Finding a legitimate publisher/agent

Hi!

I suggest you familiarize yourself with these people: http://www.scbwi.org/

They'll know more than I do about kid stuff, and it's a very credible organization.

You can go to several different sites and search for children's agents. There is the

AAR
Agents Query
Publishers Market Place

When you find agents who specialize in children's books cross reference them with Predators and Editors which gives warnings.

Also before you leave here go to Background Checks and Bewares there is an excellent list of warmings about bad agents there as well.

Good luck

Writer's Market -- I think they have one specifically for Children's Book market.

I can commiserate with you. Remember your first day in the classroom? And here you are, starting all over again. It would be nice if someone would just hand us the keys to all the doors, and a map with all the paths to publication, pointing out pitfalls along the way; but these are jobs you must learn to do for yourself. Most every writer has to DIY certain aspects.

Two FREE articles available on my website might help you get started. One is on protecting yourself from scams and the other on getting an agent. You can find the links on Writing Help or http://www.writers-edge.info/writing-help.htm .

Good luck!

I don't want to seem to be echoing myself but check out Query Tracker

Get hold of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market from Writer's Digest Books.

You have some excellent recommendations here. My suggestion is to start with joining SCWBI. When you join, they send you a great list of children's agents and publishers. But don't stop there. Fully investigate these agents/publishers on your own. Check them at Preditors and Editors, Writer's Beware, AW's Bewares and Background Checks, Agentquery.com and Querytracker.net.

A few words of caution: The children's market is really brutal. You must be prepared for this. Also, it helps to know what level you are writing for. Most agents don't take on picture book writers. If you are writing for LG or lower, you are probably better off submitting to publishers directly. If you are writing MG or above, you should look at agents.

to the Cooler! Good luck with your books! Thanks for the thread - lots of useful info gang

We also have forums for children's and related. Plus the Bewares and Background Checks is a great place to check out GOOD agents/publishers as well as bad.

Welcome!