Annick Press wants your kid lit manuscripts

Annick Press

665 Gerrard Street East
Toronto, ON
M4M 1Y2

https://www.annickpress.com/

Annick Press is currently accepting submissions of picture books, early chapter books, middle grade fiction, YA fiction, graphic novels, and nonfiction for kids of all ages.

They’re also looking for illustrators and encourage illustrators to submit their portfolios for consideration.

Annick aims to empower readers, open minds, and create a lifelong love of reading. Annick books feature contemporary themes (even if the setting is historical) and center kids’ perspectives and experiences.

Like everyone else, Annick is committed to publishing diverse authors and illustrators. They give preferential treatment to LGBTQ2SIA+ creators, Black creators, Indigenous creators, creators of color, creators living with disabilities, and anyone living at the intersections of these identities.

Picture Books

“The picture books that excite us most combine original ideas with strong storytelling. We look for submissions where children are the main drivers of the story and/or explore ideas in ways that have inherent appeal for kids. We love stories told from unique perspectives that tap into deeper issues and emotions, conveying poignant messages without being didactic.

“We welcome nonfiction ideas for picture books too; these can be a great way to introduce very young readers to engaging topics that are relevant to their experiences. Nonfiction does not have to be strictly educational: we look for ideas that have appeal and will capture young readers’ imaginations.

“Generally, we prefer to receive the manuscript alone, without accompanying illustrations. We do want to know however, if your idea includes a visual narrative to accompany the text, which will help us assess it. We also welcome general suggestions for the art that you’d like us to be aware of when reviewing your manuscript. Our picture books tend to be 32 pages and no longer than 1,000 words.”

Please submit your full manuscript and cover letter as .docx or .pdf attachments to submissions@annickpress.com

Early Reader Chapter Books

Annick is excited to have recently started publishing more chapter books for early readers, ages 6–9.

“We’re looking for submissions on topics that will resonate with readers of this age group, either with series potential or intended as standalone stories. We’re looking for emotionally resonant, thought-provoking stories with accessible, authentic, and age-appropriate language and vocabulary. We love stories that explore the interpersonal dynamics relevant to readers this age, that ask questions and encourage self-reflection.

“The typical length of our early chapter books ranges from about 7,000–10,000 words. Submissions can be either a complete manuscript or sample chapter(s) with a story outline. If you are pitching a series, please consider including subsequent story ideas in your submission.”

Please submit your full manuscript and cover letter as .docx or .pdf attachments to submissions@annickpress.com

Middle Grade Fiction

Annick’s middle reader novels aim to engage kids with exciting stories that inspire deep thought and reflection.

“We’re looking for original stories with motivated characters, high stakes, and gripping action, even if it’s delivered in subtle form. Humor, even if used occasionally, is an asset. The typical length of our middle reader novels is 20,000–40,000 words.”

Please submit your first chapter, synopsis and cover letter as .docx or .pdf attachments to submissions@annickpress.com.

Young Adult Fiction

Annick’s YA fiction features distinctive contemporary voices that wrestle with the big issues that matter to teens.

“We’re looking for powerful, dramatic, thought-provoking stories across most sub-genres, though the best way to determine if your manuscript might be a fit for us is to check out a few of our recent teen titles. Our YA novels tend to range from 50,000–70,000 words.”

Please submit your first chapter, synopsis and cover letter as .docx or .pdf attachments to submissions@annickpress.com

Comics

Annick publishes a small, select list of comics (aka graphic novels) for young readers.

“We define comics as any story told with panels. They can be early readers, middle grade, or YA. They can be fiction or nonfiction, series or stand-alone. You do not need to have experience in comics making to submit to Annick. We are committed to helping new voices find a place in the publishing world—many of our most successful comics are by creators who had never made a story more than a few pages long before publishing with us.

“Most of our books are made by creators who are both the writer and the illustrator, but we are open to submissions of just text manuscripts, comic artist portfolios for consideration to be paired with an author, or author-illustrator teams who already work together.”

