The below list of 30 children’s book publishers share a commonality: they are open to receiving submissions from authors.

Finding a children’s publisher can be a difficult task. With this list, however, you can save yourself time and effort and submit your work without having to wait for an agent. Instead of searching through the submission guidelines of every children’s publisher, this list can help you find the right one and get your work out there.

If you’d like more guidance about writing children’s books, please visit my page on how to write a children’s book.

And if you need feedback on your book, please look at my children’s book editing page.

Also, check out my video course on how to write, edit and publish a children’s book.

1. Holiday House

This is a company with such a legacy and history that they have an entire book written all about it: Holiday House: The First Sixty-Five YearsThe company in question is a self-governing entity that exclusively publishes books for kids, focusing on hardback editions intended for those aged 4 and up.

Submission Guidelines a

The address of Holiday House is 50 Broad Street #301, New York, NY 10004 and it is home to the Editorial Department.

• Noodlehead Nightmares
• Here is Big Bunny

2. Arbordale Publishing

They favor books that make learning science and math enjoyable by utilizing colorful illustrations.

• physical science
• engineering
• earth science
• science or math manuscripts with a cultural/social studies connection
• manuscripts for Pre-K3 to kindergarten-age children

 Additional submission guidelines/p>

3. Immedium

The best word to describe Immedium is innovative. They’ve only existed since 2004, but they’ve won many awards

A great business located in San Francisco specializes in helping kids’ books reach their fullest potential. They facilitate the sale of screen adaptations and the production of merchandise such as figurines.

Check out their submission guidelines here. What they’re looking for above all is originalityIf you have written a children’s book that focuses on a subject that is unique and different from other books, consider submitting it to them.

• The Adventures of Wonderbaby from A to Z
• The Octonauts (which became the hit TV series)
• I’m the Scariest Thing in the Jungle

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4. Flashlight Press

Flashlight Press is a publisher located in Brooklyn, New York that specializes exclusively in producing children’s picture books.

• Picture books with universal themes
• suitable for ages 4 – 8
• Less than 1000 words
• Focuses on relationships between people

If you have questions, you can also contact them via their contact page.

• No More Noisy Nights
• I Need My Monster
• When a Dragon Moves In Again

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5. Lee & Low Books

Lee & Low specializes in multicultural booksFor children ages 5 to 12, it is amazing to find that less than 10% of books feature a main protagonist who is not of Caucasian ethnicity.

Their writer’s guidelinesPeople of color are encouraged to submit stories for consideration where the protagonist is a person of color. Bonus points if the story falls into one of the three following categories:

1. non-traditional family structures (e.g. same sex parents)
2. non-traditional gender identity (e.g. LGBTQ experiences)
3. stories that feature a person with a disability

The length of manuscripts for fiction should not exceed 1500 words and nonfiction books should be kept within 3000 words.

They do not desire any graphics or images (unless you are an experienced illustrator).

Submitting to this site can be costly due to the requirement to pay for printing and postage as they only accept submissions through mail.

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6. Kids Can Press

The biggest Canadian publisher of children’s books, Kids Can Press accepts manuscripts from Canadians, but not from children or teenagers. They’ve won five big literary awards in the last five yearsThe company has had much success in the past with launching new products and has earned a strong reputation for introducing novel products.

They are looking for picture books for children, and chapter books for kids age 7 – 10. They don’t want

• Franklin the Turtle
• Scaredy Squirrel
• The Busy Beaver

7. Hogs Back Books

Hogs Back Books specialises in creating children’s books for young readers up to the age of 10. Perusing their catalogue reveals a plethora of titles featuring animals as the main characters.

Although they are based in Britain, they accept queries and submissions by email:

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10. Candlewick Press

They occasionally open up submissions, although for most of the year it’s closed. Check their website to see whether they are seeking unsolicited submissions at the moment. When they are open, they do not

This publisher is independent and not associated with any corporate entity. Unlike corporate publishers, they accept unsolicited submissions, so if you don’t have an agent, you may want to consider them as a potential publisher for your children’s book.

Over the past twenty years, Bookfox has been proud to be the recipient of 2,000 awards. Boasting a library of 3,000 books and a team of 100, this independent publishing house is one of the largest of its kind.

• Beowulf (and other classic stories visually interpreted and retold)
• Dragonology

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11. Albert Whitman & Company

Albert Whitman welcomes manuscripts from unrepresented writers and publishes approximately 40 titles annually (with no data on the number of manuscripts accepted from unrepresented authors).

Their submission guidelinesThey are searching for books that fall into three distinct categories.

1. Picture-books (<1000 words)
2. Middle-grade (<35,000 words)
3. Young Adult (<70,000 words)

Submissions via email are accepted, but only those that the recipient is interested in will be responded to.

This company has a long and distinguished history, having been in business since 1919. They are well-established and have some fantastic titles to their name. If you have the opportunity to publish with them, I would strongly recommend taking it. Their organization and attention to detail will ensure your work is treated with the respect it deserves.

