70 middle grade publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts in June 2025
Congratulations on writing your middle grade novel! All of the publishers listed here are currently accepting manuscripts without a literary agent, and I’ve done my best to weed out any dodgy or vanity publishers.
Don’t forget to check out my developmental editing services or pre-querying package if you want to make sure your novel is in top shape before you send it to a publisher for consideration. I offer a variety of services to suit all budgets, from writers looking for the standard developmental editing experience to those seeking high-level feedback with a quick turnaround time.
Good luck with your manuscript submissions.
Candy Jar Books
Candy Jar Books is a small Cardiff-based publisher working to expand their business.
Genre: Young adult genre fiction, and nonfiction in the area of history.
Word count: Not stated.Islandport Press
Islandport Press publishes stories rooted in the essence and sensibilities of New England.
Genre: Genre fiction including adult, young adult, mystery, thriller and essay. They also consider picture books. For nonfiction, they accept history, humour, nature, outdoors, photography and gift books.
Word count: Not stated.ECW Press
ECW Press has published close to 1,000 books, including nonfiction, poetry and fiction. Please note that they accept poetry and fiction from Canadians only but accept nonfiction submissions from around the world.
Genre: Fiction, including literary, mystery, crime, science fiction, young adult, middle grade and humour. They also accept poetry and nonfiction, including sports, pop culture, memoir, biography, science, nature, true crime, travel, business, personal finance, poker, literary criticism and reference.
Word count: Not stated.Our Street Books (Collective Ink)
Our Street Books is the children's imprint of Collective Ink.
Genre: Children's fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Lantana
Lantana believes that all children deserve to see themselves in books they read.
Genre: Picture books and middle grade fiction.
Word count: Over 4,000 words.Heritage House
Heritage House publishes 20 to 30 books each year from Canadian authors who write about topics relevant to Western Canada.
Genre: Nonfiction and children's books.
Word count: Not stated.Affirm Press
Affirm Press is an independent Melbourne-based publisher dedicated to publishing Australian stories and ideas. Please note they only accept submissions from Australian authors or authors based in Australia.
Please note they accept manuscripts for their kids publishing program on Monday 2 December and Monday 2 June. You'll find these on my publishing lists the month before as well so you don't miss the deadline!
Genre: Literary and genre fiction as well as nonfiction that is engaging and entertaining.
Word count: Novel-length work.Holiday House
Holiday House is a publisher of children's books, specializing in quality hardcovers.
Genre: Fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults.
Word count: Not stated.Broadview Press
Broadview Press has been around for over 40 years and publishes books for use in college courses.
Genre: Nonfiction for undergraduate college and university courses in the humanities.
Word count: Not stated.Black Rose Writing
Black Rose Writing is a Texas-based publisher who strongly believes in developing a personal relationship with their authors. Please note that Writer Beware wrote an article about Black Rose Writing. Please do your research before submitting.
Genre: Fiction, including action, fantasy, historical, horror, humor, inspirational, LGBT, literary, mystery, suspense, paranormal, romance, science fiction, thriller, women's fiction. They accept children's books, middle grade and young adult books as well. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, business, history, humor, inspirational, spiritual, military, self-help, sports and true crime.
Word count: Not stated.Albert Whitman & Company
Albert Whitman & Company was founded over a century ago with the goal of making good books that kids want to read.
Genre: Children's picture books (fiction and nonfiction), middle grade fiction and young adult fiction.
Word count: Up to 70,000 words.Ambassador International
Ambassador International is a publisher with a Christian worldview.
Genre: Children's books and nonfiction, including Christian,cookbooks, fashion, business, finance, history, regional, biography, grief and memoir.
Word count: Not stated.Christmas Press
Christmas Press publishes books to cherish every day.
Genre: Chapter books, middle grade and adventure stories for ages 11 and above.
Word count: Up to 6,000 words for chapter books, up to 13,000 words for middle grade and up to 80,000 words for adventure stories.Shadow Mountain Publishing
Shadow Mountain Publishing is passionate about "clean" content and empowering values.
Genre: Genre fiction, including contemporary middle grade, middle grade fantasy, historical romance, women's fiction, young adult fiction, general fiction and historical fiction. For nonfiction, they accept historical, inspirational, cookbooks and religious content for a non-denominational audience.
Word count: Not stated.Tradewind Books
Tradewind Books has been in operation for over 20 years and publishes prize-winning picture books, novels and poetry for children.
Genre: Picture books and middle grade fiction. They also accept young adult fiction, but only from Canadian authors.
Word count: Not stated.Penguin Random House New Zealand
Penguin Random House New Zealand celebrates writers, stories and ideas that entertain and inspire.
Genre: Adult fiction and nonfiction. Children's submissions are closed until 2025.
