Posts Tagged “writing for children”

Meet Carter Hasegawa, Literary and Illustration Agent

By on July 30, 2025   /   Articles, Editor / Agent Spotlight  
Literary and illustration agent Carter Hasegawa, dark hair, glasses, white beard, seated, wearing navy blue jacket and jeans

When Carter Hasegawa isn’t working on a new book project, you’ll probably find him spending time with his family, exploring new places, cooking, or playing with one of the Lego sets that has been patiently waiting for him to find some time to play. However, free time is not so easy to find these days.

After many years in the publishing industry, Carter has become an agent with Tugeau 2 Literary and Illustration Agency. This agency prides itself in focusing on “children’s publishing – board books, picture books, chapter books, graphics, and YA.” And with that focus, Carter is the perfect addition to their team.

SK: Carter, we’re so grateful you were able to spare some time for an interview. We’re all eager to learn a little more about you. Let’s start with a brief bio.

CH: Here’s who I am in a nutshell: I was born in Hawaii, grew up in Seattle, and moved to Boston in 2008. I was an editor at Candlewick Press for nearly 15 years. I loved it. My wife is amazing, and she works for the public library. We are raising two boys aged 5 and 3. I have a ridiculous amount of Lego sets that sit in the closet because I have no time to build them. 

SK: Would you say that your experience as an editor at Candlewick prepared you for life as a literary agent?

CH: I’ve only been an agent for a few months now, but I’m quickly realizing that most of what I do now I’ve been doing my entire career—working with authors, developing manuscripts, negotiating deals and contracts, mentoring, editing, networking, reading, asking questions, learning, being nosy, and so much more.

SK: So, agenting is a relatively new role for you. What excites you most about this role?

CH: When I first got into publishing as an editor, I think I had these romantic ideas of finding an unpublished author in the slush pile and developing their work into a mega bestseller. But the reality of being an editor – at least how it was done at my previous job – is that most of the books that you work on you don’t get to choose for yourself. They may be assigned to you via buy-ins from overseas publishers, or for the first 5-8 years of your career, you assist on projects that someone else acquired. And the books that you do sign need to be incredibly developed to make it through the acquisitions process. But as an agent, I get to work with authors at all stages in their careers. And I work on their manuscripts at different stages as well. Sometimes, we’re just doing some final edits before the book is ready to go out on submission. Others, we’re strategizing the next book idea the author should write.   

SK: If you could be described as a champion of any particular type of book, what type of book would that be?

CH: If you’ve heard me speak at all the past few years, you’ve heard me say this before. But I want a book that has teeth. That says something. Yes, I’m talking about books that address big ideas on race, class, gender, etc. But this is true for funny books about farting animals or humble giants, too. Each story needs to have a unique perspective and be told in a way that only you, the author, can tell it.

SK: Here at the Mixed-Up Files, we love middle grade. What is your favorite thing about middle-grade novels?

CH: I love the whole coming-of-age / new experience part of middle grade novels. I love seeing kids challenging their independence and finding their agency. But I also love the friendships and love for family that you see in the genre. 

SK: Which middle-grade book(s) influenced you most as a child?

CH: I never really stopped reading middle-grade, but some of the books that had a tremendous amount of influence on who I am and what I do are Maniac Magee, Frindle, Castle in the Attic, The Schwa Was Here, Wrinkle in Time, Wednesday Wars, the Harry Potter series, and the Chronicles of Narnia.

SK: These days, we’re all trying to figure out what’s next for this market. What is your best guess on where the middle-grade market is headed?

CH: This is truly a guess, but I imagine books about characters confronting a challenge (and winning), books that address fear and anxiety, speculative fiction, and maybe (recent) historical fiction from the last 20 years or so.

SK: Are you currently working on any projects that you’re excited about?

CH: Yes!!! I have a few things out on submission and some amazing novels and picture books in the pipeline that I cannot wait to share.

SK: Do you ever participate in pitch parties, and if so, what do you like about them?

CH: I’ve done tons of them as an editor and as an agent. I can say as an editor that I didn’t find them very useful. But as an agent I’ve had a lot of success with them. It’s a very quick and immediate way to get through tons of projects and narrow in on what you really want to read.

SK: Are you currently open to submissions? 

CH: Yes, but only through conferences and workshops. I’ll be open again on QueryTracker in September when I’ve hopefully been able to catch up on the 500 submissions that came in June.

SK: What are the top reasons you pass on a submission?

CH: Lack of voice and poor writing are the biggest reasons. Generic query letters that could be sent to anyone are also (usually) quickly declined.

SK: Where can authors learn more about you? 

