Aubrey Poole is a former acquiring editor turned agent at JIMMY Books (a Little, Brown imprint), specializing in middle grade and YA fiction with a strong appetite for diverse voices, genre-bending retellings, and emotionally charged adventure.
In brief
Aubrey Poole brings deep editorial credentials from both JIMMY Patterson Books (Hachette) and Sourcebooks, meaning clients can expect a hands-on, manuscript-level working relationship — not just deal-making.
The wishlist is notably specific about what Poole does NOT want: the Hunger Games comparison explicitly rules out dystopia while flagging that high-stakes, flipped-gender-roles adventure is the actual target.
Poole's stated favorites span literary MG, contemporary YA, fantasy, psychological suspense, and graphic novels — an unusually wide range that signals comfort selling across multiple categories rather than camping in one lane.
Current status is listed as 'On Hiatus / Seeking new publishing home,' meaning Poole is in professional transition and is NOT actively acquiring new titles for clients at this time — verify the live status before attempting any outreach.
Poole's editorial background skews toward character-driven, emotionally resonant stories; projects that marry strong concept with genuine emotional stakes are more likely to connect than high-concept-only pitches.
Lately
Poole's public professional listing explicitly notes being 'On Hiatus: Seeking new publishing home,' indicating an active career transition rather than open acquisition. Writers should treat this as a hold signal and watch for an updated status announcement before querying.
What Aubrey is looking for
Contemporary YA is a clear priority, especially stories exploring identity, feminism, and multicultural perspectives. Poole is drawn to fresh retellings (think a Pride-and-Prejudice-style reworking that truly reinvents the source), emotionally driven narratives with multiple points of view, and action-adventure with high stakes and tight pacing — but emphatically not dystopia. Flipped gender roles and smart, emotionally resonant plots are a plus. Platonic male-female epic friendships are a specific gap Poole wants to fill.
Literary MG with depth and heart is a sweet spot, shaped by Poole's editorial history acquiring in this space. Multicultural and diverse voices are actively sought. Weird, spooky, visually oriented mysteries — the kind of atmosphere that made Stranger Things compelling — are also on the radar, including in graphic novel format.
Epic and historical fantasy are welcome, particularly when paired with diverse world-building or a fresh cultural angle. Poole's personal favorites include sprawling, richly built worlds, so fantasy needs genuine scope and emotional investment — not just familiar tropes repackaged.
Suspense and psychological thrillers appear on the list alongside domestic suspense, suggesting an appetite for tension-driven narratives that go beyond genre mechanics into character and stakes. The connection to literary sensibility means these should have more on their minds than plot mechanics alone.
Poole specifically called out an interest in weird, spooky, visual mystery stories in graphic novel format — Stranger Things is the stated reference. This appears to be a targeted interest rather than a broad GN acquisition mandate, so pitches should match that eerie, immersive, ensemble-mystery atmosphere closely.
Picture books are listed as a category of interest, but given Poole's editorial background in MG and YA and the current hiatus status, this appears to be a secondary rather than primary focus. Writers should confirm whether Poole is actively seeking PB projects before submitting.
Pop culture nonfiction is listed as a category, consistent with Poole's broad cultural interests, but no specific sales record or detailed wishlist commentary reinforces this area. Treat as an open door, not a priority lane.
Not the right fit
On Aubrey's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Aubrey
Poole's listing is currently marked as 'On Hiatus: Seeking new publishing home' — do not query until a clear, updated open status is confirmed. Submitting during a hiatus is unlikely to get a response and may not reflect well on your professionalism.
When Poole does reopen, the stated format is a pitch letter with the full manuscript or proposal attached directly to the email. Links to cloud storage are acceptable for large files. A complete synopsis is explicitly noted as a bonus — include one.
Lead your query letter with what makes your retelling, diverse voice, or genre subversion genuinely fresh. Poole has specifically flagged wanting stories that surprise — a familiar premise executed in a familiar way is a harder sell than something that reconfigures expectations.
If pitching a Hunger Games-adjacent adventure, front-load the emotional stakes, pacing, and character work — and make explicitly clear this is NOT a dystopia. Poole drew that line themselves, and blurring it in a query is a red flag.
Poole's editorial background means they read closely and think about structure. A query that demonstrates the writer understands the architecture of their own story — not just the premise — will stand out.
For graphic novel pitches in the weird/spooky/mystery space, articulate the visual language of the story in your pitch. Poole cited a TV show as a reference, suggesting they think in images as well as text.
Poole's taste skews toward emotionally resonant, character-anchored stories even within high-concept genres. Comp titles that signal 'big feeling' alongside 'big concept' will land better than pure genre comps.