About Caryn
Caryn has been an agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency since 2003, and she has sold over 425 books. She handles children's books only: YA and middle grade fiction and nonfiction, graphic novels, chapter books, and fiction and nonfiction picture books. She represents NYT bestselling authors, award-winning authors, debut authors, and authors at every stage in between. No matter the genre, Caryn is looking for books with emotional depth and a strong voice; excellent writing in a tightly-plotted story; and characters that stick with her long after she has closed the book.
Caryn is drawn to contemporary YA and middle grade with a strong voice, multifaceted characters, complex relationships, beautiful writing, and a well-developed hook. Great world-building is essential, whether it's a real time and place that becomes almost a character in a book, or a light fantasy element in a unique story that's grounded in reality. Zombies, horror, and high fantasy will, most likely, never appeal. Caryn is particularly interested in books for children and teens that explore themes of diversity and social justice. She would be thrilled to see more books by underrepresented authors that deeply explore their culture, as well as books in which the ethnicity of the character is not the issue. She adores a swoon-worthy, layered romance; a funny or poignant middle grade novel with a hook that makes it stand out from the crowd would hold great appeal; and she's partial to lyrical, non-institutional picture book biographies and character-driven, not-too-sweet picture book fiction, particularly by author-illustrators. The common denominator in Caryn's list, no matter the category, is "smart with heart." She is always open to terrific children's work that doesn't fit these categories as long as it makes her laugh, makes her cry, and keeps her awake at night, either reading the manuscript or thinking about it. She does not represent adult projects. Please do not query her regarding adult work.
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Caryn represents Tom Angleberger, author of the NYT, USA Today, PW, and National Indie bestselling Origami Yoda series (Amulet/Abrams); Cece Bell, author-illustrator of the Newbery Honor, Eisner Award and NYT bestselling graphic novel memoir, EL DEAFO (Abrams); Debbie Levy, author of the NYT bestselling, 2016 National Jewish Book Award and 2017 Sydney Taylor Book Award winner, I DISSENT (S&S); Tamara Ireland Stone, author of the NYT Bestseller, EVERY LAST WORD (Disney*Hyperion); and Nate Evans, co-author of the NYT Bestseller, THE JELLYBEANS AND THE BIG DANCE, and its sequels (Abrams). Other award-winning books include 2013 Theodore Geisel Honor book, RABBIT AND ROBOT: THE SLEEPOVER by Cece Bell (Candlewick Sparks/Candlewick); 2013 Edgar nominee, FAKE MUSTACHE by Tom Angleberger (Amulet/Abrams); 2012 Edgar nominee, HORTON HALFPOTT by Tom Angleberger (Amulet/Abrams); 2011 ABC Best Books, DARTH PAPER STRIKES BACK by Tom Angleberger (Abrams); 2012 Texas Bluebonnet Award winner, 2011 ALA Notable, and Kirkus Best Books of 2010, THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA by Tom Angleberger (Abrams); 2010 Kirkus Top Ten Book of the Year and 2010 Sydney Taylor Notable Book, A YEAR OF GOODBYES by Debbie Levy (Disney*Hyperion); 2010 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Award – illustrated by David Diaz – and 2011 ALA Notable, ME, FRIDA by Amy Novesky (Abrams); YALSA, WSJ, and Kirkus 2013 Top 10 Books of the Year, GOLDEN BOY by Tara Sullivan (Puffin/PRH); and 2016 ALA Notable, POET: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF GEORGE MOSES HORTON by Don Tate (Peachtree).
Upcoming 2019 titles include: Debbie Levy’s and Jo Ann Allen Boyce’s THIS PROMISE OF CHANGE (Bloomsbury); Debbie Levy’s BECOMING RBG (S&S); Tamara Ireland Stone’s SWAP’D (Disney*Hyperion); Don Tate’s CARTER READS THE NEWSPAPER (Peachtree); David Kelly’s BALLPARK MYSTERIES #15: THE BALTIMORE BANDIT and BALLPARK MYSTERIES #16 (BFYR/PRH); Jennifer Berne’s LOOK UP WITH ME: NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON: A LIFE AMONG THE STARS (Katherine Tegan/HarperCollins); Tom Angleberger’s BACH TO THE RESCUE and DIDI DODO, FUTURE SPY # 1: RECIPE FOR DISASTER (both Abrams); Kristin Gray’s KOALA IS NOT A BEAR (Sterling); Kelly Starling Lyons’ GOING DOWN HOME WITH DADDY (Peachtree), JADA JONES #3: SLEEPOVER SCIENTIST and JADA JONES #4: DANCING QUEEN (both Penguin Workshop/PRH), SING A SONG (Nancy Paulsen/PRH), and TIARA’S HAT PARADE (Albert Whitman); Amy Novesky’s MARY BLAIR’S FLAIR (Disney Press/Disney); Susan Wood’s HOLY SQUAWKAMOLE (Sterling); Danielle Stinson’s BEFORE I DISAPPEAR (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan); Cece Bell’s WHO IS YOU? (Clarion/HMH) and CHICK AND BRAIN (Candlewick); Merriam Saunders’ WHIRLING TWIRLING MOTOR (Magination Press); and Terry Lynn Johnson’s DOG DRIVEN (HMH).
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Caryn holds an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, and a BS from the University of Virginia.
