Thank you for your interest in the guidelines for submission to Levine Querido. As of July 11, 2019, we are open to unsolicited submissions. Before you submit, please take the time to read the below to ensure we are the right match for you and your work!

Levine Querido is born of a fervent mission to give voice to a uniquely talented, exceptionally diverse group of authors and artists whose books will inspire a true LOVE of reading in young people while offering them a sense of their (and others’) rightful place in the world. Our company has a focus on publishing the writing and artwork of authors and creators from underrepresented backgrounds, including people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, Latinx creators, indigenous artists and writers, creators with disabilities, members of minority religions, and more.

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The books we are in search of will be characterized by great storytelling, undeniably powerful and beautiful artwork, and a fearless commitment to telling deep truths. We look for authentic emotion and ideas or perspectives we haven't seen before, and we greatly enjoy working with debut authors and illustrators.

Because of the overwhelming number of manuscripts we anticipate receiving each week, we do not accept unsolicited novel-length manuscripts outright. However, we do look at the following materials:

Picture Books: Query letter + the full text
Novels: Query letter + the first two chapters + synopsis
Illustration: Three sample illustrations and/or links to online portfolios

If you believe your work and our publishing mission are a match, then we hope you'll write us a query letter. If you have never written a query letter before, you might wonder just what one is. A query letter is a one-page description of your manuscript that illuminates its strengths and captures our interest. What is your manuscript about? Why would a reader turn to your book? What makes it original or memorable? Try to answer these questions in a way that reveals the character of your writing and gives us the overall feel of the manuscript. (Often good queries sound like jacket copy, the text on the inside front flap or back cover of a book, or the descriptions found in publishers' catalogs.) Don't think of a query as a form to fill out-your letter should be as individual as the book it describes and the author it introduces. Consider it an opportunity to make an impression, to introduce your work to readers who might enjoy it. And don't forget to proofread your letter thoroughly before sending it! 

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We review all submissions online, through Submittable. To submit your query to Levine Querido, please follow the instructions seen here:

https://levinequerido.submittable.com/submit

Please note: If you are met with the message "There are presently no open calls for submissions," that means we have reached our monthly limit on queries. Please wait until the first day of the next month to submit your query. 

We aim to respond to all queries within six months; we appreciate your patience!

A few more guidelines:

We ask that each author send only one query at a time. Once you have received a response from us, you may send another query if you wish. We ask this only so that we may give as many authors as possible the chance to have their work reviewed. If one person sends in five queries at once, it delays the process for others. Choose the one you feel is your best work, and most likely to fit our list.

All manuscripts should be double-spaced with standard formatting. (i.e. no wacky fonts, or giant margins, etc.) Please limit your synopsis to one page.

At this time, we are only able to evaluate manuscripts written in English. If your book has been published in a foreign language and you would like it to be considered at Levine Querido, please speak with your foreign publisher; they will know how to reach us.

While we wish we could respond personally to all queries, time constraints necessitate a standard response letter if we choose not to pursue your manuscript. However, please be assured that we do read and carefully consider all queries we receive. We will send you a response unless you've indicated in your query letter that a response is only necessary if we're interested.

Thank you again for your interest in Levine Querido. We look forward to reading your work!

 
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