Kristie Choi

And last but not least, gorgeous and profound voice-driven coming-of-age stories that are windows & mirrors, that make you laugh and cry and sometimes both at the same time, told in prose or verse. Kira-Kira

Last but not least, MG horror and/or comedy, because what’s more horrifying or hilarious than growing up? Illustrated funny MG like Captain Underpants, Dog Man, Last Kids on Earth, Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang. Layered spooky MG like Small Spaces, Bellwoods Game, Remember Me Daphne. 4/4

I adore survival stories & would love to see more BIPOC rep. I grew up reading Boxcar Kids, Hatchet, My Side of the Mountain, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Julie of the Wolves. I love the nature escapism & seeing how characters grow in tough external situations that mirror real-world stressors. 3/4

I’m captivated by gorgeous fantasies & coming of age that inspire wonder while exploring profound themes around friendship, family, and love like The Girl Who Drank the Moon, This Was Our Pact, Brown Girl Dreaming, Inside Out & Back Again, Nine Moons of Han Yu & Luli, When You Trap a Tiger 2/4

A thread about my favorite kinds of MG & #mswl - I love sff of all kinds, especially those about discovering the true nature of the world & overcoming authoritarian power structures. Books like A Wrinkle in Time, The Giver, The House of the Scorpion, The Last Cuentista, The One and Only Ivan. 1/4

#mswl more books that made me feel and think the way these did—books that stay with you long after you read them

MG: Last Cuentista, Girl Who Drank the Moon, Inside Out & Back Again
YA: Strange the Dreamer, Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Super specific #MSWL : survival stories (including post-apocalyptic) w/a fresh spin on the survival genre & BIPOC/queer rep. Emotional MG like Alone or Hatchet or humorous and fun like The Last Kids on Earth. YA like Wilder Girls, The 5th Wave, or a grounded ownvoices Island of the Blue Dolphins

For MG: poignant novels in verse à la Thanhhà Lại, Jacqueline Brown; fantasy/speculative exploring profound themes à la The Last Cuentista or The Girl Who Drank the Moon; survival stories like Hatchet or Alone; silly & humorous illustrated like The Last Kids on Earth or Dav Pilkey; mysteries 2/3

Hi agents, I’m on the hunt for high-concept layered YA & MG novels! #MSWL

For YA: romantic fantasy; dark academia; mystery/thrillers like We Were Liars or Firekeeper’s Daughter; thought-provoking horror or gothic; romantic coming of age like Aristotle & Dante & Last Night at the Telegraph Club 1/3

My life was a puzzle that didn’t make sense until I embraced being queer and genderfluid. #mswl more queer books, especially for MG/YA and new adult graphic novels and literary YA/coming-of age like Aristotle & Dante Discover the Sectets of the Universe or Last Night at the Telegraph Club

#Mswl : literary voice-driven middle grade w/a high-concept hook; speculative/fantasy or slice-of-life but I want to see gorgeous, engaging prose or verse; profound coming-of-age themes; and beautifully drawn characters. If it’s a heavier story, there should be love and hope reverberating throughout

#mswl reminder: I am still on the hunt for standout trans/genderqueer voices, particularly in YA but also MG, from speculative to gorgeously written coming-of-age. My partner is trans/nb, I’m genderfluid, and I will never stop championing genderqueer authors

GN: absurd, funny MG; fantasy/spec like This Was Our Pact; YA like The Prince and the Dressmaker, Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up..., Genderqueer, Go with the Flow, The Magic Fish, beautiful coming-of-age like This One Summer that lingers w/you but make it all gay gay gay. 5/6

MG: character-driven fantasy/speculative/spooky; gorgeous verse novels; beautifully written coming-of-gender/gay stories w/ young people just beginning to come into their identity or discovering first love and crushes. Think Chiron in Moonlight when he's still a kid/preteen. 3/6

With #queerpit approaching, I thought I'd write up a super specific super gay #MSWL . I acquire for picture books, MG, YA, graphic novels, & nonfiction for Atheneum, and I'm looking for queer esp intersectional (BIPOC, neurodivergent, disabled) and trans/NB/genderqueer voices. 1/6

GN #MSWL : If any creators/agents have a project w/a similar vibe as this, I'd love to see it! I'm also on the lookout for coming-of-gender stories; queer romance; contemporary like Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up.., This One Summer, Go with the Flow; absurdly funny MG/early readers

MG: stories highlighting the beauty of kids going through difficult things and complicated family dynamics; experiences of first love and crushes esp of queer kids discovering themselves; misfits finding connection, friendship, and the stirrings of desire.

#MSWL a beautifully written PB/MG/YA touching upon and shedding light on Korean American history. Something like one of my favorite films, 말모이 Mal-Mo-E, weaving humor, nuanced characters, complicated family dynamics beating w/love, & a spirit of resistance against the odds.

Have a pile of submissions to get to but a #mswl that's been on my heart ever since my trans/NB partner told me they've never seen themself reflected in lit: more books (PB, MG, YA, GN) featuring genderqueer main characters pls. There's power in lit, and the fascists know it.

Hi book nerds 💜 Huzzah! My #MSWL is now officially live! Agented authors and creators, feel free to share this with your agent. Unfortunately for those in the query trenches, I'm unable to accept unagented submissions...I leave you with a catdog 🐱🐶
manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/kris…