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Our 2026 Editor Mentors!
ARIEL RICHARDSON
SENIOR EDITOR
Chronicle Books
2026 Picture Book Mentor
Ariel Richardson is a Senior Editor in Children's at Chronicle Books in San Francisco. She is a versatile bookmaker, working at the intersection of art and impact. She’s had demonstrated successes, from Invisible Things debuting on the New York Times bestseller list to Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration winning the Robert F. Sibert Medal and Bologna Ragazzi Award. She has worked at three independent bookstores on two coasts, and has a masters degree in Children’s Literature from Simmons University.
IVAN TAURISANO
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
First Second: Macmillan
2026 Middle Grade Mentor
Ivan Taurisano was born in Rome, Italy, and moved to the United States a decade ago to pursue a children’s book publishing career. He has an MA in Children’s Literature, and an MFA in Writing for Children. He started his career at Sourcebooks as an Editorial Assistant, then moved on to become an Assistant Editor. His responsibilities included developing children’s board books, picture books, and graphic novels, as well as acquiring board books and picture books. As Associate Editor, Entertainment Publishing and Content Development at Abrams, Ivan has worked on all formats and partnered with many successful series and brands, including How to Catch, Little Heroes Big Hearts, Sesame Street, Disney, Tokidoki, and Pokémon. Currently, Ivan lives in New York and works at Macmillan, First Second Books as an Associate Editor. In this role, he focuses on children’s and YA graphic novels.
FOYINISI ADEGBONMIRE
EDITOR
Feiwel & Friends: Macmillan
2026 Young Adult Mentor
Foyinsi Adegbonmire is an Editor at Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. She acquires Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction, and is open to coming-of-age, mystery, romance, and fantasy, while enjoying lighthearted stories with conversational narrative voices. She was named a PW Star Watch Honoree and her acquisitions include Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao, and The Beanstalk Murder by P.G. Bell. When not reading or thinking about her very large TBR, she can be found watching people react to her favorite media, or doomscrolling on TikTok (@Foyinsi_Pub). More info on her tastes can be found at manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/foyinsi-adegbonmire/
LEAH MOL
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Park Row: Harper Collins
2026 Adult Fiction Mentor
Leah Mol is an editor at Park Row Books, where she acquires a diverse list of fiction and narrative nonfiction. She's also an award-winning short story writer and novelist. She lives in Toronto.
JENNY XU
SENIOR EDITOR
Atria: Simon & Schuster
2026 Adult Non-Fiction Mentor
Jenny Xu is a Senior Editor at Atria Books. She began her career at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and was most recently an Editor at Harper and Ecco. Jenny acquires a broad range of literary and commercial nonfiction and the occasional poetry collection and novel, with a particular focus on illuminating more overlooked aspects of history and culture, and work that balances the personal with broader narratives.
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