Saribel Pages is a Literary Associate at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency who champions picture books and graphic novels across all ages, with a special eye for Latinx, queer, and disability narratives told through vivid characters and genre-bending storytelling.
In brief
Pages operates as a Literary Associate at Gallt & Zacker — a boutique kids-and-YA agency with deep roots in children's publishing — making her an emerging agent worth watching early.
Her wishlist is unusually specific about medium: she treats graphic novels as a storytelling form, not a shelf category, and actively wants author-illustrators who think the same way.
Her category range is wide (picture book through adult-adjacent YA/speculative fiction), but strong characterization is the through-line she returns to in every age group — she has said outright that complex magic systems are a turn-off.
She names Altered Carbon-style cyberpunk and solarpunk as active priorities for YA/up, a niche rarely claimed by children's-focused agents — writers in that space face very limited querying options and she may be a strong fit.
Her submission form was confirmed closed as of February 2026; verify live status before querying.
Lately
Pages announced she was actively accepting queries and directed writers to her online submission form, signaling an open window for new projects.
What Saribel is looking for
She wants picture books with a fun, distinct lead character and genuine emotional weight — stories that treat children's big feelings as real and worthy. Friendship stories and non-traditional family structures are welcome. She is also enthusiastic about nonfiction, especially nature and science titles: she is looking for that infectiously curious, educator-entertainer energy in nonfiction PB authors. Note: she is seeking author-illustrators and authors; she is NOT seeking picture book illustrators submitting without a text.
Pages is particularly vocal about graphic novels: she views them as a storytelling medium rather than a genre, and she wants to work with creators — especially author-illustrators — who are exploring what that medium uniquely makes possible. This applies across age groups. Strong character voice is essential here, as it is everywhere on her list.
Two clear lanes: (1) soft, warm fantasy with a Studio Ghibli sensibility — magic that illuminates both the imaginative and the real world, not elaborate rule-based systems; and (2) spooky/horror MG, ranging from ghost stories and things-in-the-woods atmosphere to psychological horror rooted in real-world anxieties. Both lanes share the same need for compelling characters over intricate worldbuilding.
Romance is a genuine priority here — specifically trope-heavy, witty, swoon-worthy romcoms where the central relationship earns the reader's investment. She also wants messy family dynamics, particularly stories where young protagonists reckon with their parents' flaws and humanity. On the speculative side, she is actively seeking YA horror, sci-fi, cyberpunk, and solarpunk — she wants work with social and political edge, emphasizing the 'punk' in those genres, not just the aesthetic.
Across every category, she is specifically seeking narratives from BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled creators and communities. She notes a particular affinity for Latinx stories, queer stories, and narratives centered on invisible disabilities — conditions that are real but not immediately visible to others.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Saribel
Confirm the form is open before submitting — it was closed as of February 2026 but has reopened before; check the live status at the Gallt & Zacker website.
Lead your query with character: she has stated plainly that a voice that leaps off the page is her primary hook. Open with who your protagonist is and what makes them memorable, not with plot mechanics or world details.
If you are querying MG or YA speculative fiction, name your genre lane clearly (soft fantasy, solarpunk, psychological horror, etc.) — she has specific lanes within spec-fic and knowing which one you occupy helps her place your work immediately.
For graphic novels, address the medium directly in your query: tell her what the graphic novel format makes possible in your story that prose could not. This aligns with how she thinks about the form.
If your story features a Latinx protagonist, queer characters, or centers an invisible disability, say so in your query — these are stated priorities, not afterthoughts.
For picture book nonfiction, convey the author's enthusiasm and accessibility in the query itself; she is looking for an infectious, educator-entertainer energy that should be evident from the first paragraph.
Avoid spending query real estate on magic-system rules or elaborate worldbuilding hierarchies — she has flagged complexity fatigue in that area. Focus on emotional stakes and character instead.
She is a Literary Associate, not a senior agent — queries to her are an opportunity to get in early with an ambitious emerging agent, and a strong fit may move faster than at a more established desk.