Featured Editors Panel
What if hiding under that plain ol’ work-in-progress was a supercharged manuscript waiting to be uncovered? We’re going to do just that in this year’s Featured Editors Panel!
Unmasking the Perfect Manuscript:
Insider Secrets from Editors
How can your manuscript outshine the rest?
Editors read hundreds of picture book submissions, but only a select few make it to acquisitions. Want to know how to land in that coveted yes pile? Join us for a no-holds-barred discussion where real editors share what makes them stop, read, and get excited about a manuscript. This editor’s panel is your opportunity to hear from the pros what makes a manuscript publishable, the biggest red flags in submissions, and how to take your picture book from “maybe” to “must-have.”
Let’s get to know this year’s Featured Editors:
Get to know Caitlin Johnson:
Caitlin “Cece” Johnson (she/her) is an editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books. She’s began her editorial career at the Balzer + Bray imprint, where she had the pleasure of working on titles by Stacey Abrams, Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, Sonora Reyes, Maulik Pancholy, B.B. Alston, Jasmine Warga, and Julie Murphy.
She is the editor of the NAACP award-winning novel EVERYONE’S THINKING IT and Texas Bluebonnet Award finalist NIMBUS. She now works predominantly on picture books and oversees the backlist publishing program for the bestselling Big Nate series.
Her favorite stories are layered, voice-driven contemporary and fantasy narratives that authentically center diverse, intersectional perspectives. She is looking to acquire picture books of all stripes, as well as a select number of young adult and middle grade novels.
Get to know Irene Vázquez:
Irene Vázquez is an Associate Editor at Levine Querido, a children’s book publisher dedicated to amplifying diverse voices. With a Bachelor’s degree in Ethnicity, Race, and Migration and English from Yale University, Irene brings a unique perspective to their editorial work.
Originally from Texas, they play a pivotal role in Levine Querido’s Spanish language imprint, Ediciones LQ. Beyond their editorial work, Irene is a poet, journalist, and translator.
Their debut poetry chapbook, Take Me to the Water, was recently published by Bloof Books. They live in New York City. When not in the world of books, Irene likes drinking coffee and watching the WNBA.
Get to know Sylvie Frank:
Sylvie Frank is Senior Executive Editor at Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, where she acquires snappy, character-driven picture books. She has had the profound pleasure of working with creators including Ryan T. Higgins, Mo Willems, Joanna Ho, Lesa Cline-Ransome, James E. Ransome, Dan Santat, and Andrea Tsurumi.
Prior to joining Flamingo, she was the editorial director of Disney Hyperion, overseeing acquisitions across all young reader formats, including Rick Riordan, Freedom Fire, and Disney Planet Possible, which she created.
When she’s not reading, Sylvie can be found running while listening to audiobooks. She lives in Oregon with her family.
Plus, each of these Featured Editors are part of this year’s PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPT submission opportunities with the Summit + Submissions ticket!
Attendees who purchase the Summit + Submissions ticket will have the opportunity to submit a full manuscript to each Featured Agent and Featured Editor. They will each have their own submission form. That means you will be able to tailor your pitch AND manuscript to each individual agent or editor according to what they are seeking in submissions.
For example, you could submit the same picture book manuscript to every agent and editor, a different manuscript to each agent and editor, or anything in between. No matter what, you’ll have six opportunities to submit your picture book manuscript to these industry professionals.
At this time, NONE of these Featured Editors are accepting unsolicited picture book submissions from picture book writers, so this is an excellent opportunity to get your manuscript in front of three awesome editors who might not otherwise see it!
Mark your calendar and make plans to join us for:
Picture Book Summit 2025:
Big, Bold, and Brave: Supercharge Your Picture Books!
October 4, 2025
Early Bird Registration opens June 11, 2025!
Mark your calendar for October 4, 2025, for a full day of online picture book writing fun, including:
- Three Superstar Speaker Presentations
- Two in-depth Craft Workshops
- Featured Agents Panel
- Featured Editors Panel
- And more!
Ticket Giveaway!
Here’s how YOU can score a free ticket to all the festivities! Early Bird Registration opens June 11, 2025, and you have a chance to win a free ticket to this year’s Summit before registration even opens!
Just scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the Rafflecopter. You can get entries for visiting us on Facebook, following us on Instagram or Bluesky, and sharing the event on Bluesky or in your Instagram stories. In fact, an entry each day you share us on social media. Check out all the details in the Rafflecopter below.
But hurry! The Rafflecopter is closes at 11:59pm Eastern on June 9, 2025. Three Picture Book Summit 2024 Ticket Winners will be announced on June 10, 2025.
Stay tuned and add yourself to our newsletter list as we reveal the rest of this year’s Superstar Speakers, Workshop presenters, Featured Agents and Editors, and 2025 pricing structure over the coming days! Join the Insider’s List here.
Good luck!!
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