Please send your submission to submissions@annickpress.com
Make sure your name is included in the name of each file you send.

Artist/illustrator or team:

• Story outline. This should succinctly tell the entire story: beginning, middle, and end. (1–2 pages in .pdf or .docx)
• Cover letter. Describe what you hope to accomplish creating this book, why it’s a good fit for Annick, and a little about you. (1-page .pdf or .docx)
• Thumbnails. (20 sequential pages, .pdf, do not exceed 20 MB)
• Art samples. These could be fully rendered panels of current project proposal or previous work. It could be paneled or not, but it should be representative of the book you want us to publish. (5–10 pages, .pdf, do not exceed 20 MB)

Writer only:

• Story outline. This should succinctly tell the entire story: beginning, middle, and end. (1–2 pages in .pdf or .docx)
• Cover letter. Describe what you hope to accomplish creating this book, why it’s a good fit for Annick, and a little about you. (1-page .pdf or .docx)
• Sample pages. In the format you would intend to deliver work to artists. (10 pages, .pdf or .docx)

Artist only:

• Cover letter. Describe what kinds of books you are interested in working on and a little about you. (1-page .pdf or .docx)
• Art samples. These can be any combination of sketches, thumbnails, and final art, but at least half of the samples should be fully rendered paneled pages, and should reflect whatever styles you are interested in working in. (10–20 pages, .pdf, do not exceed 20 MB)

Nonfiction

Annick’s nonfiction titles aim to hook readers with fascinating subject matter, appealing to their natural sense of wonder. These books give kids a solid foundation of facts while encouraging critical thinking and allowing them to draw their own conclusions.

“We’re looking for manuscripts (picture book, middle grade or YA) that combine an original idea with engaging storytelling, a distinctive voice and dedication to accuracy. Show us your passion for the material and the little-known details that will captivate kids and encourage further exploration.

“We encourage submissions on wide-ranging topics, including science and technology, historical events, and contemporary social issues as they relate to the reader’s world and beyond.

“Our nonfiction titles aim to be highly visual, with photographs and/or illustrations to complement the text. We recommend a maximum word count of 1,000 words for nonfiction picture book manuscripts and 10,000–15,000 words for middle grade and YA.

For picture book nonfiction submissions, email your full manuscript and cover letter as .docx or .pdf attachments to submissions@annickpress.com

For middle grade and YA nonfiction submissions, please submit a sample chapter, detailed outline, and cover letter as .docx or .pdf attachments to submissions@annickpress.com

Illustrators

“We’re keen to see portfolios that demonstrate stylistic range, expressive characters, and visual storytelling. Don’t forget to include illustrations of kids!”

Please send sample images or a link to your portfolio, along with a few words about yourself, to art@annickpress.com

Mentorship program

Annick Press has an annual mentorship program is for new or emerging writers (with not more than one published book) and who are “LGBTQ2SIA+ writers, Black writers, Indigenous writers, writers of color, writers living with disabilities, and anyone living at the intersections of these identities.”

Selected mentees will receive a $1,000 bursary for a four-month mentorship period. Mentees will be paired with an Annick editor, who will tailor the program to the mentee’s goals and interests.

Deadline for 2025: Sept 29 at midnight. See full details of the mentorship program and application form here.

Note: Postings go up on the Quick Brown Fox Substack before they appear here on the blog – for example, this posting appeared on the Quick Brown Fox Substack, six days earlier than it appeared here on the blog – and you can get new Substack posting delivered straight to your Inbox as I publish them. Subscribe to Quick Brown Fox on Substack here: https://brian999.substack.com/

See all my upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Navigation tips: Always check out the Labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of postings. For more children’s and young adult publishers, see here {and scroll down}. For book publishers in general, see here {and scroll down}.

