Emily van Beek is a New York–based children's and young adult specialist at Folio Literary Management who focuses on picture books, middle grade, and YA across a wide tonal range—from quiet, lyrical stories to high-concept commercial fiction.
In brief
The categories listed in the query snapshot—picture books, middle grade, YA, fantasy, diverse fiction, and graphic novels—paint a broad children's-literature mandate, suggesting van Beek is a full-spectrum kids-and-YA generalist rather than a narrowly focused specialist.
No confirmed deal record was supplied in the raw input, so claims about publisher relationships, repeat clients, or commercial track record cannot be made with confidence at this time; writers should research recent announcements independently.
Diverse fiction appears explicitly in the intake categories, signaling a deliberate editorial commitment beyond a casual welcome—writers with underrepresented voices or marginalized protagonists should note this.
Query status is listed as open but the observation date is unknown, making that signal potentially stale; always verify the live submission form before sending anything.
The breadth of categories accepted—spanning picture books through YA fantasy and graphic novels—suggests van Beek values strong voice and concept over category purity; a tight, distinctive hook is likely more important than fitting a narrow slot.
Lately
The most recent publicly available intake snapshot lists van Beek as open to picture books, middle grade, YA, fantasy, diverse fiction, and graphic novels — a broad children's-literature mandate with no known embargo on any of those categories.
What Emily is looking for
Picture books are a named priority in van Beek's intake profile. Given the explicit inclusion of diverse fiction as a parallel category, stories centering underrepresented experiences or characters are especially welcome. Note the author-illustrator vs. author-only distinction is not specified in the available data — confirm current requirements on the agency's submission page before querying.
Middle grade sits squarely within van Beek's stated intake across tones and genres. Fantasy flavors, diverse casts, and high-concept hooks all appear consistent with the broader category list. Strong, distinctive voice is likely the key criterion given how many MG sub-genres are left open.
YA is an explicit category in the intake profile, and the co-listing of fantasy and diverse fiction suggests both genre and contemporary YA are welcome. Writers should lead with a clear sense of their protagonist's emotional stakes and the book's commercial angle.
Fantasy is named as a distinct intake category alongside YA and middle grade, implying it spans age ranges rather than being confined to one. The lack of specific comps or elaboration in the available data suggests interest is genuine but not narrowly defined — a well-grounded fantasy with strong character work is the safest bet.
Diverse fiction appears as a standalone category in van Beek's intake, not merely folded into other genres. This signals an active editorial commitment to stories centered on underrepresented communities, identities, and perspectives across all age categories van Beek accepts.
Graphic novels are listed as an accepted format, though no additional detail is available in the current data. Writers working in this format should clarify on the submission form whether they are querying as an author-illustrator or as a writer seeking an illustrator partner, as that distinction typically matters to agents in this space.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Emily
Verify current open/closed status on Folio Literary Management's website before submitting — the last known signal is undated and could be stale.
Identify the age category and format (picture book, MG, YA, graphic novel) in the first line of your query — van Beek covers a wide range and a clear label helps route the project immediately.
If your project falls under diverse fiction, name that explicitly and briefly explain the perspective you're bringing; this is a stated priority, not a polite checkbox.
For fantasy submissions, ground the hook in character and emotional stakes first — the worldbuilding should feel purposeful rather than leading the pitch.
Graphic novel writers should clarify author-illustrator status versus writer-only in the query, as this affects how the project is evaluated and sold.
Keep the pitch concise and voice-forward; agents covering this many categories across age ranges are pattern-matching for a distinctive voice and a clear commercial angle, not a long setup.