Become a PJ Library or PJ Our Way Author or Illustrator

PJ Library is available to families who are raising Jewish children between the ages of 6 months and 11 years all across North America. They come from many backgrounds -- some are intermarried, some have little or no formal Jewish learning, some attend a synagogue and celebrate Jewish holidays, and others may be unfamiliar with Jewish practice all together. We love that about PJ Library.

As the Book Selection Committee reviews books and manuscripts ages 6 months-8 years, it asks:

• Is this story suited for children between the ages of six months and eight years?
• Is the text (and illustrations, if available) engaging for young children and their parents?
• Is the content appropriate to the PJ Library mission? Does the book contain a message of strong Jewish values?
• Will children want to return to this book again and again?
• Does the book reflect historical Jewish life, contemporary Jewish life, or some valuable aspect of the Jewish experience?
• Will this book prompt family discussions about Jewish topics and lead families to consider making Jewish choices?

Due to the age of its participants, PJ Library does not send out reference books, books that deal with the Holocaust, or books that deal with the death or end-of-life of a loved one. PJ Library also does not send out workbooks or activity books as part of its regular monthly mailings. However, because of the older age of its readers, PJ Our Way will send out books of this type.
Below you’ll find the content framework, an overview of the topics included in PJ Library, book ideas that we’d love to see, and PJ Our Way content needs.

PJ Library Content Framework
PJ Library: Book ideas for ages 6 months-8 years
PJ Our Way: Book Ideas for kids ages 9 through 11

Submissions for PJ Library (ages 6 months through 8 years):

Books or manuscripts that meet our criteria may be submitted for review. All submissions must be made electronically by sending a PDF or Word document to submissions@pjlibrary.org. Agents submitting on an author’s behalf may send materials to agentsubmissions@pjlibrary.org. PJ Library does not accept submissions of hard copies.

In the body of your submission email, along with the title of your submission(s), please send complete contact information, including name, address, email address and phone number. Please do not include contact information on the submission itself. An email acknowledging receipt of the book or manuscript will be sent to the submitter within ten business days.

If the committee would like to discuss a book or manuscript further, the Book Selection Committee chair will contact the submitter to discuss next steps.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the high volume of submissions received, we are able to contact only those authors whose book or manuscript the committee would like to discuss further. Beginning with manuscripts and books received on or after November 1, 2018, all submitters who included a mailing address in their submission email will receive a letter informing them of the Book Selection Committee’s decision. At this time, most reviews take place within 12 weeks of the submission. We regret that we are unable to answer queries regarding the status of a submission.

Submissions for PJ Our Way (ages 9 through 11):

You can find PJ Our Way submission guidelines for books or manuscripts geared towards older kids here. 

Author Incentive Award (AIA)

For each new board book, picture book, and early chapter reader submitted to PJ Library after July 22, 2016 that is accepted by the Book Selection Committee for use in our program, we will present the author with $2,000 as our way of showing appreciation for contributing to the PJ Library mission. Additionally, the PJ Our Way AIA for middle-grade manuscripts is $5,000. For middle-grade manuscripts, authors can submit the first three chapters and outline for consideration for a partial, $2,000 incentive to help complete the book. These awards are truly awards – they are separate from and in addition to any monies received by the author from a publisher.

Stories may be submitted by anyone, including authors, agents, and publishers. Multiple stories by one author are eligible. The only disqualifying factor is if the story is already available in the trade market or has previously been considered by PJ Library’s Book Selection Committee – that is to say, it must be new.

Tent: Children’s Literature

PJ Library is proud to sponsor Tent: Children's Literature, a weeklong retreat for emerging and midcareer writers and illustrators of Jewish picture books, early chapter books, and middle-grade fiction. Emerging and midcareer creators spend a week at the Yiddish Book Center reading and writing, workshopping new projects, and talking about craft and the history of Jewish storytelling. The program offers intensive, multi-day workshops led by prominent critics and editors, as well as seminars on Jewish history, literature, and cultural materials. For more information and to apply, visit the Tent: Children's Literature Author Retreat program page.

PLEASE NOTE: the application period for the 2019 session is closed.

Author Israel Adventure

PJ Library and PJ Our Way are thrilled to offer an all-expenses paid Israel experience to inspire accomplished children’s and middle-grade authors to bring Israel and Jewish ideas into their writing. For more information, visit the Author Israel Adventure page.

PLEASE NOTE: the application period for the 2019 trip is closed.

Children's Book Workshop for Visual Storytellers: Exploring Jewish Themes and Content

Every month PJ Library mails out more than 200,000 picture books and middle-grade books for children ages 6 months to 11 that focus on Jewish themes, subjects, and values. This summer, PJ Library is sponsoring a week-long intensive workshop to help eight visual storytellers create a draft of a children’s book or graphic novel.

The workshop will be held at The Center for Cartoon Studies in beautiful downtown White River Junction, Vermont and taught by CCS cofounder James Sturm and other CCS faculty. In addition, we’ll hear from book agents, scholars, and publishers.

Admitted participants receive scholarships for the full cost of tuition, lodging and special events, as well as travel and food stipends.

1. What is PJ Library?
   PJ Library, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, is a Jewish family engagement program made possible through partnerships with philanthropists and local Jewish organizations. Each month PJ mails free Jewish children’s books to its participants ages 6 months through 8 years.

    

2. I have a manuscript/book. Does PJ Library accept submissions from authors?
   Yes! We accept submissions of Jewish-themed manuscripts and books for children through age 8 from authors, illustrators, agents, and publishers. Most of our submissions come directly from authors.

