Los Angeles-based literary agent and former middle-school teacher who specializes in children's and YA fiction, hunting for voice-driven, empathy-forward stories that make young readers both laugh and feel deeply seen.
In brief
Hamilburg comes to agenting from the classroom — she spent years building an equity-centered library for middle schoolers, which means her taste is grounded in what real kids actually read, not just what pitches well to adults.
Her wishlist is tightly focused on children's and YA: picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction are her stated lanes; no adult fiction is mentioned anywhere in her materials.
She actively welcomes graphic novels and lyrical prose alongside traditional novels — writers working in hybrid or visual formats should not self-select out.
Her touchstone aesthetic sits at the intersection of emotional resonance and humor: she wants books that do both simultaneously, not books that sacrifice one for the other.
Query status is unverified — confirm directly with The Hamilburg Agency before submitting, as no dated open/closed signal is available.
Lately
Her agency profile emphasizes that she is drawn to the intersection of humor and emotional depth — she specifically wants books that make young readers laugh out loud while also pulling at their heartstrings, a dual demand that narrows the field considerably.
What Lucy is looking for
This is her home turf: as a former middle school teacher she built classroom libraries around MG titles and knows exactly what kids that age devour. She wants novels with a strong hook and propulsive plots, characters working through identity questions, and well-developed secondary casts that could sustain a series. Authentic, intersectional perspectives are a firm requirement, not a bonus. Stories that blend contemporary realism with threads of magical realism or light fantasy are especially appealing to her.
She wants YA that earns its emotional gut-punches through genuine character voice rather than plot mechanics alone. Page-turners with a gripping opening hook are prioritized. She is open across subgenres — fantasy, contemporary, thriller/suspense, romance, historical fiction, horror, paranormal, and humor all fall within scope. LGBTQ+ narratives and stories exploring identity are explicitly welcomed. Series potential with strong secondary characters is a significant plus.
She is actively seeking picture books, particularly those rooted in universal human experiences told through specific, authentic cultural or intersectional lenses. Lyrical prose and humor are both welcome here. No restriction is stated regarding author-only versus author-illustrator submissions — writers without illustration portfolios may still query.
Graphic novels are named explicitly alongside prose novels as formats she pursues. She does not treat the format as a secondary category — writers and author-illustrators working in comics or graphic narrative for the MG or YA age range should feel encouraged to query.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Lucy
Address your query to Lucy directly at the email listed on The Hamilburg Agency website — confirm the current address before sending, as contact details can change.
Lead with voice: her single biggest signal is that she values character and narrator voice above nearly everything else. Your query letter should convey the protagonist's voice, not just plot summary.
Name the age category and format in your first paragraph — she handles three distinct categories (PB, MG, YA) and at least two formats (prose novel, graphic novel). Make it immediately clear which you're pitching.
If your book blends realism with magical realism or light fantasy, say so explicitly — that specific combination is called out as appealing to her, and naming it signals genre literacy.
Mention series potential if it exists, especially if your secondary characters have meaningful arcs — she states this is a draw, and it speaks directly to her long-term client-relationship philosophy.
Demonstrate that your story is rooted in an authentic, specific perspective: she has a teaching background centered on equity and inclusion, and she will notice if a 'diverse' pitch feels surface-level or externally observed.
If your book delivers both humor and emotional weight, call that duality out. A manuscript that makes her laugh AND ache is her stated sweet spot — pitching just one register may undersell the book.
Verify query status and any submission guidelines (word count, sample pages, synopsis requirements) on the agency's current website before sending — no standardized submission window is publicly documented.