Jordan Hamessley is a JABberwocky agent with 15+ years of editorial and agenting experience who specializes in children's and YA fiction—particularly queer stories, graphic novels, and cozy fantasy—while also building a selective adult genre and pop culture list.
In brief
Her agency page makes clear she is only open to author-illustrators in the picture book space—text-only picture book authors should not query her.
Queer representation runs as a through-line across every age category she works in, from picture books to YA to adult; it is not a niche but a core organizing principle of her list.
Her editorial background at Penguin Young Readers (Grosset & Dunlap), Egmont USA, and Adaptive Studios gives her unusually strong ties to children's imprints—a real advantage for MG and YA clients at submission.
She explicitly names cozy, romantic fantasy and Studio Ghibli-style world-building as her fantasy sweet spot; epic sword-and-sorcery is not her lane.
Her submission form was confirmed closed as of October 7, 2025—verify the live form before querying.
Lately
Her agency bio confirms she joined JABberwocky in 2023 and is actively building her graphic novel and illustrator roster, flagging it as a growth priority alongside her children's fiction list.
What Jordan is looking for
She is exclusively interested in author-illustrators—writers who are not also illustrating their own work should not query in this category. Her taste runs toward art-driven experiences where the visuals lead the storytelling, humor that earns a genuine laugh-out-loud reaction, and emotional picture books that move readers to tears. She also has warmth for character-driven series with broad franchise appeal.
Contemporary MG with genuine heart and humor is her home base. She actively seeks stories celebrating queer joy and representing the full breadth of the queer experience for young readers. She is also drawn to cozy, atmospheric fantasy with a Studio Ghibli sensibility—warmth, wonder, and emotional resonance over combat and dark world-building. Horror is welcome: haunted houses, creepy forests, ghosts, and murder-mystery premises all appeal. She has a documented love of space exploration and would be thrilled to find a MG that makes NASA and the cosmos exciting for kids. Novels-in-verse are a genuine enthusiasm, not just a tolerated format—she sees them as a powerful tool for reluctant readers.
YA contemporary fiction with emotional depth and humor is a priority, especially stories centering queer protagonists and queer joy. Genre YA is welcome, with the same preferences as MG: cozy romantic fantasy over grimdark, horror with atmosphere and stakes, and space or science-adjacent premises. Novels-in-verse are actively sought here as well.
She is actively building her graphic novel and illustrator list and calls out this category explicitly as a growth area. She is seeking graphic novelists whose visual sensibility aligns with her broader interests: queer stories, cozy fantasy, horror, space, and humor. Illustrators who can bring a visual angle to any of those themes are especially encouraged to query.
Her non-fiction appetite is focused and specific: STEM topics made genuinely engaging for young readers (space exploration being her top passion), and underrepresented history—particularly queer history—brought to light for the youth market. She is not seeking general non-fiction; the hook should make science, math, or marginalized history feel urgent and accessible.
She maintains a select adult list in genre fiction and pop culture writing, but this is not an open call—it appears to be an area she grows through referrals and existing relationships rather than an active query priority. Writers with adult projects should confirm her current adult appetite before querying.
Not the right fit
On Jordan's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Jordan
Her form was closed as of October 7, 2025—check the live form before doing anything else; querying a closed form is wasted effort.
If you are a picture book creator, confirm upfront in your query that you are submitting as an author-illustrator with a portfolio or sample art; text-only picture book submissions are a hard no.
Lead with the queer angle if your story has one—this is not a box to check but the organizing principle of her list, and she responds to writers who are intentional about queer representation.
For fantasy projects, ground your pitch in tone and atmosphere rather than plot mechanics: if your comp is Studio Ghibli or your book is described as cozy and romantic, say so explicitly. If it's epic grimdark, reconsider querying her.
Space and STEM non-fiction for MG/YA is a genuine gap on her list she has stated she wants to fill—if your project fits, name the NASA/cosmos connection early in your pitch.
Novels-in-verse are a specific enthusiasm, not just a tolerated format—if your manuscript uses that structure, name it prominently rather than burying it.
Horror pitches should emphasize atmosphere and premise (haunted houses, creepy forests, ghost stories) rather than gore or grimdark tone.
If you are a graphic novelist or illustrator, her bio flags this as an active growth area—include a link to your portfolio or sample pages in your query.
Her background is editorial (Penguin Young Readers, Egmont USA) rather than purely agenting—pitches that signal craft and voice, not just concept, are likely to resonate with her.