Michelle Witte

I would love to find more cozy fantasy for YA/MG, and just cozy books in general. When the world is a dumpster fire, sometimes we just need a little escape where there are still stakes and things to do, but in a way that doesn't cause massive anxiety. #MSWL

#MSWL I'd love to see wuxia or xianxia stories from Asian writers or the diaspora, either in YA/MG. I find stories from Asian history and folklore fascinating and want to see more from authors from those cultures. But I'm not interested if it's from a cultural appropriation self-insert perspective.

This will forever be a #MSWL for YA/MG: kids/teens leading rebellions and speaking truth to power. Especially right now, when so many of them *are* leading the rebellions against those who want to oppress us.

I often crave dark, spooky, creepy stories in YA/MG, especially during fall and winter—those darker times of year. There’s something about it that especially makes me want to curl up with a good ghost story. #MSWL

And, as always, anything that can be described as odd, weird, strange, off-the-wall, or similar for any age group, but particularly MG.
#MSWL

Since my slush pile will be reopening June 1, here's an updated #MSWL for holes in my current list:
–Board book author-illustrators
–Early reader and chapter book authors or author-illustrators
–Graphic novel author-illustrators (any age in kidlit)
–Creepy, gothic, southern gothic MG or YA

It has been ages since I read or watched this so I can’t remember. What I do remember is how much I loved it as a kid so absolutely I would love something of a similar vein for mg. #MSWL

Totally random, but an MG with bird or animal characters having to perform a banishment or exorcism ritual would be a total #MSWL for me. Wind in the Willows but horror? How amazing would that be. That’s the kinda thing I wanna see for real.

Oh, and I should note I’ll be re-opening to queries on March 1, so please do keep me in mind as you prepare your query lists for pb, mg, ya, and everything in between (as long as it’s for children). Once I reopen, my query guidelines will be live at QueryTracker.net/query/michel... #MSWL

#MSWL I only represent children’s books, but I work with everything from board books through YA, both fiction and nonfiction. In board and picture books I prefer seeing submissions from author-illustrators.

Please, I beg of you, once I reopen to queries in like a month, send me every children's manuscript (PB through YA) that someone told you was too strange to let out into the daylight. I must discover the next Roald Dahl or Edward Gorey. #MSWL

Oh, and I have a soft spot for Southern Gothic. Especially from/about POC. And I don’t mean just tossing a side character who practices hoodoo/voodoo into a mostly white story. *side eyes Hollywood* #MSWL YA/MG

Dark fantasy or magical realism à la Pan’s Labryinth is another love of mine. I’ve been reading the novelization by Guillermo del Toro and Cornelia Funke, and it has that creepy, ethereal feel of magical realism and folklore mixed with a dash of horror. #MSWL Again YA/MG ONLY.

But not just ghost stories, but anything dark and creepy. I just watched We Have Always Lived in the Castle (which is fantastic, btw), so creepy/gothic with an unreliable narrator is a plus. #MSWL YA/MG only.

Oh, and I should mention that a MG or YA retelling of this (or similar type of story) is most definitely #MSWL.

This will forever be a #MSWL for YA/MG: kids/teens leading rebellions and speaking truth to power.

Just watched the second episode of The Passage and man, I would give anything for an MG with heroine like Amy. Or pretty much anything that could star @SaniyyaSidney. #MSWL youtube.com/watch?v=m--WB1…

I will #MSWL this forever, especially for mg. Note: Looking for girl MC, as there are already so many stories of boys discovering swords and such (magical or not).

I would die for a YA/MG along these lines. #MSWL Real magic or just imagined, doesn't matter. I especially like stories that focus on girl friendships/sisterhood.

A middle grade novel starring a girl like this would be amazing. Something along the lines of Frankie Landau-Banks for the mg set. #MSWL