Amy Stern is a children's-literature specialist at the Sheldon Fogelman Agency who represents the full age range—picture book through YA—across prose, poetry, and graphic formats, with a particular appetite for character-driven stories that engage seriously with identity, representation, and the joyful absurdity of being a kid.
In brief
Stern covers the entire children's spectrum—picture books, middle grade, YA, and graphic formats—making her a versatile match for authors and author-illustrators at any stage of the age range.
Her academic background (dual master's degrees in children's literature and library & information science) shapes a rigorous, craft-first sensibility; she treats even the lightest, funniest books as serious literary objects.
She is explicit that she wants more than representation-by-default: she is seeking stories where marginalized identities are centered and where dominant identities are named and interrogated, not simply treated as invisible.
Her wishlist touchstones—The Westing Game, A Wrinkle in Time, Fringe, Lumberjanes—signal a consistent pull toward puzzle-driven plots, ensemble casts, genre-bending weirdness, and found-family or community dynamics.
She openly acknowledges that her taste is broader than any single category label, and that she surprises herself—but the pattern in her public statements is clear: she rewards originality over formula and resists category defaults.
Lately
Her agency bio describes her as working across picture books through young adult in poetry, prose, and graphic formats—a notably wide mandate that she has held since formally building her own client list after joining the agency in 2010.
What Amy is looking for
Character-driven stories with strong world-grounding, especially those involving summer camps, boarding schools, extraordinary kids, puzzles, or close and complicated family relationships. Ensemble casts with a Westing Game or A Wrinkle in Time energy—genre-bending, witty, and genuinely original—are a strong match. She wants MG that takes itself seriously even when it's funny.
YA with fresh, authentic voices and explicit engagement with identity—she is specifically seeking stories about mental health that go beyond diagnosis, and LGBTQIA+ narratives that move past coming-out as the central arc. Geek and fandom culture stories are welcome as long as they don't lean on stereotypes or pop-culture shorthand to generate meaning.
She works with clients across picture books, but her submission guidelines make an important distinction: picture book writers who are NOT illustrators should not include images. Author-illustrators submitting art samples should attach a limited portfolio. She is drawn to work that respects the form's demands rather than treating it as a simpler version of longer fiction.
Her agency page explicitly lists graphic formats alongside prose and poetry across the full children's age range. Her wishlist touchstones (Lumberjanes, Fringe) signal enthusiasm for visually and tonally distinctive storytelling. Suitable for both illustrated and hybrid projects that fit the children's/YA space.
A stated priority: she wants a broader spectrum of representation on her list, but she is equally interested in work where dominant or default identities are explicitly named and examined rather than rendered invisible. This is a craft and thematic priority across all age ranges and formats, not a separate category—it should be woven into whatever you're writing.
Her agency bio specifically mentions poetry as a format she works in across the children's age range, which sets her apart from most agents who stop at prose and graphic. No specific titles named, but the same character-first, craft-serious standard applies.
Not the right fit
On Amy's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Amy
Send to the agency's submissions email address; if you want Stern specifically, address the query to her by name—the guidelines note that addressing a specific agent routes it to them, though a submission to one agent is treated as a submission to all.
Your cover letter should fit on a single page and include: a brief synopsis, your publication history, how you heard of the agency (or confirm you weren't referred), and whether you are simultaneously querying other agents.
Novelists may attach the first three chapters plus a synopsis as a separate document; do not attach additional projects or full manuscripts unless requested.
Picture book writers may include up to two manuscripts pasted or attached; if you are not an illustrator, do not include any images.
Illustrators should include a portfolio link or a small sample of work (JPG or PDF); keep all attached files under 5 MB combined. Text attachments should be in.rtf or.doc format.
The agency only replies if interested—no response means a pass. If they request additional material, they ask for at least one month of exclusive consideration on that requested work.
Lead your pitch with what makes your story original and character-specific; Stern has said she wants something marketable but genuinely unlike anything else out there—generic genre descriptions will not distinguish your project.
If your story engages with identity, representation, or the visibility of race, gender, or class, say so explicitly in your query—this is a stated priority for her, not just a nice-to-have.
Avoid framing your work as 'easy to read' or aimed at a 'simple' audience; her academic background makes her allergic to any implication that children's literature is a lesser form.
All submissions must be sent electronically; no postal mail.