Becca Langton is a senior editorial agent at London's leading children's specialist agency, laser-focused on the US market across every age range from picture books to New Adult, with a particular hunger for plot-driven, emotionally resonant YA and Middle Grade that can produce bestsellers and award winners.
In brief
Her agency page credits her with USA Today and New York Times bestsellers as well as YALSA Award winners — a deal record that demonstrates genuine commercial and critical reach across the Big 5 and major independents.
She is an unusually hands-on editorial agent who wants in at the concept stage, not after a manuscript is already polished — writers who want light-touch representation should look elsewhere.
Her North American market focus is structural, not incidental: she explicitly frames her wishlist around the scale and ambition the US market demands, making her a strong fit for writers who already have or aspire to a US readership.
She is currently open to picture book author-illustrators but takes only a very selective number of picture-book-only writers — if you write but do not illustrate, the bar is high.
A post-London Book Fair 2025 update signals she is actively refreshing her list, suggesting real appetite for new clients right now.
Lately
Following an energising week at the London Book Fair, Becca shared a refreshed and updated wishlist, signalling active appetite for new submissions across her core categories.
What Becca is looking for
She wants stories structured for pace and propulsive plot, with competition or trial frameworks at their heart. Think closed-system narratives with defined rules, high stakes and twists that reframe what came before. She is particularly drawn to horror with genuine jump-scare energy and haunted-house atmosphere, as well as speculative stories that bend genre — horror-romance hybrids, for instance, are explicitly welcome.
She wants cozy-leaning contemporary romance full of meet-cutes, domestic warmth and coffee-shop charm. LGBTQ+ love stories across the full spectrum of experience — from first crush through to the college/New Adult end — are a stated priority. She has a soft spot for absurdist humour and sharp wit alongside the warmth, and would love a modern Nora Ephron sensibility for younger readers.
She actively covers the crossover and New Adult space, including spicier romance for college-age protagonists. Stories that sit between traditional YA and adult fiction — in tone, content or readership — are genuinely welcome rather than a difficult sell. LGBTQ+ narratives are particularly sought here.
She wants immersive, world-rich fantasy that turns children into lifelong readers — the kind of story kids hide under the covers to finish. She is equally keen on a lush transition story that serves the ambitious MG reader ready to push up AND the younger YA reader who wants a softer landing. Mythology, folklore and historical perspectives from marginalised communities are strongly encouraged. She would also love a series anchored in a recognisable setting (school, stables) that combines character-driven drama with mystery or magic.
She is actively seeking author-illustrators across every age range, from picture books through to YA graphic novels and highly illustrated fiction. She is taking only a very select number of picture-book writers who do not also illustrate — this gate is explicitly stated and should not be ignored.
Graphic novels and illustrated fiction sit prominently in her stated favourite genres. She is particularly interested in finding creators who work across age ranges in these formats, and author-illustrators who can bring a distinctive visual voice alongside the story.
A cross-cutting priority rather than a separate category: she explicitly names Indigenous creators working in the US and Canadian market, LGBTQ+ storytellers, and writers from historically underrepresented perspectives as people she is actively working to add to her list. Mythology, folklore and history told from these viewpoints are especially welcome.
Not the right fit
On Becca's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Becca
Frame your pitch squarely for the US market — she is explicit that she wants stories with the scale and ambition that market demands. If your story has North American setting, cultural context or comparable sales potential, lead with that.
Open with your hook, not your biography. She names the hook as her primary filter, followed by a first line, first page and first chapter that keep her reading — so your query letter should mirror that rhythm.
Emotional stakes are as important as plot mechanics. She wants to feel something. Name the emotional core of your story — the heartbreak, the longing, the joy — as clearly as you name the plot.
If you are an author-illustrator, say so explicitly and early. This is a genuine differentiator for her and opens doors (especially in picture books and graphic novels) that are narrower for writer-only submissions.
If your story bends genre — horror-romance, family thriller, cultish speculative — don't apologise for it. Lean into the hybrid and name the blend directly; she actively welcomes work that doesn't fit a single box.
Writers from Indigenous communities (US/Canada), LGBTQ+ creators and those from historically marginalised backgrounds should know she is specifically building this part of her list and is actively seeking these voices — say who you are if you are comfortable doing so.
She is an editorial agent who wants to develop projects from concept — if your manuscript is still in early stages but the idea is strong, that is not necessarily a barrier. Frame your submission accordingly rather than overstating polish.
Verify the submission form is still open immediately before querying — status observed February 2025 and can change.