Dundurn Press wants your manuscripts

Dundurn Press

1382 Queen Street East
Toronto, Ontario

https://www.dundurn.com/

Dundurn Press was founded in 1972 by Kirk Howard, who named the company after Hamilton’s historic Dundurn Castle, located near where he’d grown up. Now Dundurn Press has more with more than 2,600 books in print. It publishes books across numerous genres, from literary and genre fiction to lifestyle, memoir and biography, history and public policy, and middle-grade and teen fiction. It’s committed to publishing new authors and, like everybody else, underrepresented voices.

Dundurn is currently accepting nonfiction, fiction, and mystery and thrillers.

Fiction:

Dundurn accepts submissions of literary and commercial novels and short story collections for both their Dundurn Fiction list and our Rare Machines literary imprint.

If you would like to submit a work of fiction for consideration, please include the following in your email:

1. An introductory email telling us about you and your project – subject line should include the title of your project
2. Your full manuscript in 12-point font, double-spaced – they do not accept partial manuscripts for fiction.
3. A literary CV with your previous publications (if any) and other information relevant to your project
4. A complete synopsis of the book – maximum 1 page single spaced

Email your submission to: submissions@dundurn.com

Nonfiction

Dundurn is seeking nonfiction in the areas of:

· History

· Politics

· Business, finance, and economics

· Society and culture

· True crime

· Local interest

· Sports

· Music

· Paranormal/supernatural

· Memoir and biography

· Popular science

Please include the following with your nonfiction submission:

1. An introductory email telling us about you and your project – subject line should include the title of your project
2. Your manuscript or proposal as an attachment in Word or pdf – please do not share links to Google Drive, DropBox, WeTransfer, etc.
3. Your proposal should include:
• A short biography of you as the author, with writing credits and other information relevant to your project
• Your contact information and place of residence
• A short summary of your project – what is it about? Why is it important? Why are you the right person to write it?
• A writing sample – 2-3 chapters or 30-50 pages is ideal for a sample
• Market research into comparative titles – tell us why your book stands out in the market, what is unique about you and your book, what other books are out there for your book to compete with?

Email your submission to: submissions@dundurn.com

Mystery and Thriller Submissions

Please include the following:

1. An introductory email telling us about you and your project – subject line should include the title of your project
2. Your full manuscript in 12 point font, double-spaced – we do not accept partial manuscripts for works of fiction
3. A literary CV with your previous publications (if any) and other information relevant to your project
4. A complete synopsis of the book – maximum 1 page single spaced

Email your submission to: submissions@dundurn.com

Full submission guidelines here.

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Navigation tips:  Always check out the Labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of postings. For more children’s and young adult publishers, see here {and scroll down}. For book publishers in general, see here {and scroll down}.

Note: You can get new postings on Quick Brown Fox delivered straight to your Inbox as I publish them. Subscribe to Quick Brown Fox on Substack here: https://brian999.substack.com/

 

Shana Tova ~ Happy New Year for 5786

On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we blow the shofar (which is made of a ram's horn) to call the people to repentance. But the shofar doesn't call only to men and women. In the prayer book for Rosh Hashanah, the shofar is said to create angels who carry our message of repentance to the heavenly throne. 

God himself also uses the shofar. At Mount Sinai, God spoke to all Jews alive at the time and all generations of Jews to come through the sound of the shofar. Likewise, it is said, at the coming of the Messiah, a great shofar will sound that will free all who are in bondage and gather all Jews to Jerusalem.

We could use such a powerful shofar blast today to free the hostages that Hamas has held – and beaten and starved and abused – for the past two years. But the theologians say (or some of them) that the time of miracles is past because God has made space for us to make our own miracles. And so we shall. Because we must.

For all of us, may this year be much sweeter than last year.

Tanya has a new book of poetry coming out: The Hospitality of Trees

The Hospitality of Trees

by Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt

In this intimate and contemplative collection, Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt traces the parallels between the inner landscape of her family and the changing seasons of North Hatley. Memory, carried like seeds in the pocket, opens into unexpected horizons, where sorrow transforms into beauty and the ordinary becomes sacred. Trees appear as witnesses and faithful companions, offering solace in grief and standing quietly alongside moments of joy.

