Penguin Young Readers
Polo Orozco, Senior Editor
Polo Orozco is a Senior Editor at G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. He acquires YA, middle grade, and graphic novels, and he’s drawn to stories that are highly entertaining, remarkably imaginative, and wholly human. At Putnam, Polo works with authors including Aislinn Brophy, Kyla Zhao, and #1 New York…
Read MoreMeriam Metoui, Assistant Editor
Meriam Metoui is an Assistant Editor who joined Viking Children’s Books in 2019 after several years in School & Library marketing (PYR) and adult editorial (Hachette). After graduating from the University of Michigan, she moved to New York and received a master’s degree in English literature from Hunter College. She considers herself a serial hobbyist…
Read MoreMonique Sterling, Senior Designer
Monique Sterling, senior designer at Philomel Books, joined the team in 2019. She holds a BFA in graphic design from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a minor in communication design. Before making the pivot to children’s publishing, she worked as a freelancer and full-time designer in several industries, including print, online education, advertising, marketing/promo,…
Read MoreGnesis Villar, Editorial Assistant
Editorial Assistant Gnesis Villar joined Kokila in June 2021. Previously, she wrote reviews for the children’s department at Publisher’s Weekly, in addition to interning at Macmillan, Laura Dail Literary Agency, and Dial Books for Young Readers. She is a native New Yorker raised on cartoons, unlimited Internet access, and R-rated horror movies. She graduated from…
Read MoreTalia Benamy, Editor
Talia Benamy, editor at Philomel Books, joined Penguin Random House as an editorial assistant in 2013. She graduated with a BA in English from Cornell University. Talia is the editor of Cramm This Book: So You Know WTF Is Going On in the World Today by Olivia Seltzer, My Love for You Is Always by…
Read MoreJill Santopolo, Vice President & Publisher
Jill Santopolo is the vice president and publisher of Philomel. After seven years at HarperCollins, she joined Penguin Random House in 2009 and became associate publisher in 2018. She holds a BA in English literature from Columbia University and an MFA in writing for children from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Jill is best…
Read MoreClaire Tattersfield, Assistant Editor
Claire Tattersfield is an assistant editor at Viking Children’s Books and Flamingo Books. She began her career at Penguin Young Readers in 2019 after graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in political science and global studies and a minor in Spanish. She supports Flamingo and Viking with picture books and a dash…
Read MoreAneeka Kalia, Editor
Aneeka Kalia is an Editor at Viking Children’s Books, where she primarily focuses on picture books and graphic novels for all ages. The books that she works on often explore themes of home and community, and she’s worked with creators like Anoosha Syed, Bianca Xunise, Frank Morrison, and Scott Magoon. She loves a story with…
Read MoreGretchen Durning, Editor
Gretchen Durning is an Editor at G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. She works primarily on young adult and middle grade fiction. She’s edited titles such as the New York Times bestseller Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor, the internationally bestselling Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou, and These Deadly Prophecies by…
Read MoreMichelle Lee, Associate Editor
Michelle Lee (she/her) received her M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the New School before joining Dial in 2019 and is a junior mentor with the Representation Matters Mentorship Program. She acquires picture books, novels, and graphic novels, and is looking for stories that present the world through a clever lens, have…
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