I work as an agent with a particular interest in illustrators, picture books and chapter books. One of my earliest memories is reading Lauren Child’s Clarice Bean – I adored seeing Clarice Bean tucked up in the airing cupboard amongst the knickers and socks whilst reading her comics and escaping her wonderfully eccentric family. Little did I know that one day I would have the enormous pleasure and privilege of working in the world of children’s book writing and illustration. Narrative in both text and illustration have always been important to me.
I relish the opportunity to champion the work of illustrators and authors alike – and to fight for their space on the bestselling shelves.
What am I looking for in picture books? I love picture books that are funny and that can do a lot with a little word count but also ones that might be a bit darker or on the spooky side – INSIDE MARY ELIZABETH’S HOUSE by Pamela Allen was a favourite of mine. I am really enjoying nonfiction picture books, maybe with a narrative attached, as well as interactive picture books – search-and-find etc.