• One More Dino on the Floor
• The Boxcar Children
• Abby’s Asthma and the Big Race

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12. Charlesbridge Publishing

They accept “children’s literature,” which sounds more sophisticated than “kid books.” They do not accept online submissions, only ones by mail. Additional guidelines for writers

Kids are looking for captivating stories that are told in an original and energizing manner. This publisher produces books for all ages, from babies to young adults.

• A Mountain of Mittens
• Bamboo People
• A Tower of Giraffes

13. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

Eerdmans is a small independent publishing house, producing only 12-18 books annually. Despite their limited output, their backlist is impressive. They are interested in a range of topics, particularly those that celebrate diversity, recount significant historical events, or explore social issues.

The library wants books that demonstrate wisdom as well as having a good sense of humor.

• Mikis and the Donkey
• A Pond Full of Ink
• In Search of the Little Prince

14. Free Spirit Publishing

For over 30 years, Free Spirit has been a Minnesota-based publisher, releasing approximately 20 to 25 titles annually.

As far as their submission guidelinesMany are seeking books with anti-bully messages, as it seems unlikely that anyone would be sending pro-bullying messages. Moreover, they are looking for books that can teach children the values of character, leadership, and service. Finally, they will consider fiction which conveys these messages.

People tend to be drawn towards more challenging matters such as stress, sorrow and parting, as well as conflict resolution.

Their taste in books could be described in three words as:

1. Practical
2. Positive
3. Solution focused

• The 6 Rs of Bullying Prevention
• Penelope Perfect
• Respect and Take Care of Things / Respectar y Cuidar las Cosas (bilingual)

15. Little Tiger Press

Little Tiger is an English publishing house with three different labels, yet only one of them allows for unsolicited manuscripts.

Stripes PublishingThis website is open to submissions of fiction for kids between the ages of 6 and 12. Submissions must be sent through email.

• There’s a Dragon in My Backpack!
• Hello World (a lift-the-flap novelty book)

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16. Flying Eye Books

Nobrow has an imprint, Flying Eye Press, which focuses on children’s books. They are operating on a global scale and have bases in several countries, but only publish children’s literature in English.

Generally, if you take a closer look at their publications, you will be amazed by the beautiful illustrations they create – it is truly a delight to view their art.

They want emailed submissionsWe are looking for picture books with a word count of up to 1000 that are either 24 or 32 pages long, which are the standard page lengths in the industry.

• Kai and the Monkey King
• Professor Astro Cat’s Stargazing
• The Immortal Jellyfish

17. Peachtree Publishers

Peachtree Publishers is a book publishing company based in the South that is independently owned and specializes in trade books.

• Children’s picture books
• Chapter books
• Middle grades novels
• Young adult novels

They make an astonishing assertion in order to make people either scared or sympathize with them: they declare that they receive over 20,000 petitions annually and likely only accept a few of them. It takes them from 6 to 9 months to examine a request.

Books from Sample are truly remarkable; the titles are simply amazing and deserve recognition for their creativity.

• The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl
• The Boy Who Cried Ninja

18. Sleeping Bear Press

Sleeping Bear Press, based in Michigan, is seeking submissions of picture books for children, as well as manuscripts for middle grade and young adult readers.

Submitting your books via mail or email is an option, but since reviews are conducted only three times a year, you should be prepared for a lengthy wait.

• The Legend of Sea Glass
• Horace J. Edwards and the Time Keepers: The Secret of the Scarab Bettle

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19. Top That! Publishing

The publishing house based in the United Kingdom is of the highest caliber, boasting an impressive 100 million books in print and an international reach of over 70 countries.

Publishers generally prefer sending in book submissions via email. They typically purchase global rights to the book, and ask that authors don’t submit the same material to other publishers at the same time.

• Things That Go (sticker book)
• Penny Pineapple and the Chocolate Forest

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20. Workman Publishing

This is a massive publishing house, publishing fiction and nonfiction of every stripe for every age, but they have a children’s book department which accepts emailed submissions. [email protected]

One good thing about their Submission GuidelinesIt is said that each submission will be assessed by two or more editors, guaranteeing a level of fairness.

• Arlo Needs Glasses
• Belly Button Book

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21. Arthur A. Levine Books (Now Levine Querido)

Arthur A. Levine books were previously an imprint of Scholastic and won numerous awards. Recently, they have become their own company, Levine Querido.

Many publishers have a negative attitude towards picture-book submissions, but this particular publisher appears to be welcoming them with enthusiasm.

You must provide a query letter with your manuscript that answers the following questions:

• What is your manuscript about?
• Why would a reader turn to your book?
• What makes your book original or memorable?

22. August House

August House is an organization that has been in business for over thirty years and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. They specialize in folktales and other stories that have been passed down through oral tradition as well as multimedia books and children’s literature.

They are mostly seekingA variety of narratives and traditional tales can be submitted by mail.

