Children's Book Publishing?

Hello, Everyone!!

I am helping a friend do some research on publishers for children's books, and I was wondering if those of you here who have published children's books could recommend some legitimate publishers, and share your experiences with them. My friend's mother has two children's books that she's written, but they aren't quite sure where to go from here.

I know that the big houses (like Random House) have a children's imprint/subsidiary, but don't they only accept submissions from agents, even for their children's books?

Which brings me to the second part of my question, can anyone recommend agents/agencies for them to query? I know that certain agents will only handle certain genres, and I'm trying to find some legitimate agents that handle children's books.

I'm doing additional research online, but I thought that it couldn't hurt to ask everyone here, because y'all are always so helpful with other things! I'm sure that I can find a decent amount of information online, BUT I'm sure that I'm also going to run into a lot of junk in my search, so I would really like to hear from those who actually have personal experience in this area. (children's books aren't my thing, although I do have a YA novel that's starting to roam around in my head, searching for a way out....) I thought that some of you here could share the names of some legitimate publishers, agents/agencies, and your experiences with them. Sharing "crock" publishers and horror stories about them is also okay! I really wouldn't want to steer them in the wrong direction on this.

Any information that you can share will be immensely appreciated! Thanks so much!

Angi

Thanks, Everyone!! I will definitely tell them to check out the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market, and I'll mention the SCBWI as well.

And Inspired, not to sound snooty or anything, but if you had carefully read my post, you would have seen that I AM doing the research. I clearly stated that in my post. I was only asking for personal experiences and suggestions, because I know that I am going to run across scam artists and disreputable companies. Sometimes it isn't easy to spot companies of questionable caliber and I was interested in hearing the personal experiences of others when dealing with children's book publishers.

I am a person who prefers to do things on my own, and if you'll check my other posts on here, you'll see that I rarely ask this type of question. Most of my posts aren't even in "serious" threads, they're mostly in the "just having fun" threads. I don't expect people to just hand me ANYTHING, I research and do most things on my own. I've never been handed anything in my life, and I don't expect this to be any different. If you took my post as coming from someone who is too lazy to do the work MYSELF, then you are sorely mistaken. I apologize if it came across that way, but I did clearly state that I AM researching on my own. I was only asking for personal opinions and experiences with agents and publishers. I was going to then more fully research those mentioned, IN ADDITION to the research that I am already doing. I needed ideas on where to start, because I DON'T write children's books. I've done plenty of research in MY areas, but in this area, I just wasn't certain where to start. I'm well aware that expecting others to do the work for you isn't going to work. I'm very happy to report that my post was not even remotely in that vein. I prefer to do the work on my own, but I'm not above asking someone to share their own personal experiences in a certain area that I am not familiar with.

I take offense at your remark pertaining to "serious, professional" writers. When it comes to my writing, I'm very serious. Almost obsessively so. Insinuating otherwise was just plain rude and uncalled for on your part.

Inspired, I apologize for my tone as well. Yesterday was a very bad day and I was not objective in the slightest when I read your post. Truthfully, I was in a horrid mood. While that is a reason for my response, it is by no means an excuse for my own tone, and I sincerely apologize.

I do understand about the "friend" reference, so I can clearly see why you would think that I really meant myself. I really am doing the research for someone else. Her mother has written two children's books, and they have no idea where to go from here. I'm just trying to help them get started by locating some reputable agents/agencies and publishers for them and giving them some advice, but as I stated, I don't write children's books, so aside from the well-known houses, like Random and Penguin, I wasn't certain where to start.

I also know what you mean about seeing people who expect you to hand everything to them, and to be quite honest, they grate on my nerves as well. I don't mind helping someone get started, but I'll be darned if I'm going to sit there and spoon-feed someone. I completely understand that seeing that kind of question time and again from people who actually DO expect you to just hand it all to them jades you against the question in general!

Inspired, in all fairness, you DID give good advice. I was in a very foul mood last night. Had I not responded when I first saw your post, and waited until this morning, I most likely would not have reacted in the manner that I did. I can be a sensitive person, and I'm very sensitive about my writing. No, I can handle rejection letters and constructive criticism regarding my writing, because I view those as means to continue to improve. (Although I've only received one rejection, and I can tell you every single thing that I did wrong on that one. I submitted the piece before it was ready, not to mention the fact that I committed some of what I call the Cardinal Sins of Submitting. You can sum it up to the fact that I jumped right in before I had done enough research......Lesson Learned.) I can handle that, I know that it just comes with the territory. What I get touchy about is when people, perfect strangers who don't even know me, seem to think that this is just some sort of a "phase" that I'm going to lose interest in or whisper behind my back that "She'll never do/make it." I guess that's why I had such an adverse reaction to your comment pertaining to serious, professional writers. I'm very serious about my writing, it's something that I'm committed to, and it makes me very upset when people don't think that I'm serious or take me seriously regarding my writing. (This usually comes from people who have never read my work, and sometimes from people who don't know the first thing about me.)

Yes, I took your response in the wrong way. For that, I do apologize. Even though I know better now, I felt that you were attacking my credibility as a writer without ever having read any of my work. That was my own mistake, and I apologize for that.

I am sincerely sorry for my response to you. I flew off the handle, and I hope that you will accept my apologies. You did give good advice, I just took it in the wrong manner.

Your second post didn't come across in a bad way at all. But thank you for not posting those other "bad thoughts" that came to mind!

And thank you for the advice regarding more specific questions. I think that you're right, they do seem to get a better response!!

Truce?

*blush*


Sorry about that, Joe.

I discovered an amazing thing.

Horrible Day + Lack of Sleep = Making an A** of Yourself.

Again, I apologize for my response to Inspired. It really was a bit uncalled for on my part. I don't normally fly off like that, and I was on my way here this morning to apologize to Inspired, whether they had been here or not. In all honesty, I'm more of a "peace-keeper", as opposed to a "rabble-rouser". I don't "go spoilin' for a fight." That's just not me. However, I just completely misconstrued Inspired's post, and I responded without giving myself time to think about it. Truly uncharacteristic of me.

I am glad that Inspired and I were able to sort out our differences without any additional hard feelings, and I think (I hope, anyway) that we've forgiven each other and let it turn into the proverbial water under the bridge.
I feel horribly about the way that I responded to Inspired, and I don't think that you'll be needing to give me a good dousing anytime soon!!

Again, my apologies for my response to Inspired.