The Hospitality of Trees will be released this month and is available for pre-order here.

Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt holds an MA in English Literature from McGill University and an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. These days, she lives in Quebec’s Eastern Townships with her husband and four children. She was born in Germany to French-Canadian parents and grew up on various army bases across Canada, from Quebec’s North Shore to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

When she was twelve, her family moved to Tiberius, Israel, where her father served as a United Nations peacekeeper on the Golan Heights. When war broke out with Lebanon, Tanya and her family moved to Beirut, where they lived for seven months, at the height of the Lebanese civil war.

Tanya’s journal from 1982-1983 became the seeds of her memoir, Peacekeeper’s Daughter.

Peacekeeper’s Daughter is both a coming-of-age story and an exploration of family dynamics, the shattering effects of violence and war, and the power of memory itself to reconcile us to our past selves, to the extraordinary places we have been and sights we have seen.

Tanya has also published a previous volume of poetry with Shoreline Press: Chaos Theories of Goodness (here) Her collection of short memoir pieces, Carrying War, will be published by Dundurn Press in May 2026.

Tanya’s also published numerous poems and stories and has been nominated for a number of awards (see here). Currently, she’s working on some books for children and a novel for adults about American expats in Beirut called Birdsong Hollow.

You can read an excerpt from Peacekeeper’s Daughter here, It’s available through the publisher, Thistledown Press here or order it through your local bookstore – see here.

***

Note: Tanya will be the guest speaker for our “Writing Personal Stories” course this fall. See here.

See more books by your fellow authors here (and scroll down).

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Join us in person for "Writing Personal Stories & Other Nonfiction"

Writing Personal Stories & Other Nonfiction

Offered in-person, in Burlington

In-person: Thursday evenings, 7 – 9 p.m.
October 9 – November 27 (or to Dec 4 if the class fills up). No class Oct 23.
Burlington Anglican Lutheran Church
3455 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, Ontario (Map here)

If you want to write any kind of true story, this course is for you. Personal stories will be front and centre – we’ll look at memoirs, travel writing, personal essays, family history – but we’ll also look at writing feature articles, creative nonfiction and other more informational writing. Plus, of course, we’ll work on creativity and writing technique and have fun doing it. 

Whether you want to write a book or just get your thoughts down on paper, this weekly course will get you going. We'll reveal the tricks and conventions of telling true stories, and we’ll show you how to use the techniques of the novel to recount actual events. Weekly writing exercises and friendly feedback from the instructor will help you move forward on this writing adventure. Whether you want to write for your family and friends or for a wider public, don't miss this course.

We’ll also have a guest speaker – to be announced.

Instructor Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada's most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he’s has helped many of his students get published.  

Read reviews and other pieces inspired by Brian's retreats, courses and workshops here (and scroll down). 

Fee: $257.52 plus 13% hst = $291

To reserve your spot, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

Two poems by Sara Aharon

“I don’t care if it’s not forever” 

Life chases me
And finds me in the kitchen
In the bedroom
In the bathroom
In my paintings and my writing
Sometimes
It’s hard to stop
Running
When life chases me.

I don’t care if it’s not forever
If life is not forever
Some moments
Are endless
Grabbing me by the wrists
Wrestling me to the ground
The bottom falls further away
And I don’t care because it’s not forever.

 And when the roses bloom 
Their scent knocks me over
Like a wrestler’s winning move.

 And when the sun peeks
And the music plays
I tremble
As the breath of life kisses my lips
And I don’t care if it’s not forever.

I do long for a
Forever
Bliss
But I know that being wrestled down to the floor
Gasping
Repeatedly
Is what it takes for the rose petals to smell like
Life’s Sweetest Escape
For
Vibrations of colors and music to take hold
The sun to shine brightly
And for me to miss your lips.

 

“Seven Plots”

We are of the same blood
of the same pain
of childbirth
grief
dreams
pleasures
disappointments
it’s all variations on a theme – which
one of the seven plots
did you survive?