Word count: Around 80,000 words (guideline).Moose House Publications
Moose House Publications was founded by author Brenda Thompson to publish material written in or about Nova Scotia.
Genre: Genre fiction (especially mystery, detective and historical), nonfiction (especially memoirs), young adult fiction or middle grade fiction written about, or written in, rural Nova Scotia.
Word count: 50,000 words and above.Pan Macmillan Australia
Pan Macmillan Australia is committed to investing in Australian authors and publishes a variety of bestselling books.
Genre: Middle grade, young adult, commercial and literary fiction. For nonfiction, they're interested in narrative nonfiction, contemporary issues, memoir, history, true crime, lifestyle, health, and mind, body & spirit.
Word count: Not stated.UNSW Press Limited
UNSW Press Limited is a not-for-profit Australian company that started operating in 1962. Its mission is to contribute to intellectual and cultural development.
Genre: General, scholarly, and literary nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Huia Publishers
Huia Publishers is a Māori owned publisher who shares stories that resonate with their people and values.
Genre: Literary fiction and nonfiction centered in te ao Māori and Māori worldviews.
Word count: Not stated.Thistle (Tell-tale Publishing)
Thistle is Tell-tale Publishing's middle grade and young adult imprint.
Genre: Middle grade and young adult romance and fantasy.
Word count: 40,000 to 55,000 words.Annick Press
Annick Press is a proudly independent children's publisher in Toronto, Canada. They aim to empower readers, open minds, and create a lifelong love of reading.
Genre: Picture books, chapter books, middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: 50,000 to 70,000 words for young adult.MB Publishing
MB Publishing publishes memorable stories filled with courage, history, humor, adventure, determination, friendship and love.
Genre: Picture books, middle grade and young adult fiction.
Word count: Not stated.Sleeping Bear Press
Sleeping Bear Press was launched in 1998 as a children's book publisher. Their mission is to provide books that engage, entertain, and educate.
Genre: Children's books.
Word count: Not stated.Mango Publishing
Mango Publishing is always looking for books that are thoughtful, unusual, and captivating.
Genre: Nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Kids Can Press
Kids Can Press is a Canadian-owned children's book publisher established in 1973.
Genre: Picture books, middle grade fiction and children's nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Arsenal Pulp Press
Arsenal Pulp Press is a small Vancouver-based publisher.
Genre: Literary fiction and nonfiction, including political, sociology, cultural, regional British Columbia, youth culture, young adult literature, craft books and books for children that emphasize diversity.
Word count: Not stated.Acair
Acair was founded in 1977 and is a registered Scottish charity that publishes Scottish Gaelic children's books and a range of titles in Scottish Gaelic and English.
Genre: Poetry, fiction, children's books and nonfiction. Many of their titles relate to Scotland, history, nature and social issues.
Word count: Not stated.BookLife Publishing
BookLife Publishing is a UK-based educational children’s book publisher wish over 3,000 titles published over the past decade.
Genre: Picture books and middle grade (both fiction and nonfiction).
Word count: Not stated.Text Publishing
Text Publishing is an independent Melbourne-based publisher of fiction and nonfiction. They accept submissions from citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, erotica, fantasy, paranormal, historical, romance, LGBTQIA+, young adult, and middle grade. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, essays, film, history, humour, philosophy, politics, religion, science, environment, relationships, society, culture, sport, travel and war.
Word count: 10,000-120,000 words.Acorn Press
Acorn Press is proud to publish books about Prince Edward Island, by Prince Edward Islanders.
Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, middle grade and children's picture books written by Prince Edward Islanders.
Word count: Not stated.Borealis Press
Borealis Press publishes most genres but focuses on works by Canadian authors or Canadian oriented material.
Genre: Literary fiction and nonfiction, especially history, criticism, biography, the Canadian parliamentary system and medicine.
Word count: Not stated.Tundra Book Group
Tundra Book Group is Canada's oldest English children's book publisher. They are currently only accepting manuscripts from underrepresented communities.
Genre: Middle grade, young adult fiction, young adult nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.UWA Publishing
UWA Publishing is a division of The University of Western Australia that shares stories, research, and education with the world.
Genre: Scholarly works, nonfiction, adult fiction, and children's books. Please note they do not accept genre fiction and only accept adult fiction in July and young adult/children's books in August.
Word count: Not stated.Flanker Press
Flanker Press publishes general trade books with strong Newfoundland and Labrador content.
Genre: Literary fiction, children's books, middle grade, young adult, upmarket fiction, mystery fiction, historical fiction and nonfiction with strong Newfoundland and Labrador content. For nonfiction, they accept biography, autobiography, cooking, crafts & hobbies, gardening, general, history, humour, nature, politics, reference, religion & spirituality, sea stories, thriller, true crime and wartime history.