• Adventures of High John the Conqueror
• Barking at a Fox-Fur Coat

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23. Boyd’s Mill Press

This is the company that publishes the most famous children’s magazine in the country, HighlightsThe publishers of this magazine are dedicated to providing a quality experience; they are looking for stories with compelling narratives, creative artwork, and compelling characters. It is clear that they are open to any kind of material, as long as it is of a high standard.

This publisher only accepts mail-in submissions and aims to reply to every sender within three months. I appreciate that they have a policy of sending a formal rejection if they don’t feel that a book is a good fit, unlike many other publishers that don’t even bother.

• Picture Books: Send the entire manuscript
• Middle-Grade books: Send the first 3 chapters
• Poetry: Send the whole collection

• Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and her Flying Machine
• Fresh Delicious: Poems from the Farmer’s Market

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24. Versify

Kwame Alexander, a Newbury medalist and well-known writer of children’s literature, is the curator of Versify, a publication from the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishing house.

Their submission guidelinesIt is recommended to send the entire manuscript in an email (which is great!). Please make sure to include it when submitting.

Almost all publishers featured on this page do not require illustrative material to be submitted with the manuscript.

The company produces literature of all varieties, and they are particularly looking for publications that have characters of different ethnicities as the main focus.

• The Last Last-Day-Of-Summer
• Anya and the Dragon
• The Undefeated

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25. Kane Miller

Kane Miller is an international publisher, but they are currently looking for books with an American angle. They prefer narratives that come from a personal perspective, rather than a historical, third-person perspective.

Their submission guidelinesSend your email submissions to [email protected] and remember to include all the necessary information.

• short cover letter
• complete manuscript, or synopsis and sample chapters
• word count
• professional bio (3-5 sentences)
• NO ATTACHMENTS

• The River: An Epic Journey to the Sea
• Nibbles: The Book Monster

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26. Allen and Unwin

This publishing house situated in Australia has a specialized section for children’s literature called Albert Street Books, and they are seeking manuscripts for readers ranging from babies to 12 year olds.

On Fridays, writers can take part in a beneficial event called the “Friday Pitch”, where they have the chance to present their book to the editors.

The organization is not currently seeking manuscripts for children’s books, though they are interested in acquiring other types of texts.

• Books for beginner readers, aged 5-7, word length 5,000-10,000
• Books for confident readers, aged 7-9, word length 10,000-25,000
• Books for middle-grade readers, aged 10-13, word length 25,000-50,000

• Little Nic’s Big Day
• A First Time for Everything

27. Tilbury House Publishers

Tilbury is very helpful about what they’re not

• Fables
• Fantasies
• Books with talking animals
• Fictions

They are looking for educational nonfiction books suitable for ages 5 – 10, about 500 – 800 words long.

If you have a tome that focuses on cultural variety, the natural world, or the environment, consider sending it to them. Additionally, they are keenly interested in engineering, science, biographies, and history books.

They have a very handy submission form online that makes it easier to send them your manuscript. The great thing about this publisher is that they say they receive hundredsOver the course of a year, only a few unsolicited submissions are received, giving you a great opportunity to have your book accepted if it is suitable.

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28. OnStage Publishing

OnStage Publishing is a small, independent publishing house that specializes in children’s literature. They produce chapter books, middle-grade fiction, and Young Adult literature, tailored to readers between the ages of 8 and 18, in both print and digital formats.

Their guidelinesPublishers do not accept picture books. For nonfiction works, it is recommended to contact them first to see if the content meets their criteria.

• China Clipper
• Heroes: A Gander’s Cove Mystery

29. Quarto Knows

Quarto Knows is an expert in providing nonfiction books to children which educate them on how to do something, such as producing animations or making slime.

The authors of this book do not hesitate to create more content for it, known as “Books Plus”. These additional materials are designed to engage and entertain kids.

Kids are fond of stories that feature role models, like Marie Curie and Frida Kahlo, who have made significant contributions to history.

Although their primary focus is not on fiction, they do have some fiction titles, including the book “Grandad’s Secret Giant”.

A massive international company that distributes their works in more than 50 nations, they still accept proposals sent over email.

• “Grandad’s Secret Giant.”
• Pop Up and Build National Parks

Here are some additional publishers that you may want to consider if you haven’t yet found the perfect fit.

• Thames and Hudson
• Floris Books
• Rockpool
• Peter Pauper
• Hinkler
• Lion Hudson

30 Children’s Book Publishers

• Albert Whitman & Company
• Allen and Unwin
• Arbordale Publishing
• August House
• Boyd’s Mill Press
• Candlewick Press
• Cardinal Rule Press
• Charlesbridge Publishing
• David Fickling Books
• Eklavya
• Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
• Enslow Publishers
• Flashlight Press
• Flying Eye Books
• Free Spirit Publishing
• Hogs Back Books
• Holiday House
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers
• Immedium
• Kane Miller
• Kids Can Press
• Lee & Low Books
• Levine Querido
• Little Tiger Press
• Mathew Price
• OnStage Publishing
• Peachtree Publishers
• Sleeping Bear Press
• Tilbury House Publishers
• Top That! Publishing
• Versify
• Workman Publishing