CH: Facebook at Carter Hasegawa; Instagram and Bluesky @casahasegawa

Thank you, Carter, for a great interview! Good luck getting through those 500 submissions and the additional queries that will probably come from our readers. We wish you the best in your role as a literary and illustration agent at Tugeau 2, and we hope you’ll be able to find some time for those Lego sets in the near future!

 

Literary and illustration agent Carter Hasegawa, dark hair, glasses, white beard, seated, wearing navy blue jacket and jeans
Back to Top

STEAMTeamBooks — Check out this website for awesome steam-related books for kids

By on July 29, 2025   /   Articles, STEM Tuesday  
Steam Team Books
Steam Team Books

 

Happy 6th Anniversary to STEAMTeamBooks!

 

 

If you’re looking for some great new STEM/STEAM (Science, Technoloy, Engineering, Art and Math) and titles to add to your classroom or library this year? Look no further than STEAMTeamBooks.

What is STEAMTeamBooks? A group of 60+ children’s authors who are passionate about all things science and technology and have new books releasing in 2025– both nonfiction and fiction!

 

But there is even MORE information on our STEAMTeamBooks Website!

We have new STEM/STEAM books — both fiction and nonfiction– going back six years! 

 

 

Why have we created  STEAMTeamBooks?   It’s sometimes tough to get the word out about new books and even more difficult for teachers and librarians to discover them. That is why a lot of authors are teaming up to create debut groups, like this one. There are groups that highlight picture books and middle grade, but until now there hasn’t been a new release group dedicated solely to STEM and STEAM books.

Why are STEAM books so important?  STEAM-related books bring the spirit of inquiry, discovery, and creative problem-solving to your learners while engaging them in rich literacy experiences. ​

 

What are some of the books you can look forward to seeing? 

Here is a preview. These are the books from STEAMTeamBooks authors that are releasing in 2025.

 

STEAM Team Books Website page

 

To see more, visit the website www.STEAMTeamBooks.com 

Follow us on  Instagram and Bluesky at #STEAMTeamBooks

 

Look for us at many upcoming conferences (NSTA, ALA, ILA, NCTE, etc.)

Help us get the word out about STEAM/STEM books!

(And don’t forget to check out the Mixed Up Files very own STEMTuesday blog which will give you tips on how to use STEM/STEAM books in your classroom!) 

Back to Top

STEM Tuesday– Plants– Interview with Rebecca Hirsch

By on July 22, 2025   /   Plants, STEM Tuesday  

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!

Today we’re learning with Rebecca E. Hirsch, a science writer, educator, and author of more than 90 books for young people. Her 2024 book A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds is a delightful collection of science, folklore, true crime, quotes, and more, all about poisonous plants!

 

Andi Diehn: How did you get interested in poisonous plants? (Should we be worried?!)

Rebecca Hirsch: Great question! And there’s no need to worry, but now you’ve got me laughing! This book grew out of research I had done for a previous middle grade title, called When Plants Attack: Strange and Terrifying Plants. When I was researching that book and deciding what plants to feature in it,I came across a lot of poisonous plants. But poison wasn’t really the focus of that book, so I set most of those plants aside. Nevertheless, the seed had been planted. Several years later, I began to imagine writing a creepy, gothic book that looked at the science and history of poisonous plants.

 

AD: I love that you combine mythology, quotes, history, and science – why include all these elements?
RH: Poisonous plants have such fascinating back stories! People have long used these plants for medicine, as well as for darker acts like warfare and murder. As a science writer, I knew I wanted to share the science of these plants—facts about how and where they grow but also how they interact with and harm the human body.  But I made the decision to start each chapter with an intriguing historical quote and whatever dark and fascinating stories I could dig up. My goal was to entertain readers in addition to educating them. I wanted them to see how captivating and complex these plants are.
AD: Many poisonous plants are useful as well as deadly. Does this make botany even more interesting?

RH: Definitely! Most people think of plants as boring, kind of like green statuary. But plants are actively struggling to survive, like all living things. Plants have very effective ways of fighting back against anything or anyone that tries to eat them. In the botanical world, the most common self-defense tactic is poison. Plants are master chemists. They are very good at concocting nasty chemicals, and some of these chemicals can make animals and people very sick.

 

AD: The chemical explanation of how different poisons work is fascinating. Do you think poison loses some of its fear factor when we learn about why it does what it does?
RH: For me, learning about these poisons made them even more terrifying. It’s alarming to discover how the deadliest of nightshades—belladonna, for instance—can unleash havoc on our brains and bodies. Or how ricin from castor beans can act like a wrecking ball to our vital organs. Or the way cocaine or opium can hijack our brains and produce crippling addiction.
I do think the fear factor can be a good thing, because it can protect us. At least, that’s my hope. I repeatedly encourage readers to steer clear of nearly all of the plants in the book.

