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MOLLY CUSICKEditor, Sourcebooks Fire & Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR
I acquire picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction. Across the board, I’m especially looking to elevate stories by BIPOC, queer, disabled, and other marginalized writers. I also look for books with a clear hook. In picture books, I love stories with humor and heart; quirky characters kids will root for (think SECRET PIZZA PARTY); and an underlying message that doesn’t feel too didactic. In middle grade, I’m drawn to realistic contemporary that’s laugh-out-loud funny; poignant and uplifting (such as THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH); adventure, mystery, and sci-fi with elements of humor; and sweeping fantasy novels (like Jessica Townsend’s NEVERMOOR). For YA, I love dark, tautly plotted thrillers and suspense; rom-coms from fresh perspectives (a YA version of RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE); contemporary novels where the setting is a character (like Julie Murphy’s DUMPLIN’) and/or that explore social issues through deeply personal journeys (like Elizabeth Acevedo’s WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH); and immersive fantasies, including new takes on paranormal. |
RIGHT NOW PLEASE DON'T SEND ME... Chapter books, nonfiction, books where sports or horses are the focus, gross humor, rhyming picture books (unless there’s a great hook and a fresh take)
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HOW I GOT INTO BOOKS... I’ve always been a book nerd! As a kid, I taught myself to code so I could run a Harry Potter website. I interned for a literary agency in college and that turned into a full-time job. I fell in love with the children’s books industry and I’m so happy to be here.
SOME FAVORITE BOOKS AND AUTHORS I DIDN'T PUBLISH... Recent favorites I’d have loved to work on include Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Gordon Korman’s The Unteachables, Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah and the End of Time, Jory John and Pete Oswald’s The Good Egg, Suzanne and Max Lang’s Grumpy Monkey.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS AN EDITOR DOES FOR AN AUTHOR IS... act as a sounding board for new ideas and provide a fresh pair of eyes on something an author has been working on for a while.
I LOVE MY JOB BECAUSE... I get to work with authors not only to achieve their dreams, but to help them create mirrors for children to see themselves, and windows for them to see and understand others more clearly. It’s a privilege to be a part of that process.
I KEEP MY READING PILE... I wouldn’t be surprised if a book fell out of my kitchen cabinet. I try to read a book a week, so they’re everywhere.
BOOKSTORES YOU SHOULD VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE... Community Bookstore in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They have a cat named Tiny and a great little backyard.
WHEN I'M NOT READING, I'LL BE... hanging out with Donut, my enormous orange cat; doing Chopped cooking challenges with my husband; going on historical walking tours in NYC; dressing up just for the heck of it.
I FOLLOW READING, WRITING, AND PUBLISHING NEWS AT... Publishers Marketplace, Publishers Weekly, The Bookseller, Shelf Awareness, and on Twitter
SOME FAVORITE BOOKS AND AUTHORS I DIDN'T PUBLISH... Recent favorites I’d have loved to work on include Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Gordon Korman’s The Unteachables, Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah and the End of Time, Jory John and Pete Oswald’s The Good Egg, Suzanne and Max Lang’s Grumpy Monkey.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS AN EDITOR DOES FOR AN AUTHOR IS... act as a sounding board for new ideas and provide a fresh pair of eyes on something an author has been working on for a while.
I LOVE MY JOB BECAUSE... I get to work with authors not only to achieve their dreams, but to help them create mirrors for children to see themselves, and windows for them to see and understand others more clearly. It’s a privilege to be a part of that process.
I KEEP MY READING PILE... I wouldn’t be surprised if a book fell out of my kitchen cabinet. I try to read a book a week, so they’re everywhere.
BOOKSTORES YOU SHOULD VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE... Community Bookstore in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They have a cat named Tiny and a great little backyard.
WHEN I'M NOT READING, I'LL BE... hanging out with Donut, my enormous orange cat; doing Chopped cooking challenges with my husband; going on historical walking tours in NYC; dressing up just for the heck of it.
I FOLLOW READING, WRITING, AND PUBLISHING NEWS AT... Publishers Marketplace, Publishers Weekly, The Bookseller, Shelf Awareness, and on Twitter
AGENTS CAN CONTACT ME AT molly.cusick@sourcebooks.com, direct line 212-414-1701 ext. 2231, Twitter: @molly_cusick
As of 6/3/20, I am also open to unagented picture books, middle grade novels, and YA novels by Black authors.
As of 6/3/20, I am also open to unagented picture books, middle grade novels, and YA novels by Black authors.