Overcoming a monster?
No, that was your children’s story.
Voyage and return maybe,
you travelled the seas but did you return?
Comedy?
I doubt it.
Rags to riches, maybe.
Tragedy, sometimes. Losing a child counts.
The quest – what was your quest?
Did you think
you were allowed to have one?
Re-birth, I hope,
In me.

In another life
you didn’t see me
Yet.

Seems unfair
that I see you
you are in me
but in reverse it doesn’t work.

Do you ever dream what it might be like to hold
the last of the blood line
young blood mixed with old
hold the one that folds into
me
into you
into us
in an endless cycle of the seven plots.

***

Sara Aharon is an Israeli living in Toronto. She makes her living as a psychologist and is the proud mother of two adult daughters.

Read more short stories, essays, and poems by your fellow writers here (and scroll down).

See Brian Henry's upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

 

 

“Grade 8 Graduation: St. Justin Martyr C.E.S., Unionville, Ontario, Class of 1999,” by Ingrid Ng

“Why can’t I get a dress at the mall with my friends?”

Even just voicing this desire was risky. I knew she didn’t want me to. I knew I wasn’t supposed to want to. But I really wanted to. My Grade 8 graduation was in a few weeks, and this was important to me.

“Aiy…Why do you need to?”

My mom’s tone was a light brushing-off, with a hint of belittling meant to deter future requests. I don’t know if she ever gave actual reasons, but I knew what they were: trying on dresses at the mall was too vain, too frivolous, too conformist. And, I wouldn’t have dared to even try to articulate this at the time, but as I understand now, it teetered too uncomfortably close to “sexy” for her.

She was not the kind of mom who dressed up and checked herself out in the mirror. My mom never flaunted her beauty, and now at age 13, it was clear I wasn’t to flaunt mine, either.

She ended up making a dress for my graduation. It was light blue with little flowers, fitted and flowy, and had double spaghetti straps. It was pretty, and I liked it. I knew she wanted me to like it, even asked for my opinion, and no doubt she put her love in it.

I think she really tried; maybe she wrestled with my coming-of-age and decided she could let me go a bit. After all, the way it fit and flowed, this was no party dress for an eight-year-old. I guess we ended up meeting somewhere in the middle with that dress. Though, I still felt wrong for wanting what I wanted.

I wanted to fit in. I wanted to be like everyone else. I wanted to shop for trendy things – flared jeans and platform shoes and LaSenza Girl bras. I wanted to try makeup. She herself only wore lipstick on a handful of occasions that I remember - at weddings, and even then it was always the same, single lipstick from decades ago.

My friends each shopped for a dress, a little purse, and their moms booked them hair appointments for the night of the event.

“Why can’t I get my hair done?”

The same brush-off and scoff. I knew better than to talk back right away. Instead I pouted and glared when she wasn’t looking. She, in turn, disapproved quietly at my teenage longings.

On the night of my graduation, last-minute, she relented and took me to a hair salon. I rejoiced inside; I had won! But I had no idea what to do. The stylist asked me what kind of updo I wanted. I said I didn’t know and she could do what she thought looked best.

So I sat in that chair, watching in the mirror as she artistically transformed my hair into a showy top-knot resembling a rooster. It looked ridiculous on a shy teen girl who worked so hard, every moment of her waking life, to fly under the radar and stay small, silent and invisible. I hated how uncomfortable my victory felt.

With wet armpits, I managed to croak out a few words about how I didn’t like the knot. She said okay, and asked a few questions to try to understand what I wanted. She listened and then disassembled the rooster, replacing it with a simple updo. In the end, my hair looked nice, and not memorable. I was relieved.

When I entered my school building that evening, wearing my light blue dress, clutching my little purse (also handmade by Mom), hair in my nice and not-memorable updo, I was met with my dolled-up classmates’ exclamations of, “Ingrid! You look so pretty! I love your dress! This is so cute!”

