Brenda Bowen An agent with The Book Group (see other agents at this agency). About Brenda Bowen represents authors and artists of books for young readers from preschool to young adult; she also represents some adult titles: fiction, humor, and cookbooks. Her clients have won the MacArthur Fellowship; the Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor; the Caldecott Medal and Caldecott Honor; the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent; the Sibert Medal; the Stonewall Award; the Geisel Honor; the William C. Morris Honor; the New York Times Best Illustrated Book prize; the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal; as well as many other awards and citations. Brenda’s clients have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, and have been translated around the globe; she represents Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony-Award winners; career authors and artists; and newcomers making their debuts. She can’t decide which she loves more: a bold picture book, a lyrical middle-grade novel, or a sweeping work of historical fiction.Brenda has the unusual advantage of having seen publishing from all sides. As well as being an agent, she was a children’s book publisher for many years; she’s an award-winning author of some forty books for children; she’s written one novel for adults, and is at work on another. She lives with her family in New York City, and spends August in a cottage in Maine, where the menu almost always includes blueberry corn muffins. This agent may not respond to all queries. After waiting 90 days, assume your submission will not be accepted. Country & Year Established United States Agent since 2009 Professional Associations Member of AALA AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Fiction Open Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults.Genres: General Subgenre: HistoricalLengths: NovelStyles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Submissions:Method: Email. Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to agent's webpage Report: Submission/Query Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Facebook FacebookInstagram @thebookgrpX (Twitter) @thebookgrp For the Agent: Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Agent Impersonation Scams are becoming commonplace.A legitimate agent will not contact you and request money to represent you. Never pay an agent an up-front fee. That is not how literary agent representation works. Agents earn a commission only after they've landed a publishing deal for you. Also, agents scarcely ever contact writers. If an agent that you haven't queried contacts you about representation, be suspicious. Look up the agent and check if the email address is correct for that agent/agency. Brenda Bowen Submission Statistics The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the agency or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics. Filter: Category: Group by submission Include outliers Include other agents at the same agency Accuracy: We have not received any complete reports within the past 12 months. Pending 1 response is pending (52 days waiting). This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information The agent will try to make a decision within 90 days. This agent may not respond to all queries. After waiting the time indicated above, assume your submission will not be accepted. Work submitted to this agent was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted by this agent also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Other Agents at this AgencyJulie BarerFaye BenderBrettne BloomJamie CarrSophie CuddCaitlin O'ShaughnessyRebecca Stead DNQElisabeth Weed Before SubmittingWe cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the agent or agency being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the agent/agency meets your standards.Always read the full guidelines provided by the agency/agent.Unless the agency's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.For agency submissions, it is standard to submit a query letter and sample instead of the full manuscript. Do this unless otherwise instructed.Be professional, patient, and persistent. DatesLast Updated: 16 Jul 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only