Word count: Not stated.Yellow Dog
Yellow Dog is the middle grade and young adult imprint of Great Plains Press. They publish contemporary and historical fiction and nonfiction. They are also interested in speculative, climate and genre fiction. Please note that they only publish writers who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
Genre: Middle grade and young adult contemporary, historical, speculative (but not strictly fantasy/science fiction), climate and genre fiction. They also consider nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Schiffer Publishing
Schiffer Publishing was founded in 1974 in Pennsylvania.
Genre: Nonfiction and children's books.
Word count: Not stated.Great Plains Press
Great Plains Press publishes works from emerging and established writers who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
Genre: Nonfiction, especially history and biography. They also consider creative nonfiction that voices the issues of Canada to the wider world.
Word count: Not stated.UpLit Press
UpLit Press publishes books with a positive message. They do not accept anything that glorifies violence.
Genre: Genre fiction, including young adult, fantasy, science fiction, romance, general and middle grade. They also accept picture books with illustrations and memoir.
Word count: Not stated.Deep Hearts Jr.
Deep Hearts Jr. is an imprint of Deep Desires Press, and they publisher of LGBTQ+ middle grade fiction.
Genre: Middle grade LGBTQ+ fiction.
Word count: 25,000 to 50,000 words. They will consider longer works for specific genres such as speculative.Future House Publishing
Future House Publishing focuses on publishing novels that embrace their core values of community, liberty and family. They strictly focus on "clean" and "family friendly" content.
Genre: Adult science fiction and fantasy, and middle grade adventure novels.
Word count: 70,000 to 90,000 words for adult novels and 40,000 to 60,000 words for middle grade.Thistledown Press
Thistledown Press began as a press for Prairie writers in Saskatchewan in 1975 but now publishes novels from writers across Canada.
Genre: Literary fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry.
Word count: Not stated.Bess Press Inc.
Bess Press Inc. is a family owned publishing house in Kaimukī, Hawai‘i.
Genre: Children's books, middle grade and young adult fiction. They also accept adult fiction and nonfiction related to the people, cultures, histories, and/or languages of Hawaiʻi and Oceania.
Word count: Not stated.Red Wheel / Weiser
Red Wheel / Weiser's goal is to publish "books to live by."
Genre: Nonfiction and children's books.
Word count: Not stated.Harbour Publishing
Harbour Publishing publishes books on topics concerning the Pacific Northwest of Canada.
Genre: Children's books, young adult, middle grade, literary fiction and upmarket fiction. For nonfiction, they consider cookbooks, food & drink, aviation, art, photography, architecture, memoir, biography, history, geology, literary criticism, maritime, politics, social issues ad the great outdoors. Fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.UQP
UQP is the wholly owned subsidiary of The University of Queensland. They produce culturally significant works across genres such as fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Genre: Nonfiction, literary fiction, children's and young adult books, and poetry.
Word count: Not stated.Wakefield Press
Wakefield Press is a leading independent publishing company based in Adelaide.
Genre: Genre fiction, especially crime, literary fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.BC Books
BC Books is an imprint of Birlinn and their motto is bold books for curious kids! They publish writing and illustrations of the highest quality for young readers throughout the UK and beyond. Their aim is to nurture young readers and help them discover a passion for reading that will last their entire lives.
Genre: Children's books and middle grade.
Word count: Not stated.Bancroft Press
Bancroft Press is a publisher without a niche! They publish titles they're passionate about.
Genre: Literary fiction and genre fiction, including contemporary, financial thriller, historical, Jewish, LGBTQ+, legal thriller, medical, mystery, political, romance, rural, satire, science fiction, suspense and general thriller. For nonfiction, they accept biography, crime, essays, finance, history, humor, investing, memoir, movie reviews, parenting, politics, psychology, religion, self-help, spiritual and sports.
Word count: Not stated.Polar Bear and Co.
Polar Bear and Co. publishes books that fit into the following four themes: Inspiration, Place, History, and Imagination
Genre: Literary fiction, poetry and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Fox and Hound Books
Fox and Hound Books is an imprint of Beacon Publishing Group. They specialize in the distribution of children's books ranging from infant to preteen.
Genre: Picture books and middle grade.
Word count: Not stated.Bayeux Arts
Bayeux Arts entered the publishing world in 1994. They are committed to producing books of beauty that build bridges across cultures.
Genre: Children's books, middle grade and young adult fiction. For adult fiction, they accept literary, upmarket, western and mystery. For nonfiction, they accept biography, history, art, architecture, theatre, social science, nature, environment, inspirational, health and management.
Word count: Not stated.Second Story Press
Second Story Press is a feminist publisher who focuses on publishing Canadian authors.
