Holly McGhee is the founder and president of Pippin Properties, one of children's publishing's most decorated boutiques, hunting for picture books that move and illuminate, deep graphic novels, and poignant middle-grade and YA that speaks honestly to the human experience.
In brief
Pippin Properties has produced multiple Newbery Medal winners, a Printz Medal winner, Caldecott Honor books, and international bestsellers — McGhee's commercial and awards track record is among the strongest in children's publishing.
The deal record skews heavily toward picture books and illustrated work, with creators like Peter H. Reynolds, Jon Agee, Sean Qualls, and Doreen Cronin confirming that author-illustrators are a genuine priority, not just a talking point.
Kate DiCamillo is a long-standing flagship client with multiple confirmed deals, signaling that McGhee builds deep, career-long partnerships rather than one-off transactions.
McGhee is also a published author, bringing a creator's perspective to client representation — a meaningful differentiator when pitching.
Exclusive queries only, with a four-week consideration window; this is a firm, stated requirement, not a preference.
Lately
McGhee has explicitly stated they will only consider exclusive queries and asks for four weeks to review — a formal, non-negotiable requirement that distinguishes Pippin from agencies that accept simultaneous submissions.
What Holly is looking for
McGhee is drawn to picture books where the characters' inner lives are immediately legible from the art alone — books where face and form do expressive work. Beyond craft, the work should feel like it matters: picture books that have the potential to make a genuine difference in how a child sees the world. The sales record confirms this is the agency's highest-volume category, with recent forthcoming titles spanning poetic, emotionally resonant, and concept-driven work.
McGhee seeks middle-grade fiction with genuine emotional weight — stories that don't condescend to young readers but instead illuminate something true about what it means to be human. The agency's most celebrated middle-grade titles are quiet, character-driven, and have proven to have enduring cultural lives. Literary ambition combined with accessibility is the consistent throughline.
McGhee uses the word 'powerful' and 'deep' specifically when describing what draws them to graphic novels — surface-level or purely commercial fare is unlikely to connect. The work needs to use the form meaningfully, with art and text doing integrated work rather than one illustrating the other. This is a stated priority category.
YA that digs into the human spirit — emotionally complex, character-anchored, and poignant rather than plot-driven for its own sake. McGhee's most noted YA sale is a Printz Medal winner with strong literary credentials, suggesting a preference for YA that earns serious critical attention.
Pippin represents adult projects when they arise from existing clients whose careers the agency is already stewarding. This is not a door open to new adult-only authors; it is a natural extension of long-standing client relationships. Do not query with an adult-only project unless you are already a Pippin client.
Not the right fit
On Holly's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Holly
McGhee requires exclusive queries — do not send the same query to other agents simultaneously. State clearly in your email that you are submitting exclusively.
Do not attach files. All manuscript content must appear in the body of the email: for novels, paste in the first chapter and a short synopsis; for picture books, paste the complete manuscript text.
For illustrators: send a query letter with links to a website displaying a dummy or portfolio samples. No attachments.
McGhee asks for four weeks of exclusive consideration before you follow up or submit elsewhere — build this into your timeline before you hit send.
Pippin does not promise a response to every query. If three weeks pass without contact, the agency has considered your work and concluded it is not the right fit at this time.
If McGhee requests additional material, be prepared to grant another month of exclusive review. Factor that into your submission strategy.
McGhee's taste runs toward work with genuine emotional depth and literary ambition. A query letter that articulates what your book is *about* at the human level — not just plot mechanics — will land more effectively than a hook-first pitch.
The agency has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; work by and about underrepresented communities is genuinely welcomed and actively sought.