Jennifer Rofe

Andrea Brown Literary Agency

My Manuscript Wish List®

I am currently accepting queries from only

1) middle grade writers (if in addition to middle grade you write in other children’s categories, you are welcome and encouraged to query)
2) author-illustrators
3) illustrators

For MG, I am open to everything — literary, commercial, magical, fantastical, historical, contemporary, and everything in between. I love it all! Make me laugh, make me cry, and the very best is both at the same time. Ultimately, I am a sucker for character — if I have a strong emotional reaction to your character, I will follow them anywhere.

Very specifically, I am interested in “post” stories. For instance, I don’t seek a Holocaust book as much as a book that explores the post-Holocaust experience, either for survivors or direct descendants of survivors. This is also true for post-war stories and other significant events.

For author-illustrators, I am always seeking funny, character-driven projects (like Find Fergus by Mike Boldt); beautifully imagined and unexpected stories (like Little Doctor and the Fearless Beast by Sophie Gilmore); exquisite stories (like Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler), and milestone moments with a twist (like A Tiger Tail by Mike Boldt).

As for illustrators, I seek strong, artistic voices with a point-of-view that feels unique and approachable. The voice should be so strong that the artwork is immediately recognizable as belonging to the creator.

Fun facts about me:

I am the daughter and granddaughter of immigrants, Cuban refugees, and Holocaust survivors. I am also a born-and-bred Angeleno. All of which informs my perspective.

My first job was writing for a wine trade magazine, and they hired because I knew nothing about wine. I didn’t even know what Merlot was.

I taught middle school for 5 years and developed a finance elective for 7th and 8th graders. It’s the accomplishment I am most proud of.

My inner-child is an eighth grader.

My favorite color is yellow.

My favorite band is, and always has been, and always will be, the Indigo Girls.

My comfort meal is white rice with a fried egg and plátanos.

And even though plátanos is one of my favorite foods, I absolutely hate bananas.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to https://querymanager.com/query/jenrofe

Visit the agents’ bio page & choose only one agent to whom you will submit to.
All of our agents now use QueryManager to receive queries. You will find a link to the corresponding QueryManager form in those agent’s bios. Please follow the prompts in the form and complete all required fields. When submitting your query via QueryManager, you will receive a confirmation of receipt from this program.
All submissions should include a short Query Letter to that agent introducing yourself and including a description of your work, as well as previous publishing credentials (if any), and publisher submission history.
Following your Query Letter, depending on what you are submitting, include:
- - Picture Book writers: full manuscript text typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form
  - Illustrators: 2-3 illustration samples (in jpeg format), and link to online portfolio
  - Illustrators with dummy: full dummy (in pdf format) that includes 1-2 color samples, and link to online portfolio
  - Fiction writers (chapter books, MG, YA): first 10 pages typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form
  - Non-fiction writers: proposal and sample chapter typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form
  - Graphic novels: 2-3 sample page spreads in jpg or pdf format, summary/synopsis typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form, link to website/online portfolio
  - Graphic novel script: first 10 pages of script typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form
Please be sure to enclose a contact phone number as well as your email address.
You are free to submit to agents at other agencies at the same time, but it is a professional courtesy to let us know that yours is a multiple submission. If you receive an offer of representation from another agent, please let us know immediately so we can respond accordingly.