Genre: Literary fiction, mystery and nonfiction looking at the lives of girls and women, social justice and children's empowerments from Canadian authors.
Word count: Not stated.The Brucedale Press
The Brucedale Press is the publishing division of Broad Horizons Books and was established in 1976. Please note they only accept queries sent via post.
Genre: Literary and historical works by Canadian authors with a focus on the Queen's Bush and Bruce Peninsula area of Ontario, Canada.
Word count: Not stated.Barnacle Editions
Barnacle Editions publishes publishes books for children and younger teens that weave in historical elements, social themes, environmental topics and cultural diversity.
Genre: Children's books for ages 6 to 14.
Word count: Not stated.Chatwin Books
Chatwin Books is a Seattle-based publisher who specializes in bringing ideas to life.
Genre: Nonfiction, children's fiction and literary fiction.
Word count: Not stated.Down East Trade
Down East Trade publishes regional books local to Maine or writen by Maine authors.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of antiques, art, architecture, biography, body, mind, spirit, business, cooking, craft, hobbies, design, family games, gardening, health, fitness history, nature, humor, photography, pets, reference, sciences sports, travel and true crime. They also accept fiction, children's books and middle grade.
Word count: Not stated.Five Mile
Five Mile is a boutique children's publishing house that specializes in creating books that spark joy, imagination and learning across a large range of formats.
Genre: Picture books, board books, activity books, middle grade and children's nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Ford Street Publishing
Ford Street is an independent Australian publisher of books for children and young adults. They publish 15 titles a year and have a strong presence in schools and bookshops around Australia.
Genre: Middle grade and young adult fiction.
Word count: Around 50,000 words for young adult novels.Ig Publishing
Ig Publishing is an independent press dedicated to publishing original literary fiction and political and cultural nonfiction.
Genre: Middle grade, young adult, literary fiction and cultural nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Magabala Books
Magabala Books is an Indigenous publishing house in Australia. Please note they only accept submissions from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers. They will consider collaborative works between Indigenous and non-Indigenous authors.
Genre: Children's picture books, memoir, literary fiction (including middle grade, young adult and adult), non fiction, social history and poetry that celebrate the diversity of First Nations voices.
Word count: Not stated.New Frontier Publishing
New Frontier is an Australian publisher established in 2002. Their motto is to inspire, educate and uplift children.
Genre: Picture books and junior fiction.
Word count: Under 600 words for picture books and 5,000 to 55,000 words for junior fiction.Pelican Publishing
Pelican Publishing releases an average of 30 titles a year, related to identifiable regions around the United States.
Genre: Children's, middle grade, young adult and adult nonfiction.
Word count: 40,000 to 100,000 for adult nonfiction. Maximum of 25,000 words for young adult and middle grade. Children's books can be up to 1,100 words.Process Media
Process Media publishes writers of distinction and unique perspectives. They consider themselves a formidable force in independent publishing and document important cultural movements.
Genre: Historical fiction, middle grade stories and nonfiction in the areas of memoir, biography, music, history, self-reliance, realpolitik, true crime, mysticism and occult.
Word count: Not stated.Eye of the Newt Press
Eye of the New is a Canadian publisher of curiosities beautiful and fantastical.
Genre: Children's fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.The O'Brien Press
The O'Brien Press is a leading general publisher of adult and children's books in Ireland. They publish a range of books and are always looking to explore new and exciting areas.
Genre: Children's fiction, children's nonfiction and adult nonfiction. They are more likely to publish authors based in Ireland but are open to submissions from authors all around the world.
Word count: Not stated.Formac
Formac publishes a variety of genres, especially nonfiction related to Mi'kma'ki, children's fiction and other nonfiction.
Genre: Children's books, middle grade, young adult and adult nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Tilbury House Publishers
Tilbury House publishes diverse children's books with messages of social justice, mindfulness, the power of imagination, lessons of history and more.
Genre: Children's books including board books, beginning readers, picture books and middle grade titles.
Word count: Not stated.Greystone Books
Greystone Books is an independent publisher of books about nature, science, health and social issues.
Genre: Children's books and nonfiction relating to the environment, nature, travel, adventure, health and current issues.
Word count: Not stated.Young Dragons
Young Dragons is a traditional publisher who considers their authors as partners in a publishing relationship. They encourage their authors to maintain an online presence, through an author webpage and social media account, to help share their novels with their readers. They public creative, socially conscious, educational and humorous fiction and nonfiction for children of all ages.
Genre: Picture and board books, middle grade fiction, nonfiction and biographies for children.
Word count: Not stated.
Best of luck with your manuscript submissions! If you want to ensure your manuscript is in the best position to be accepted, check out my developmental editing services, pre-querying package or my free writing advice. Otherwise, take a look at my genre-specific list of publishers for romance, fantasy and science fiction.