Independent publishing company
Charlesbridge
Children's, Diverse and BIPOC voices, Fiction
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Charlesbridge
Charlesbridge has paused its open children's submissions program, with no reopening date as of October 2026. When open, it reads picture books to young adult by email from January to June.
Charlesbridge publishes children’s books from Watertown, Massachusetts, from board books and picture books to middle grade and young adult through Charlesbridge Teen. It publishes fiction and nonfiction for young readers.
Right now Charlesbridge is pausing its open submissions program, and it gives no date to restart. In past years the window ran from January to June. We check its page every month and will update this profile when it reopens.
What Charlesbridge is looking for
- Board books, picture books and early readers
- Middle grade fiction and nonfiction
- Young adult through Charlesbridge Teen
Publishes
- Children's
- Diverse and BIPOC voices
- Fiction
- Independent
- Middle grade
- Nonfiction
- Picture book
- Young adult
Readers
- Board book
- Early reader and chapter book
- Middle grade
- Picture book
- Young adult
How to submit to Charlesbridge
From its own guidelines- Check the Charlesbridge submissions page for news that the program has reopened.
- When it is open, email one manuscript at a time as a Word or PDF file during January to June.
- Send short books in full. For longer books, follow its rules on synopsis, outline and sample chapters.
- If you hear nothing after six months, it has no place for the project.
Is Charlesbridge right for your book?
A good fit if
You have a children's manuscript ready and can wait for the program to reopen, or you have an agent.
Look elsewhere if
- Alphabet, coloring, activity or novelty books
- Text or art made with AI
- Mailed manuscripts
- Adult books for its Imagine imprint
Charlesbridge imprints
Which take submissions| Imprint | Direct submissions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Charlesbridge (children's) | No | Open children's submissions program paused; usual window January-June via childrens.submissions@charlesbridge.com |
| Charlesbridge Teen | No | YA ages 12+; usual address ya.submissions@charlesbridge.com; covered by the paused program |
| Imagine | No | Adult imprint (nonfiction, cookbooks, puzzle books); not accepting submissions |
| Charlesbridge Moves | Not stated | Listed as imprint; no submission guidance |
Questions about Charlesbridge
Is Charlesbridge accepting submissions?
No. As of October 2026 Charlesbridge is pausing its open children's submissions program and gives no date to reopen. Illustrators can still send art samples. We recheck the submissions page every month and will update this profile when the program returns.
When does Charlesbridge usually accept manuscripts?
When its program is running, Charlesbridge accepts manuscripts from January to June by email. Picture books and other short books go in full; longer fiction and nonfiction need a synopsis or proposal, an outline and sample chapters. Young adult goes to a separate address.
What does Charlesbridge not want?
Charlesbridge is not looking for alphabet books, coloring books, activity books or novelty books. It will not consider text or art generated by AI, and it does not accept mailed manuscripts. Its adult imprint, Imagine, is closed to submissions. Check its guidelines again when the children's program reopens.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
