a sinister plot by local tycoon Manfried von Fried. Created by Marc Lataste and Kim Shearer, Uni & McGum delivers a hilarious, fast-paced adventure for middle grade readers. #FA #HA #AD
Bullied and insecure schoolboy Norman-Allan takes refuge in a municipal dump, where he steps on Chewi—a magical wizard chewing-gum that grants him magical mouths in his palms. To remove them, he must help Chewi stop a rampaging toxic mutant threatening their town. While hiding his bizarre new powers behind gloves at school and secretly longing for his crush Lea, Norman-Allan transforms from a targeted outcast into an unlikely nocturnal hero in this wild, eco-friendly adventure.
#AD #HA #AC
Paco isn’t like the other muchachos. He’s destined for legendary hero status. His great-tía said so. When Padre Ramón—everyone’s favorite priest—is kidnapped by goons in chango masks, Paco has to be the one to save him, and he’s going to document it on his UpStream account for the whole world to see. Magic, power-enhancing rocks, an arch nemesis with a doomsday device, and about a million frogs push Paco up against the reality that heroes are only as strong as their people. Now Paco must rally his base to stop an ancient enemy who demands undying loyalty even if it means turning every citizen of Ciudad City into a zombie.
Restless Otis has struggled with not fitting in at his dad’s resort town. He would rather stay inside and read books about made-up far-away places than ski.
On his 10th birthday, Otis receives a special gift from his long lost Aunt Artica—a key that allows him to leave Snowcap for the first time. Outside, he discovers the truth: all of Snowcap is contained inside a snow globe. Unfortunately, he also discovers that Snowcap is in grave danger.
With the help of a music box ballerina named Bella. Otis must overcome his conflicted feelings about his home and figure out a way to save Snowcap before it’s too late.
Teaming up with Trina and Alec is the best thing to happen to Gloria on the first day of sixth grade. The worst thing is Ms. Nero, band dictator, telling her to forget the drums and take up the euphonium—some kind of tuba wannabe that’s too heavy to lug home so she’ll have to practice in the band room every day after school with HER listening. When Alec ditches Trina at the dance, Gloria finds herself pitted between them. She must decide how far her loyalty stretches and what makes a true friend. Sometimes growing up means holding firm and sometimes it means letting go. No matter how painful.
Hybrid-alternating prose and comics.