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I have a book idea based on need. There are a multitude of books for pre-teens on growing up and the changes of puberty. The market for exceptional kids has even grown to a bunch of great books for Asperger's, how to read people's faces, help guides for how to get along...making friends, easy checklists...wash your hair, brush your teeth, remember deodorant, have your clothes right for the weather.

But I have an idea for a simple guide for girls about puberty. The books for the average girl are all flowers and wordy. I think there would be a market for exceptional girls who need a simple picture book with simple illustrations. But which publishers might I approach? First thought is Scholastic but does anyone know some others?

Random House, HarperCollins, Little Brown and Company, Penguin. If you look on the New York times best seller list, most of these appear several times, and not just in the children's section either. There's more but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

P.S.: Is the idea actually a book?

Most publishing agencies won't just accept ideas and illustrations from an author without a literary agent. It's the literary agents job to pitch the idea for you to as many publishing companies as they can because of this (so ask for one with credibility to help you by querying them). Whatever company offers the most to the agent (for you)--or in some cases whatever company offers (because not all agents can get the book sold)--then the agent sells it to that company.

They get 10% of what you've made from the check the company gives you after you've sold the book, but it has to be complete. Literary agents don't want to represent ideas, more like completed work so make sure that if they ask for an exclusive that your idea is on paper. I do know that most authors don't get to illustrate their own novels, just like they don't get to choose their own book covers. It'd be a blessing if you could.

I think the only time a publishing agency will accept a pitch would be if an employee higher in staff pitched it.

I hope this helped.