Krista Van Dolzer is a published middle grade author turned literary agent at The Unter Agency, hunting for character-driven MG and YA fiction alongside smart, accessible adult nonfiction in narrative, sports, and applied science.
In brief
Her personal publishing history — MG fiction with Penguin Random House, Sourcebooks, Capstone, and Bloomsbury USA — gives her unusually deep credibility with younger-fiction authors; she knows the market from the inside.
Her taste map is unusually specific: the books and films she loves all share strong hooks, witty or sparkling dialogue, and either a romantic or mystery throughline — query her with a sharp hook and a clear genre anchor.
Her adult nonfiction appetite is narrowly defined: narrative-driven, idea-driven, or data-driven popular nonfiction in the Malcolm Gladwell / Susan Cain mold, plus sports. Literary memoir or essay-driven nonfiction is not the target.
A 2026 public note highlights retellings as a rising trend she's watching — but she only wants them when they do something genuinely inventive with the source material, not faithful recreations.
She is the newest agent at The Unter Agency, which represents quality fiction and general nonfiction; as a newer agent she is actively building her list, making this a strong moment to query.
Lately
My goodness, I don't think I've ever requested so many partials in such rapid succession. Someone, please send me a Time-Turner!
I've now gone through all the MG and YA pitches over at the @middlegradehub.bsky.social Pitch Party and made my selections. I know agent requests won't go out for another week, but you're always welcome to give me a try even if I didn't heart your pitch. Might as well shoot your shot!
Can't wait for the @middlegradehub.bsky.social Pitch Party agent showcase later this week! I discovered two of my five clients through the agent showcase last year, so my hopes are high.
Besides manuscripts, my #FridayReads is Katie Bernet's BETH IS DEAD, a contemporary reimagining of LITTLE WOMEN as a murder mystery. I think retellings are making a comeback, but only if they do more inventive things with the source material, like this one. #mswl
The only people who don't like three-day or holiday weekends are writers on submission and their agents.
She flagged a manuscript reimagining Little Women as a murder mystery as her current read, and used it to articulate a broader view: retellings are coming back into favor, but only when they do something bold and inventive with the original material — a straight or reverent retelling is not what she's looking for.
What Krista is looking for
MG is her home turf — she's a published MG author herself, and it sits at the center of her list. She loves rich world-building, strong voice, and stories that balance adventure or mystery with heart. Her personal taste runs toward sweeping fantasy (think epic scope brought to a kid-friendly scale), culturally specific storytelling, and mysteries with genuine wit and spark. Across the board she wants vivid, memorable characters and the kind of premise that makes a reader stop and pay attention.
She wants the full range of YA — no single sub-genre is off the table. Her taste signals a love of YA fantasy with lyrical, ambitious writing, YA mystery and thriller with satisfying twists, and YA romance with genuine emotional stakes and sparkling banter. She gravitates toward books where the romantic or mystery tension feels earned rather than decorative. Strong, distinctive voice is a throughline across everything she describes loving.
She is specifically drawn to big-idea, narrative nonfiction in the tradition of writers who make data and social science feel urgent and readable. Her sweet spots are applied science (especially mathematics, economics, and psychology), sports narrative, and journalistic deep-dives. The key qualifier: the writing must be accessible without being dumbed down. Dense academic prose is not what she's after; she wants the kind of book a curious non-expert would find irresistible.
Biography, history, and memoir appear in her stated categories, but her enthusiasm language and the touchstone authors she cites are all in the popular-ideas and narrative-journalism space. Likely most interested in these forms when they have a strong narrative drive or a clear argument — a biography or history that reads with the momentum of a thriller, or a memoir with a sharp, compelling through-line.
Not the right fit
On Krista's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Krista
Follow her submission form instructions precisely — she accepts queries exclusively through that form and states it plainly; emails sent directly are unlikely to be considered.
Lead with a sharp, specific hook. Every title she cites as a personal favorite — across fiction and nonfiction — has a clear, compelling premise that can be stated in one sentence. Don't bury yours.
For MG and YA, signal genre and emotional core early. Her favorites span fantasy, mystery, and romance, but they share two things: vivid characters and a strong forward momentum. Make both visible in your query.
For adult nonfiction, frame the accessible angle from the first line. She wants the Malcolm Gladwell reader, not the academic. Show that a curious non-expert will find your book irresistible — and name the specific discipline (math, economics, psychology, or sports) so she can place it immediately.
If you're querying a retelling, make crystal clear what you are doing differently with the source material. Her 2026 comment is unambiguous: inventive transformation is the bar, not homage.
Her personal taste leans toward romantic tension, twisty plotting, and wit — if any of those are present in your book, surface them explicitly rather than letting her infer.
She is actively building her list as a newer agent; this is a favorable moment to query, especially if your work fits squarely in MG, YA, or popular narrative nonfiction.
Verify the form is still open immediately before submitting — query status can change, and the last confirmed observation has a specific date.