 

AD: In a way, this book redefined my definition of poison when I read about peppers. I eat peppers all the time and never thought of the hot ones as poisonous. How does this show that even things we encounter every day can be harmful in large quantities or if used wrong?

RH: Oh yes, chilies are definitely poisonous. These plants manufacture their poison—a chemical called capsaicin—as a way to prevent mammals, including humans, from eating their fruits (the peppers).

Here’s a personal anecdote about chilies: A number of years ago, my garden produced a bumper crop of jalapeños, and I decided to dice and freeze my harvest. One evening, I pulled out a sharp knife and a cutting board, and went to work on a pile of shiny green jalapeños. Foolishly, I did not wear rubber gloves. When I was finished, I had a heap of diced jalapeños—and poison all over my hands. My skin burned, especially under my fingernails. Then I rubbed my eye. Now my eye was stinging and watering. I soaked my hands in milk and yogurt—dairy products are a remedy—but it didn’t help. I ended up staying awake half the night, unable to sleep because of the pain.
By the way, jalapeños measure about 5,000 on the Scoville scale, a measure of chili hotness. One of the chilies mentioned in my book, a variety called Pepper X, has a Scoville rating of 2.7 million! Jalapeños are quite mild in comparison, but even they can be painful in large quantities!

 

AD:What is your research process like? How do you find all the great stories included in your book?

RH: I love the research process. I can get lost in it! My process is to start general and then get more specific. I usually begin with general internet searches, and I also track down books that are written for a general audience. I use the public library to find nonfiction books on my topic, and I use my library’s online research tools to track down magazine articles. When I’m reading a book, I’m flipping to the back pages constantly, studying the source notes and bibliography. I want to see what sources that author used in their own research, so I can follow up with any promising sources.

As I go deeper on my research, I start moving into more scholarly works. For A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants, those works included toxicology textbooks, scientific research on the action of poisons in the body, and scholarly books about the history of poisonous and medicinal plants. Google Scholar is my go-to place for tracking down scientific papers. My state university’s library system is where I find scholarly books. As I’m reading those scholarly papers and books, I’m also studying their bibliographies, and then I continue tracking down more sources.

 

AD: I love the artwork and design of the book. Did you have input or was that entirely up to Eugenia Nobati?

RH: I’m so glad you like it! The design was a part of the book concept from the beginning. When I pitched the idea to editor Shaina Olmainson, who was formerly at Zest Books at Lerner Publishing, she immediately got on board with my vision for the book having a creepy gothic vibe. Lerner’s design team also got behind the idea in a big way.

The Lerner team brought on Eugenia Nobati to illustrate. She had previously illustrated picture books for Lerner, but Eugenia also had experience creating darker, creepier art. Eugenia dove enthusiastically into the project. Her illustrations look like they had come out of an ancient laboratory notebook, with coffee rings and dark stains marking the pages.

 

AD:Do you have a favorite poison? (Not to use, but to learn about!) What is it and why?

RH: Mandrake was a lot of fun to write about. I had to force myself to stop working on that chapter and move on because I was so enchanted by that plant. It has such a rich and twisted folklore. In ancient and medieval times, people thought mandrake root resembled a naked body. They associated the plant with sexual potency and imagined that it had all sorts of magical powers.

 

AD: Did you find yourself being more careful about what you ate while writing this book?

RH: Truthfully, I’ve long been careful about what I eat. When I was a kid, I played outside an awful lot, and my parents impressed upon me never to nibble anything unfamiliar outdoors. When I was a teenager, I developed terrible food allergies, so that made me even more cautious. Alas, the chapter on allergies was written with a lot of firsthand experience.
I tried to pass along a sense of caution to my readers. Just because a plant is pretty or its berries look inviting, that does not mean it is safe to eat.

Rebecca Hircsh is an award-winning author of more than 90 books for young readers. Her books have been honored with a Riverby Award for Excellence in Nature Writing, a Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, a Green Earth Book Honor, and spots on many state reading lists. She studied biochemistry at the University of Massachusetts and molecular & cellular biology at the University of Wisconsin. She’s a member of the National Association of Science Writers, SCBWI, and The Poet’s Garage, a collective of professional children’s poets. Rebecca lives in Pennsylvania, where she regularly visit schools, sharing my love of science and the craft of writing.

 

Andi Diehn has written over 20 children’s science books, plus a picture book on mental health called MAMA’S DAYS from Reycraft Books. She works as a children’s book editor and marketer at Nomad Press and visits schools and libraries around the country to talk about science, poetry, mental wellness, and anything else kids want to know! Andi also works as a bookseller at her local indie in Vermont – The Norwich Bookstore – and lives in rural New Hampshire with her husband, three sons, and too many pets.

Back to Top