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For the past 15 years, Kelly has been championing writers and artists in nearly every category, format, and age group. She loves working with debut authors and illustrators as well as bestsellers and award-winning creators who are deep into their careers, and excels at developing strategies for clients at each stage of the creator's journey.


Kelly represents all categories and genres of children's books but right now, she's looking for the following categories:

  • Graphic novel artists or author-illustrators (I am not open to representing new GN script writers)

  • Illustrators and author-illustrators of picture books. This includes illustrators who want to illustrate another writer's words, or artists who want to write and illustrate their own stories.

Within these categories, Kelly is particularly interested in stories on the following topics, themes and story elements:

  • Fiction and nonfiction unafraid to center queer and trans identities

  • Stories celebrating alternative family structures

  • Comedy/humor

  • Innovative writing/storytelling (including visual storytelling)


Kelly is on the board of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA). She is also on the AALA's Membership Commitee and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee where she co-directs a mentorship program that provides support to agents from underrepresented backgrounds. Kelly grew up overseas, primarily in Singapore, and now lives in Southern California.

RECENT DEALS
A new YA duology starting with A FATE SO COLD co-written by NYT bestselling authors Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman. Set in a world where magicians bond with immortal, semi-sentient wandsto defend against brutal magical winters, two star-crossed chosen ones wield the most powerful and feared wands in history, and they can only save their home and fulfill their destinies if one of them slays the other. Sold to Tor in a six-figure deal. (Amanda Foody is represented by Whitney Ross at Irene Goodman Literary Agency.)

NYT bestseller Sharon Cameron's next YA, ARTIFICE, set in 1940's Amsterdam, about a girl who sells art forgeries to the Nazis in order to fund the rescue of Jewish babies through the Dutch resistance. Sold to Scholastic in a six-figure deal.

ENCORE!, a romcom graphic novel by Miles Burks, adapted from his popular Webtoon. When Clay Noguchi's ex-best friend Aaron Santos lands in his theatre class due to an unfulfilled graduation requirement, the boys rekindle their friendship, but the painful history between the two threatens to stand in the way of their growing friendship. Sold to HarperCollins at auction.

Boya Sun's graphic novel PATCH, about a child whose favorite soft toy comes to life when he mends it with magic fabric he finds in the attic of his new home; strange things start to happen and our world and the dimension toys belong to start warping into each other. Sold to First Second/Macmillan.

Eisner nominated artist Michelle Mee Nutter to illustrate two more graphic novels written by Megan Wagner Lloyd. In LUNA, a girl attempts to understand her late mother through the naturalist notebooks she left behind while trying to connect with her grandmother and reconcile her ideas of family and home. In OUCH, a car accident puts a young adventurer in the hospital with a broken pelvis and she has to figure out how to stay occupied as she recovers, faces a new normal, and considers how she can return to her old life. To Graphix/Scholastic in a six-figure deal.

Shawn Pryor's graphic novel FAST BREAK, in which a 7th grade basketball prodigy is denied a spot on her new school's team and ends up joining the motley co-ed Firebirds -- not exactly the team she was looking for, but maybe exactly where she belongs, with illustrations by Courtney Hahn. Sold to FSG/Macmillan.

Monica Wesolowska's picture book ELBERT IN THE AIR, about a boy named Elbert whose mother defends his individuality when others try to keep him tethered to the ground. To be illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey. Sold at auction to Dial/PRH.

Jessika von Innerebner's picture book SPROUT BRANCHES OUT about Sprout, a small plant who lives on a small porch in a small town, but who yearns for big things. Sold in a two-book deal at auction to Roaring Brook/Macmillan.
THINGS I LOVE:

Macarons

Earl Grey tea

Genealogy

Travel

Comics/graphic novels

I'm the product of a kindergarten teacher mom and a salesman dad. Pretty much the perfect combination for a kids literary agent!
REPRESENTATIVE TITLES
"Writing is nothing more than a guided dream." Jorge Luis Borges
AWARD WINNERS
& BESTSELLERS
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