Meriam Metoui

Viking Children's Books/PYR

My Manuscript Wish List®

I’m always looking for lyrical or funny picture books, grim and adventurous MG, and a wide variety of YA too difficult to narrow down but know that I love dark, whimsical, and emotional writing and have always had a soft spot for magical realism. As for graphic novels, I’m looking for both realistic and fantasy, but a great art style will carry me through any story.

I would love to see picture books that speak to adults as much as kids, contemporary and realistic graphic novels with  vibrant and atmospheric art styles, Middle Eastern/North African characters, best friends at the root of a YA novel, MG that’s both fun and eerie, and YA romance that will keep me up all night. Bonus points for being able to compare it to anything on my favorites list.

Fun facts about me:

  • When I’m not an editor, I’m a photographer.
  • I moved to New York from Michigan but I’m originally from Tunis, Tunisia.
  • Before Children’s Editorial, I was in Adult Editorial at Hachette and School & Library Marketing at PYR.
  • Ideal weekend includes binging a TV show or book I can spend the next few months talking about.

Submission Guidelines

Viking Children’s Books does not accept unsolicited submissions. Agented submissions only.

Vital Info

@MeriamMetoui

Website

Editor

Fiction:

Children's, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Young Adult

Favorite sub-genres:

Contemporary YA, Dark Humor, Diversity, Illustrated, Magical Realism, Speculative Fiction, whimsical

I’d like the next…

of anything on my favorites list.

My favorites include…

BOOKS
GRAPHIC NOVELS

  • Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
  • The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
  • Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

YOUNG ADULT

  • I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
  • The Careful Undressing of Love by Corey Ann Haydu
  • Everlost by Neal Shusterman

MIDDLE GRADE

  • See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
  • May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson
  • Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker

PICTURE BOOKS

  • The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas, Illustrated by Erin E. Stead
  • Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers
  • The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

 

TV 

  • Fleabag
  • Schitt’s Creek
  • Pushing Daisies
  • Sense8
  • The OA
  • Ramy

 

MOVIES

  • Swiss Army Man
  • Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
  • La La Land
  • Comet
  • Whiplash
  • Blue Valentine
  • August: Osage County
  • The Fall
  • The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby
  • Jo Jo Rabbit
  • Booksmart