Kelly Dyksterhouse An agent with The Tobias Literary Agency (see other agents at this agency). About Kelly holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults for Vermont College of Fine Arts and got her start in agenting by working as an editorial reader and assistant at leading literary agencies. She joined The Tobias Literary Agency with the merger of Raven Quill Literary Agency in 2022 and is excited to help grow TLA’s Children’s Department.Kelly considers the opportunity to help bring books into existence to be a great honor, and it is a particular joy for her to work alongside authors as they develop their project from idea to polished manuscript. The best feeling of all is when those manuscripts end up as books in the hands of children. Her agenting style is collaborative and editorial, and she always seeks to refine a manuscript so that the author is telling the story they most want to tell in the best way possible.Kelly represents picture books, middle grade and young adult, both fiction and nonfiction, as well as graphic novels. She also represents illustrators. Country United States AI Policy Unknown AI policy Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed She is drawn to high concept stories with high level writing, books that can be described in one sentence that bring something new to shelves—children’s books should be both fun to read and say something important. She passionately believes that all kids should be able to see themselves in books, and so is always on the lookout for diverse perspectives.She is actively building her middle grade and young adult list. For middle grade, she loves books with ensemble casts, books about good kids making bad decisions and then having to get themselves out of it, quests and hijinks, spooky stories and mysteries, and historical novels that feel relevant.For YA, Kelly is looking for much of the same, and is drawn to books with atmospheric settings, lush writing, and books with romance threaded through but not the primary plot. She is particularly interested in middle grade and young adult fantasy told from a unique perspective, ghost stories, accessible sci-fi, magical realism, contemporary stories that challenge assumptions and ask hard questions, and she will forever be on the lookout for a good heist.Audience:Children, Middle grades, Young adults.Genres: General Subgenre: Magic Realism Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism Science Fiction Open to all/most SubgenresLengths: NovelStyles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Submissions:Method: QueryTracker. Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed Audience:Children, Middle grades, Young adults.Lengths: BookStyles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Submissions:Method: QueryTracker. 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:Instagram @kellydhouseX (Twitter) @kellydhouseBluesky @thetobiasagency.bsky.socialFacebook FacebookInstagram @thetobiasliteraryagency 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. Kelly Dyksterhouse 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. We have not received any submission reports for this listing in the past 12 months. Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Other Agents at this AgencyDanai ChristopoulouSarah N. FiskLane HeymontNatascha MorrisMaria Rogers DNQStefanie RossittoHB Steadham DNQ 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: 10 Sep 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