Welcome to Sam Farkas, a literary agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management who helps bring innovative and impactful picture books to life. With a background in publishing that includes subsidiary rights at Penguin and extensive experience connecting authors and illustrators with global audiences, Sam is passionate about championing stories that captivate young readers.
Her tastes lean toward picture books with kid-friendly texts that beg to be read aloud, out-of-the-box nonfiction, and books that celebrate our multicultural world. Recent sales like Eight-Nine-Tengineers and Floor It! showcase her knack for finding stories that combine heart, creativity, and meaningful messages. In this interview, Sam shares insights into the world of picture book publishing, what she looks for in submissions, and how she supports creators in crafting unforgettable books.
Learn more about Sam here:
RVC: When you were a kid, was it obvious you’d end up in a book-related career?
SF: In hindsight, yes. I was always reading and writing. Then, as a teen, I spent a lot of time reading publishing blogs (mostly written by agents) because I found the industry so fascinating, but I viewed it more through the lens of wanting to be an author. At that time, I was very against the idea of living in New York City (how that has changed!), so I didn’t think publishing would be open to me. It wasn’t until college that I seriously considered it as a career path.
RVC: Let’s talk about college then. You attended William & Mary as an undergraduate. What did you study there, and how has it shaped your approach to agenting?
SF: When I went to college, I thought I was going to be an archaeologist. I loved history, and I had a very romanticized view of the archaeology field. However, after a semester cleaning potsherds with a toothbrush, I decided that it was not for me, so I abandoned those courses and declared myself a double major in English and History. That said, I still sometimes view my work as an agent through an archaeological lens, especially when I’m digging through the slush. The thrill of discovery. Putting pieces together to unearth a great story. Polishing things up until they shine (with an edit letter, not a toothbrush).
RVC: That’s a lovely way of thinking about it. Now, you worked at Barnes & Noble for a while after college. How useful was that for your future career in the publishing industry?
SF: Very! When I was first interviewing for publishing jobs in 2015, that was the piece of my resume that the hiring managers asked about the most. As a student, it’s easy to get lost in the books you have to read for coursework; working at Barnes & Noble reminded me what’s being published and selling now. (Also, I met my husband while working there, so it was a very influential time in my life!)
RVC: Bonus score! Eventually, you worked directly in publishing as a rights coördinator. How did that prepare you for agenting?
SF: There is a lot of crossover, as both are all about selling rights. The main difference is that as an agent you’re also doing editorial work and managing an author’s career. It’s more overarching. But my time as a rights coördinator taught me how to pitch, how to negotiate deals, how to do a contract, what different markets look like and what we can expect from them.
RVC: What’s a common misconception about book rights?
SF: A lot of new writers don’t think about subrights at all. Or they think that rights sales are a given, when in fact there are a lot of factors that affect how and whether a book sells subrights. A rhyming picture book, for example, is going to have trouble in the translation market—translating rhyme is hard!
Another example: preferences in art style vary dramatically territory-by-territory, so what works here doesn’t necessarily work overseas. I’ve sat in many a meeting where I’ve been told, “This will never work for France!” (French editors, if you’re reading, I think you’re great!)
RVC: How has your love for travel and global cultures influenced the way you think about the picture book market?
SF: This isn’t specific to picture books, but I’m often thinking about what makes books appealing to foreign markets—it’s more complicated than whether something is a great book. It can be the length (shorter is better, as translation adds to the page count), details in the art (yellow school buses? Too American), even the genre itself (horror is not nearly as popular overseas as it is here). While it doesn’t affect whether I offer on something, I get really excited when I see a lot of translation potential. It’s special to see a book resonate with readers around the world.
RVC: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned since joining JGLM in 2018?
SF: Oh, I have to pick just one? I’m going to cheat and pick two.
RVC: Go for it!
SF: 1) Trust your gut. It’s usually correct.
2) It’s okay to be the bearer of bad news. It’s no secret that there are a lot of things in publishing that are very difficult, whether that’s books dying on submission or lackluster marketing support. It’s tempting to try to sugarcoat it, but that helps no one—we have to be honest with our authors and support them as best we can.
RVC: What’s the story behind the first picture book you sold as agent?
SF: The first book I sold as an agent was Charlotte Gunnufson’s Dream Submarine. I had admired Charlotte’s work from my Penguin days—I was there when her book Prince & Pirate published—so I was really excited to represent her.
