State of the Children's Book Industry in 2026: Regina Brooks

State of the Children's Book Industry in 2026 -

with Regina Brooks

TeMika: Please introduce yourself. Tell us about yourself, your accomplishments, but also, tell us what your favorite book was as a kid.

Regina: Before she moved into publishing, she was actually aerospace engineer, but as the Founder and President of Serendipity Literary Agency, she loves being an agent because she can use both the left and right brain. Growing up, she was also in the arts, having always loved to act and sing and dance —“thus the big hair” — but her mom said that can be your plan B, thus her foray into STEM.

Often asked what was her favorite book was, she instead thinks back on when she was a kid, and would go to the library to read to her friends. "I guess I always had the spirit of education."

TeMika: Are there things you are in love with and want to see more of, and are there things that you prefer not to as much?

Regina: Regina "see things in patterns", and would love to see things “go away." "No more hair books for a while"—or food, and empowerments i.e. I ams. She would really love to see more books with humor! At this point, it could be straight up joke, which might not tickle everyone but we need some humor nowadays.

TeMika: As agents, publishers, editor, aka tastemakers, how do you make your decisions? How do you know what is right at any particular time?

Regina: Trends — it is difficult to write to trends. She discourages people from it. In her opinion, there is usually something bubbling up in the world. A "primordial energy" that people tap into intuitively and they know what they want and start towards it. Agents, editors, and publishers try to follow that, not necessarily create them.

TeMika: Consultations, feedback... it's not easy to receive it. Sometimes its good, sometimes it's bad. Advice on receiving feedback?

Regina: “Harden your feet because people will always be stepping on your toes.” You will always get feedback, so you have to have a strong skin. People are always critiquing you. Take it and grow where you can, and don't take it to heart.

TeMika: Entrepreneurship. Self promotion. What do you like to see in self-promotion? Any advice?

Regina: Regina encourages creators to write a brief essay about the book. Sometimes we get distracted and forget what your motivation was for the book. Once you reconnect to that logline, that purpose, that why then you can make a clearer plan on promoting yourself and your work. 

TeMika: Any advice on the business side of things?

Regina: “Don’t spend your advance, cause you’ll need it.” You might have needs that come up in your career. And keep in mind, the advances aren’t huge at first. It is difficult to do what you want to do if all the money is spent. 

Use it to reinvest in yourself. 
Also, time management. She works closely with creator to make sure that the pacing for projects are good but also, that books are released over a period of time for better visibility. 

TeMika: The things we create, we shape minds, families and communities? If you could reimagine yourself as superheroes, what would that look like?

Regina: If I were a superhero, I would be able to materialize benefactors for artist.  She’d hear an artist’s idea, feel the excitement, and POP — a benefactor would materialize.

Can't make it to the In-Person Winter Conference in New York City, join us online at the Virtual Winter Conference featuring inspirational talks, industry panels and deep-dive Creative Labs, taking place in February of 2026. Videos of all sessions are available to watch for approximately 30 days after the event.

Regina Brooks (Founder & President of Serendipity Literary Agency) is an award-winning author and literary expert with an indefatigable passion for guiding the careers of some of the publishing world’s best and brightest stars. As the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC., a full-service company based in Brooklyn, NY, Led by Ms. Brooks, Serendipity Literary Agency LLC., has established a diverse base of award-winning authors in the adult and young adult fiction, non-fiction, and children's genres; including three-time National Book Award finalist, Newberry and Coretta Scott King award-winning author Marilyn Nelson, and Coretta Scott King Award winner, Sundee Frazier, author of Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything in it, an Oprah Book Pick and an Al Roker Book Club selection. Read more about Regina Brooks, HERE.

The Panel Begins! "The Outlook for Children's Publishing in 2023"

 

Moderated by Martha Brockenbrough (standing at left), the panelists are (left to right): Regina Brooks (Agent at Serendipity Literary Agency); Linda Camacho (Agent, Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency); Patricia Ocampo (Senior Editor, Kids Can Press); Kate Egan (Executive Editor, Pixel + Ink Books); and Arthur A. Levine (Founder and Publisher, Levine Querido).

