Kandace Coston (she/her) is the associate editor at Lee & Low Books, an independent, multicultural children’s book publisher.

She grew up in the Bronx, New York, where she spent weekends reading stories and writing her own. After graduating from Barnard College, Columbia University, she won an internship grant from We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit organization that advocates for change in the publishing industry, and joined the Lee & Low team. She continues her work with WNDB as the alumnx manager on their internship grants committee.

Kandace is passionate about diversifying the publishing industry through the projects she edits and the creators she works with on those projects. She enjoys collaborating with new writers and illustrators, and helping their stories grow into published picture books. Professionally and personally, Kandace loves strong female protagonists as well as any story that can make her laugh.

Learn more about Lee & Low Books here and We Need Diverse Books here.

Kandace’s Manuscript Wishlist
Kandace is looking to acquire nonfiction and fiction picture-book manuscripts. With regards to nonfiction, she is interested in well-written, well-researched biographies about groundbreaking women of color, especially women in STEM. For fiction, Kandace is looking for slice-of-life stories that feature BIPOC characters enjoying nature and living in diverse communities. She’s drawn to quirky protagonists who use humor and creativity to solve their problems. She’s also interested in poetry collections—thematic or narrative—that feature vivid imagery and a fresh voice written for either picture book or middle grade audiences. Kandace welcomes rhyming stories, but the rhyme must be impeccable and fun to read aloud.

I do not accept unagented submissions. Please do not send your manuscript to me or ask for feedback through my contact form or via social media.

Agents: Please check out my editor profile on the Lee & Low website for more information on what I am and am not looking for. (Link to webpage forthcoming!)