Sasha Henriques

Hello–it’s nice to meet you! I’m currently an editor at Callisto Media, where I edit nonfiction books in all children’s age categories. In the past, I’ve worked at Random House Children’s Books; Little, Brown at Hachette Book Group; Berkley/NAL at Penguin Random House; Farrar, Straus & Giroux; and others, and I’ve edited across all genres and age categories (both adult and kids!). I’m also a frequent participant at SCBWI and other writers’ conferences.

In general, I’m always on the lookout for YA stories with lush, literary writing and a commercial hook that will instantly appeal to young readers. For YA, I love mysteries and thrillers with adult crossover appeal, historical fiction with fresh takes on stories we think we know, retellings and modernizations of classic tales, contemporary rom-coms, and horror with a psychological, suspenseful bent. I live for high-concept, genre-crossing speculative reads that turn our understanding of the world on its head.

For middle grade, I prefer witty female protagonists and stories that are funny and voice-driven. And as for picture books, I look for humor, bold ideas, and books that tackle issues. I enjoy developing projects from the ground up with debut writers. Above all, I’m looking for diverse voices, sassy narrators, and sharp writing! I particularly hope to find projects that represent the LGBTQ+ community, explore immigrant and first generation stories in a commercial way, and feature otherly-abled characters in starring roles (especially those dealing with chronic illness.) I’m constantly pursuing book topics that are timely, relevant, topical, pop-culture-focused, and of the moment.