#SCBWISummerSpec Agent Panel: Regina Brooks Agent's Panel

    Regina Brooks, CEO of Serendipity Literary Agency and former aerospace engineer, starts off this panel assuring folks that you "don't necessarily need to have an English major" to be successful in the publishing field.  She's says she's "definitively an editorial agent" and enjoys bringing folks from other industries into publishing as she has done. Looking through the authors in her lineup, Brooks believes what makes a book successful is collaboration. Authors and Illustrators collaborating throughout the "entire life cycle of a book" is incredibly important. This collaboration does not only help the story expand itself but also extends "better storytelling about the book after the book is published." 

    She cites examples such as I am Every Good Thing team Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James, Lubaya's Quiet Roar team Marilyn Nelson and Philemona Williamson who all would meet in their respective illustrators studios to collaborate. Another important thing for Brooks is the trans-media potential of manuscripts. She is always looking for "what other experiences" can be expanded in work. She's working closely with YouTube, other social media professionals, the Calm app, and even orchestras to further share her clients' stories. She tells about a new book coming out soon about the sculptor Augusta Savage and how it will also become a traveling art exhibit! This comes back to the collaboration that Brooks spoke about before, she also values this relationship between agents.

    

    Brooks believes it is critical to look at a book across mediums. The industry right now is very tied to cultural moments and how books are acquired are driven by the need in the market. A couple years ago narrative histories or graphic novels weren't heavily acquired but now the market is wanting more. For illustrators, Brooks suggests looking at their work through a historical lens. Here she cites Crown An Ode to the Fresh Cut illustrator Gordon C. James who structured the style used in the book after 3 distinct pieces to break down stroke, tone, and palette. She also recommends making your work "fresh." Whether that be through merging several formal formats or shifting lengths, these changes have made for successful stories.

    Once asked on accessibility initiatives within her agency, Brooks responds that her agents participate in Twitter campaigns as well as leading their own Twitter campaign on NaNoWriMo. She is more focused on the execution of material rather than the similarity of themes in her roster and doesn't mind having the same themes as long as the execution is done well. On illustrators struggle to find agents she agrees with Linda Camacho that websites are critical as well as reminding that "Instagram is always being sourced for artists." To replace the previously in person tours for this years published books she finds that "mini commercials" through streaming services and social media have been great additions to virtual events. Brooks reminds folks to work with their community to "allow them to help the discover-ability of your books." She states that authors who are a good fit for her usually follow "the three C's;" chemistry, similar communication styles, and be willing to build connections to collaborate.  She smiles and reminds folks,"to be successful, you have to be willing to not have fear or work with your fear."

The Agents Panel Begins!

The Agents Panel at #SCBWISummerSpec

A screen shot of Lin Oliver (top left, moderating) and the panelists Regina Brooks (top right), Linda Camacho (center left), Brooks Sherman (center right), Rosemary Stimola (lower left), and interpreter Jennye Kamin (lower right.)

Regina Brooks: The Current Market For Your Books

Regina Brooks

Regina Brooks is the founder and President of Serendipity Literary Agency.

She shares her background (she was an engineer, later an editor, and feels that being an agent is the perfect mix of left and right brain for her.)  She started her agency 12 years ago, and has four agents that work for her.  She feels her agency is further distinguished from the field by also having a social media strategist, and says they help their authors build their platforms and even with their publicity.

Regina encourages we authors to think about what's our book's hook, as well as saying that she's looking for authors who are bringing something new.

She also runs an annual contest for YA writers - asking them to share the first 250 words of their manuscript and explains there is so much she and the editor judges can get from that - the quality of the writing, a sense of where the story is going...

Her taste?

She represents titles across the board, from the poetry of Marilyn Nelson (a three time finalist for the National Book Award) to "Putting Makeup On The Fat Boy" by Bil Wright, which just won the ALA's Stonewall Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award.

"A Global Reach"

Regina says that when she speaks to publishers they want to look at books that have a global reach, that aren't too domestic or locked into the U.S.A.  If your book has a global reach, it's easier for her to sell.  She posits this may be the reason for the success and popularity of fantasy, as

"fantasy isn't locked into the U.S. or domestic marketplace."

State of the Union of Children's Publishing?

Regina rattles off five new YA imprints that have just formed, and feels this is a sign of robustness.  There are opportunities beyond the big six publishers.


Quotable Moment:

"Middle Grade is the new Y.A."

(Which means publishers are asking her for Middle Grade.)