    

3. How do I submit to PJ Library?
   Books and manuscripts should be submitted to PJ Library electronically by emailing  an attached Word document or PDF to submissions@pjlibrary.org. Please note that we do not accept hard copy submissions from authors and agents. Stories submitted via third party websites such as WeTransfer, Hightail, Dropbox, etc., cannot be accepted. If your submission is too large to email as an attachment, we suggest reducing both the size and resolution of the file. For submission instructions, please reference the "Submit Your Manuscript/Book" section on this website. Within several days of submitting your book or manuscript, you will receive an email acknowledging its receipt.

    

4. Do I need to include a cover letter with my submission?
   A cover letter isn’t necessary. It’s important to include contact information, and if there’s something that you feel PJ needs to know in order to consider your submission properly, you may add a short note to the body of your email.

    

5. Does my manuscript submission need illustrations in order to be considered by PJ?
   No. Manuscript submissions do not need to include illustrations. The majority of manuscript submissions do not include illustrations. Illustrations will be handled by the publisher once a manuscript reaches that point.

    

6. I’m an illustrator. Is there work available for me through PJ Library?
   PJ Library welcomes manuscripts from author-illustrators through our regular submission process. At this time, PJ Library does not accept submissions of illustrations only.

    

7. Are submissions blind?
   Yes. When Book Selection Committee (BSC) members review a manuscript, they do not know the identity of the author. This is to ensure that each manuscript is judged solely on the quality of its content.

    

8. Can I submit my manuscript to publishers at the same time I submit to PJ?
   Yes. PJ Library also accepts submissions of already-published works as well as manuscripts.

    

9. What is PJ Publishing?
   PJ Library has its own imprint that specializes in producing books for our programs. PJ Publishing has developed an expertise in board books and special projects. Manuscripts accepted by our Book Selection Committee without an existing publisher are automatically reviewed by PJ Publishing. Manuscripts can’t be submitted solely for PJ Publishing consideration; all manuscripts are submitted in the same way and go through the same selection process.

    

10. Do I need an agent in order to work with PJ Library?
    Absolutely not! While we are pleased to work with agents, the great majority of PJ authors don’t have an agent.

     

11. How long is the PJ process of considering a submission?
    PJ currently receives 70-75 submissions every month! Giving each manuscript the attention it deserves is time-consuming; the time from submission to the committee’s determination is currently about 12 weeks.

     

12. Will I hear from PJ about my submission?
    All submissions receive an email acknowledgement within several days of receipt. Due to the high volume of submissions received, we are able to contact only those authors whose book or manuscript is selected for further discussion. At this time, most reviews take place within 12 weeks of receipt of the manuscript or book. We respectfully ask that authors and agents do not contact PJ Library to check the status of a submission.

     

13. What happens once PJ’s Book Selection Committee accepts my manuscript?
    When a submission is accepted, the chair of the Book Selection Committee contacts the author to share the good news and discuss next steps. Generally, this involves deciding which publishers will be offered the project and how that will be accomplished. The author may choose to “shop” the manuscript her/himself; if the author has an agent, the agent may submit to publishers. Often the chair of the BSC makes submissions to publishers on behalf of the author.

     

14. Is my manuscript eligible for PJ Library’s Author Incentive Award?
    All manuscripts submitted to PJ Library after July 22, 2016 are eligible for PJ Library’s Author Incentive Award (AIA) after acceptance by the Book Selection Committee, provided they meet PJ Library’s guidelines. Manuscripts do not need to be submitted specifically for the AIA, since all manuscript submissions to PJ Library will be considered for this award.

     

15. How will I be paid for my book in the PJ Library line-up?
    Authors and illustrators are paid directly by the publishing house. PJ Library isn’t involved in author/publisher contract negotiations, the contracts themselves, or payment to authors and illustrators.

     

16. How many words does my manuscript need to be?
    Your book needs to be the right number of words for you to tell your story! PJ Library sends out many types of books, including board books, picture books, and early reader chapter books. We do not have a set word length but encourage authors to look to other published books in those formats for guidance.

     

17. I can’t decide whether to keep one of the characters in the story I’m writing. Where can I go for help?
    Writing a children’s book is an art, but it’s one often done with the support of others. To help support authors, PJ Library partners with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the international professional organization for writers and illustrators of children’s literature. Their more than 70 regional chapters around the world provide conferences, critique groups, and networking. Check them out for more information.

     

18. How can I find out topics PJ Library currently needs and if my book idea is of interest?
    One way is to go to the PJ Library website. You’ll find the PJ Library Content Framework, which is an overview of the topics included throughout the program. You’ll also find two lists, one for ages 6 months through 3 years, the other for ages 4 through 8 with regularly-updated book ideas that are of current interest to the committee. These are by no means comprehensive, but meant to be a starting point for potential book topics.

     

19. Are there opportunities for authors and illustrators to learn more about PJ Library and keep up-to-date with what’s happening?
    Yes! Sign up for PJ Library's quarterly newsletter for authors and illustrators to learn about exciting professional opportunities (such as Tent, held in collaboration with the Yiddish Book Center, and the upcoming Author Israel Experience). You can also check out PJ’s blog for activities, interviews, and more.

     

20. I have a manuscript meant for children older than 8. Can I still submit it to PJ Library?
    Not quite! Our sister program, PJ Our Way (PJOW), accepts manuscript submissions for kids ages 8.5-12. Please visit the PJ Our Way submission page for more information.

     

Sign up for PJ Library's quarterly newsletter.

PJ Our Way (PJOW) is our sister program for children ages 9-11.

To learn more about submitting middle grade manuscripts to PJOW, please visit the PJOW author page. If you are writing a book for ages 7-10 and don’t know whether to submit to PJ Library or PJOW, don’t worry. The programs work closely together and share manuscript inquiries with each other.