Independent publishing company
Albert Whitman & Company
Children's, Fiction, Independent
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Albert Whitman
Albert Whitman & Company has an open submissions policy for unagented authors. Email picture books, middle grade or young adult manuscripts with a cover letter. Simultaneous submissions are fine, and silence after six months means no.
Albert Whitman & Company has published children’s books since 1919 and is based in Park Ridge, Illinois. It publishes picture books for ages 1 to 8, middle grade fiction and young adult novels.
Albert Whitman reads manuscripts from authors without an agent, by email. It asks for a short pitch, a bio and up to three comparable titles from the last five years. Picture book writers do not need illustrations, and art is reviewed separately from the text.
What Albert Whitman is looking for
- Picture books, fiction or nonfiction, up to 1,000 words
- Middle grade fiction up to 35,000 words
- Young adult novels up to 70,000 words
Publishes
- Children's
- Fiction
- Independent
- Middle grade
- Nonfiction
- Picture book
- Young adult
Readers
- Middle grade
- Picture book
- Young adult
How to submit to Albert Whitman
From its own guidelines- Check your word count against its limits for your category.
- Write the cover letter in the email: a short pitch, a bio and up to three comparable titles from the last five years.
- Attach the manuscript as a Word or PDF file and use the subject line format on its guidelines page.
- If you hear nothing in six months, it has passed.
Is Albert Whitman right for your book?
A good fit if
You have a finished children's or teen manuscript within its word limits and can name recent comparable books.
Look elsewhere if
You want to mail your manuscript or skip its email format. Albert Whitman will not review submissions that do not follow its guidelines.
Questions about Albert Whitman
Does Albert Whitman accept unagented submissions?
Yes. Albert Whitman & Company has an open submissions policy for unagented authors. Email your picture book, middle grade or young adult manuscript with a cover letter in the body of the email, using the subject line format on its guidelines page. Include a phone number with your contact details.
What are Albert Whitman's word count limits?
Albert Whitman takes picture books of up to 1,000 words for ages 1 to 8, middle grade fiction of up to 35,000 words and young adult novels of up to 70,000 words. Middle grade and young adult submissions also need a synopsis or chapter summary.
How long does Albert Whitman take to respond?
Albert Whitman says that if you have not heard back within six months, it has passed on your manuscript. Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are fine, so you can keep sending your work while you wait. Tell Albert Whitman if another publisher makes an offer.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
