Jennie Dunham is a veteran New York literary agent with over three decades of experience who champions voice-driven fiction and nonfiction across the full age spectrum — from picture books to adult literary — with a particular emphasis on underrepresented perspectives and commercially viable literary work.
In brief
Dunham is one of the industry's longest-practicing independent agents, founding her own boutique agency in 2000 after training at three prominent New York literary shops — her editorial relationships run deep and wide.
Her sales record spans adult hardcover fiction, children's chapter books, middle grade, and illustrated books, suggesting she is genuinely cross-category rather than a children's specialist who dabbles in adult, or vice versa.
Repeat clients include pop-up and paper-engineering luminaries Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart, signaling a real appetite for highly visual, craft-intensive children's work — not just text-driven picture books.
Her roster reflects a consistent preference for literary work with commercial footing: NYT bestsellers sit alongside award-winners (Schneider Family Award, Boston Globe Horn Book Honor, LA Times Book Prize Finalist), indicating she can sell both upmarket and prestige.
Her submission form is currently closed as of late January 2026 — do not query until the form reopens; confirm live status before submitting.
Lately
Dunham's agency page emphasizes that she has represented quality fiction and nonfiction for adults and children since the agency's founding in 2000, and that online submission via her form is the only accepted query method — phone and email queries are not entertained.
What Jennie is looking for
Dunham wants upmarket literary fiction defined first by voice — prose that has its own unmistakable register — followed by narrative momentum, characters who stay with the reader, and premises that feel genuinely fresh. She is especially drawn to stories centered on underrepresented people, places, and viewpoints, including LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC narratives, as well as historical and contemporary settings.
Dunham takes on literary and upmarket nonfiction for adults, including memoir. As with her fiction, strong authorial voice and an unusual angle are the entry tickets. LGBTQIA+ and minority-voiced nonfiction aligns with her stated priorities.
Dunham represents picture book writers AND illustrators — a meaningful distinction. Her roster includes major paper-engineering and illustrated-book artists, and her clients have won the New York Times Best Illustrated Book designation, signaling that she actively develops visual talent, not just text-only picture book submissions. Author-illustrators and illustrators should note this is a genuine strength of the list.
Middle grade is a core part of the list, with clients who have earned Boston Globe Horn Book Honors and hit the NYT children's series bestseller list. She brings the same lens here as everywhere — voice first, memorable characters, and perspectives that aren't already oversaturated in the market.
YA is explicitly named as a priority category. Dunham's interest tracks her broader taste: literary sensibility, strong narrative drive, and stories that illuminate underrepresented experiences. LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC YA align well with what she has described as her focus.
Not the right fit
On Jennie's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Jennie
The submission form is the ONLY accepted method — do not email or call the agency with a query.
Confirm the form is open before submitting; it was closed as of late January 2026 and no reopening window has been announced.
Lead your query letter with a demonstration of voice, not a plot summary — Dunham has stated explicitly that voice is her first and primary filter.
Name the age category and genre clearly early in your letter; she handles a wide range and needs to slot your project quickly.
If your work centers on underrepresented communities, LGBTQIA+ experience, or BIPOC perspectives, say so directly — this is a standing priority, not a quota item.
Picture book illustrators and author-illustrators should indicate their dual role explicitly; Dunham represents visual talent and this is a genuine differentiator on her list.
Unusual premises are a stated draw — if your concept is genuinely strange or unexpected, don't bury the lede.
Her anthropology and social work academic background suggests she responds to work with cultural depth, psychological interiority, and social texture — lean into those dimensions in your pitch.