The awkwardness of the earlier events of my evening, and the fury of my weeks-long, mostly silent fight with my mom, gave way to relief and glee as I realized, I look right. My appearance had earned a checkmark. I hadn’t outed myself as weird or different, not too anything or not enough something else.

Phew.

On this night of my Grade 8 graduation, a milestone in my journey of education, I passed.

***

Ingrid Ng is a mom of two children who inspire her to re-visit and re-understand her childhood. Besides family, she also dedicates her time to community, creativity, and expression. Some of her favourite things include: camping, solo time, cooking for others AND being cooked for, and bubble tea. 

Read more short stories, essays, and poems by your fellow writers here (and scroll down).

See Brian Henry's upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

 

Kudos to Natalie, Jeff, and Bruce!

Note: If you’ve had a story (or a book!) published, if you’ve won or placed in a writing contest, if you’ve gotten yourself an agent, or if you have any other news, send me an email so I can share your success. As writers, we’re all in this together, and your good news gives us all a boost. 

Also, be sure to let know if you're looking for a writers' group or beta readers; a notice in Quick Brown Fox, will help you find them. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

 

Hi, Brian.

I’m buzzing to finally share that my debut novel, Infinite Night Eyes, will be published by Black Spring Press (UK) and available in the USA & Canada via Simon & Schuster!

You’ve been part of this journey from the very start, offering guidance during your workshops and the two retreats I attended, then suffering through all 147,000 words of the first draft as my developmental editor when it was still called The Infinite Matter of Kat Watburn. Well… after roughly 562 revisions and a lot of murdered darlings, our snarky-but-lovable Kat is ready to make her worldwide debut.

Infinite Night Eyes hits bookstores in autumn 2026! The full synopsis and Publisher’s Marketplace deal report are posted on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tebeanwrites

T.E. Bean (aka Jeff Renton)

Hi, Brian.

I hope you're doing well. It’s been a great year so far on my end. 

I was a runner up with the NüStories Magazine essay contest. The theme was Chinese Identity. In one of the magazine's social media posts they wrote in part, "In this beautifully reflective essay "A Trip to the Supermarket," N.J. Chan explores the evocative power of food, memory, and rediscovery..." 

I was proud my piece was recognized, considering the subject matter is so close to my heart. Here's a link if you want to take a peek: A trip to the supermarket 

In addition to the good news above, one of my manuscripts has been picked up by Groundwood Books. We'll be collaborating on a children's picture book. I wrote a version in one of your classes! You helped me edit it in a weekly writing course, and it was then picked to be read aloud in your writing workshop. The feedback I received was invaluable, making my story submission-ready. Thank you for that. 

Enjoy the rest of your summer, I know I will :) 

Cheers,

Natalie Chan

@njchan_author

For information about submitting to Groundwood Books see here.

For information about submitting to NüStories – and some other interesting markets – see here.

 

Hi, Brian.

This is somewhat old news now, but my YA mystery, thriller, Double Cross, was named one of three finalists in the Children/YA category in the 2024 Whistler Independent Book Awards. My wife and I went to Whistler last October for the awards as well as the Whistler Writers Festival.  (Although classified as YA, it is being read by ages 9 to 90. Okay, I exaggerate. I have only verified ages 9 to 86, but 9 to 90, sounds better.)

BTW, I had taken an early draft of this book to one of your courses years ago. You recommended I cut out, I think it was, the first three chapters. After much agony, I deleted them. You were right.  

Bruce Hanson
Finalist in the Whistler Independent Book Awards
Multiple Award Winning Author of short fiction
---

Read more about Double Cross  here, Murder & Other Love Stories here, and
& Elephants in My Stew here.

See more new books by your fellow writers here (and scroll down).

See where your fellow writers are getting short pieces published here (and scroll down).

See upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day  retreats here. ~Brian

Note: You can get new postings on Quick Brown Fox delivered straight to your Inbox as I publish them. Subscribe to Quick Brown Fox on Substack here: https://brian999.substack.com/