New Books in Children's Literature

Stephen Fraser is senior literary agent with The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency, after having worked as an editor for over 25 years before becoming an agent. He represents children’s books in a wide range of genres. We talked about his experiences in the worlds of editing and agenting, his do's and don'ts for submissions, his thoughts on the current state of children's literature, and the importance of the story.
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In my very special interview with children's author María Dolores Águila we discuss her multi-award winning new middle grade book, A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez (Roaring Brook Press), published a few months back. We talk about her childhood, her journey to traditional publishing (finding her agent, Lindsay Auld, through the slush pile, no less), her dualness (at once Mexican and American) and her advice for up and coming authors. Maria has also published two popular picture books, with a third on the way next year. I'm already planning our next interview!
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How great to interview an author who writes splendid music-oriented children's books! In this episode, I was fortunate to interview Author (and I should add, singer) David McMullin, celebrating his brand new board book Rock 'N' Roll, Baby! (Random House, 2026), illustrated by Allison Black, and published (March, 2026) by Random House Books for Young Readers. I discovered that this is a book that can be sung (to the tune of Rockabye Baby), adding another fun element. We talked about David career from Broadway to children's literature, and got him to sing from a favorite musical (that wasn't too difficult).
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A parent's heartfelt letter to their daughter, Uma—and you—on abundant and conscious living—with the light of timeless Indian wisdom. Standing at the threshold of her adult life, Uma asks: “What’s my purpose? How do I choose meaningfully? What is true fulfilment?” As parents, rooted in a lineage of freedom fighters and now global citizens, we’ve shared the teachings of our ancestors—from childhood stories to dinner debates. But will this knowledge still guide Uma’s heart as she soars toward new horizons? Discover how wisdom that sustained generations can enlighten your path—whether you’re in Mumbai or Manchester, seeking purpose in career, joy in relationships, or just figuring out the meaning of existence. 
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It's not every day that I get to interview an author (John Masiulionis) who has written a picture book entitled Walking Each Other Home – Zachary’s Mission: A Hospice for Children (illustrations by Roksana Barwinska) on such a difficult and challenging theme: a child named Zachary who is dying from cancer. Zachary's mission of building a hospice for children before he dies aligns with John's own mission of building a children's hospice in San Diego. In our heart-to-heart talk, we discuss much more - John's successful videocast program (The Children's Books Spotlight Series - II was just interviewed by him) and his own experiences, inspirations, revalations and illness that led him to write his book and seek to help other children's authors on their journey. We also discuss the dilemma of children's authors in choosing between self-publishing and seeking an agent and the traditional publishing route.
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