One of the top children’s book publishers in Canada, Annick Press got a strong start early on by publishing Robert Munsch, back when they were based out of co-founder Anne Millyard’s basement (you can learn more about that here). Annick is currently accepting submissions of picture books, middle grade fiction, YA fiction, and nonfiction for kids of all ages.
They accept submissions from everyone, but they also stress that they “are committed to publishing diverse authors and illustrators and believe strongly in producing books that reflect our readers’ own experiences while broadening their perspectives”. They go on to say, “In considering submissions, we prioritize #ownvoices representation of underrepresented and marginalized communities and identities. We encourage creators who identify as LGBTQ2SIA+, Indigenous, Black, and people of color to submit their work. We also encourage submissions from creators living with disabilities. ” As part of this they run a yearly editorial mentorship for writers from historically excluded communities.
To get a feel for what they are currently seeking, spend some time with their new release catalog here. Don’t submit unless you feel like their books are a good fit. You can also generally find recently released Annick Press books in bookstores and libraries, particularly if you live in Canada. They have excellent distribution, generally great covers, and are well presented.
They don’t specifically mention prioritizing Canadian writers, but based on their backlist it’s clear that they do. In fact, the reason I hadn’t reviewed Annick in the past (in spite of owning a lot of their books) is because I assumed that they were only open to work Canadian authors and illustrators. This is in part because they, like many Canadian publishers, are partially funded by the government of Canada.
You can read their full submission guidelines here. Follow all their guidelines carefully before submitting. They do not respond to submissions unless they are interested.
Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, Submit, Publish, Repeat, and The 2023 Guide to Manuscript Publishers. She regularly teaches three acclaimed courses on writing and publishing at The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish. You can follow her on Facebook here.
