It’s not often that I get to read “real” query examples. This is awesome. I’m excited to use all the helpful comments to better my own queries.

Mary, thanks so much for breaking down what works and for providing a picture book example in the mix. I find that querying picture books can be particularly problematic due to the brevity of the text and the important role that illustrations play in the interpretation. And I didn’t know that it was OK with some agencies to send the full text with the query! Thanks for the tip I always read through the submission guidelines and try to follow them to the letter, but I will be on the lookout for this now.

Good luck winners and I hope someone picks up your manuscripts very soon!

This post was mentioned on Twitter by nataliebahm: Honorable Mentions from the kidlit query contest announced. YAY Marie! http://bit.ly/2vmuOo...

Thank you, Mary. It’s really cool to see how fabulous queries can be made even stronger. Also, reading a wide range of queries helps me understand how an agent’s personal taste and preferences can’t help but come into play when rejecting a perfectly good manuscript and choosing to read another—the dreaded subjective word. I’m just glad I’m not the one doing the picking and choosing.