Guidelines for Submitting Proposals

Magination Press publishes psychology-based books covering a broad range of topics of concern to children. These include everyday situations, such as starting school and the growing family, as well as more serious psychological, clinical, or medical problems, such as divorce, depression, anxiety, asthma, attention disorders, bullying, death, and more.

The purpose of each Magination Press book is to provide:

• age-appropriate information on the topic
• identification and understanding of the child's feelings
• practical ideas for coping with and/or resolving the problem and its attendant emotions

Magination Press books are distinguished by their psychological and emotional accuracy and complexity. We are as interested in the child's inner experience of the problem as its practical resolution. We want to see the evolution of the child's feelings, expressed in his or her thoughts. There should be no magical solutions but a realistic working-out of the problem and an emotional coming to terms with it.

The coping and resolution suggestions must also be comprehensive. We are not interested in proposals that offer a single, albeit charming or clever, solution.

We publish several types of books:

• Picture books for children up to age 8
• Illustrated readers for children ages 8 to 12
• Interactive books, usually for school-age children
• Nonfiction books for older children

We do not publish parenting books.

Many of our books are written by Ph.D. psychologists or other mental health professionals. Although credentials in the mental health field are not a requirement, the author should have expertise in the topic area.

All of our picture books include a comprehensive Note to Parents on the subject of the book, written by a doctoral-level psychologist. When the author of the story is not a psychologist, Magination Press commissions the writing of the Note.

Proposals submitted to Magination Press should include the following components:

• Brief synopsis. Provide a brief summary of the story. Be sure to specify the psychological issue or situation you are addressing.
• Complete manuscript. We do not accept proposals on the basis of a query letter or partial manuscript.
• Audience. Specify the intended age of the child reader, and the situations and uses you envision for the book.
• Market.
  • What need does the book fill?
  • What are the benefits to its readers?
  • What are the other books available on this topic, and how is yours different and better?
  • Is this book aimed at a school market? Therapists? Parents? Medical doctors? Other markets? All of the above?
  Please describe as thoroughly as possible.
• Author's credentials. Include a resume or curriculum vitae.
• Art work. We select illustrators and direct the art for our books. It is not necessary to submit dummy books or sample illustrations. However, if an illustration is telling part of the story, be sure to include a sketch or a description of the art in the manuscript. If you know an illustrator you might like to work with, you may include samples. If you are the illustrator as well as the author, please include art samples.
• Self-addressed stamped envelope. Include an SASE for our reply. If you wish to receive your materials back, you MUST stamp the envelope with sufficient postage for its return. Otherwise, we will dispose of it.

Please note: We do not accept manuscripts by e-mail or on disk.

All proposals should be sent to the following address:

Acquisitions
Magination Press
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

You will receive a postcard acknowledgment within four weeks indicating that we have received your materials.