Dream Submarine is a beautifully multifaceted bedtime book about the ocean at night, and it sold to Candlewick pretty quickly once we took it out on submission.
RVC: The biggest lesson that book taught you was…
SF: Trust your gut! We discussed a lot of projects before deciding which to take out on submission, and there were many strong contenders, but this one felt right. Sometimes, you can’t put into words why one project feels more right than the others, but listen to your instincts.
RVC: In your opinion, what makes a great counting book, like Eight-Nine-Tengineers, or other concept-driven picture books?
SF: It has work on multiple levels. It’s not enough to just be a counting book, or a colors book, or an ABC book—it has to do something else, too, such as tell a great story or bring in additional educational content. Charlotte Gunnufson’s Eight-Nine-Tengineers is a counting book, but it’s also a kid-friendly introduction to environmental engineering, showing how we can work together to build a greener planet.
RVC: When assessing a manuscript, what’s the first thing that makes you think, “Now THIS is something I need to represent”?
SF: I can’t stop thinking about it. When I read a picture book manuscript, I usually know right away if it’s a “no,” but if it’s not a quick “no,” then it goes in my “take a closer look” pile. Occasionally, I will forget about it there, and then that tells me that it wasn’t a good fit and I let it go; but if I keep opening that manuscript, read it multiple times, and can’t let it go, then that’s a sign that I want to work on it.
RVC: How do you support your clients during the submission process, especially when navigating feedback or rejections?
SF: I let the author take the lead in how they’d like me to handle feedback or rejections. Every author is different: some want to hear every bit of news, some only want the highlights, others don’t want to hear a peep until it’s a “yes.” I trust my clients to know what’s best for their mental health, and I’ll work to accommodate that so they can focus on the writing.
RVC: I’m sure authors appreciate your flexibility there.
SF: If we get a pattern of feedback in the passes—multiple editors saying the same thing—then we’ll pause and see if we might be able to address it before taking the book out on submission again. Or if there’s no specific editorial feedback, but the book just isn’t hitting for whatever reason, sometimes we’ll pull it and move on to a different text. The nice thing about picture book writers is they tend to be prolific—if something isn’t working on submission, there’s always a new project waiting in the wings.
RVC: What advice would you give to creators choosing comp titles for their picture book manuscripts?
SF: Choose books that published within the last 5–7 years. Choose books that have done well, but try to avoid mega-hits, as those tend to be outliers.
RVC: In your “wish list” online, you’ve mentioned a love for out-of-the-box nonfiction. What kinds of nonfiction picture books are you hoping to see in your inbox?
SF: Ah, tricky! I don’t really know until I see it, but I do know that I’m burnt out on picture book biographies. I love picture book bios, but I’ve struggled to sell them, so I’m hesitant to take them on.
RVC: Brag time! What new projects are you most excited about?
SF: I’m really excited for Bex Tobin Fine’s Floor It!, illustrated by Federico Fabiani. It takes a simple conceit—a baby’s crawl across the floor—and turns it into a fun-filled racecar-themed adventure. Coming from Random House Children’s Books in Fall 2025!
RVC: Sounds like some high-octacte fun.
SF: Charlotte Gunnufson’s Hard Hat Hank and the Sky-High Solution, illustrated by Brian Biggs, is releasing in February on the inaugural Disney Planet Possible list, and it’s a very kid-friendly construction book with a focus on eco-friendly building.
And I just welcomed a new client who has a gorgeous literary text that I can’t wait to take on submission.
RVC: Thanks for the updates, Sam. But prepare yourself because it’s now time for the Speed Round. Rocket-fast questions and racecar-quick answers. Ready?
SF: Ready!
RVC: Your go-to snack when reading submissions?
SF: Black licorice.
RVC: If animals could talk, which animal would be the most annoying?
SF: My cat, Paprika, who can already be the most annoying. I shudder to think what she’d say if she could talk. It probably wouldn’t be very nice.
RVC: What’s one thing you couldn’t do your job without?
SF: My awesome colleagues. The women at JGLM are absolute stars—so helpful, and wise, and kind.
RVC: What’s one word every picture book needs?
SF: “The” (although I imagine there are picture books without it!)
RVC: Last picture book that truly made you LOL?
SF: I Quit! by Kristen Tracy, illustrated by Federico Fabiani—the illustration of the cat sticking her face through a loaf of bread makes me laugh every time!
RVC: Your picture book philosophy (or agenting philosophy) in 3 words?
SF: Trust your gut!
RVC: Thanks so much, Sam!