Interested in working with us?

Barnacle Editions, an imprint of Chatwin Books, is currently accepting submissions of original works for middle-grade readers. 

One book selected for publication will be awarded the $1,000 Mary Camezon Prize for Books That Inspire Young Readers. To learn more about this award, click here.

A bit about us:

Barnacle Editions is dedicated to publishing books that encourage kids to read for fun! We publish books for middle-grade and a little beyond (ages 6-14). All Barnacle Edition’s books are printed exclusively in Seattle on paper that is sustainably produced and FSC certified. We distribute our books to schools, libraries and bookstores through Asterism Books–the fastest growing small-press distributor in North America.

Fiction. Non-Fiction. Graphic Novels. There is a place for all of it at Barnacle Editions. We value books that weave in historical elements, social themes, environmental topics, and cultural diversity. We are interested in contemporary themes, even if the setting is historical. We’re looking for original stories with motivated characters and high stakes. 

We welcome books that are created by or address historically underrepresented communities. We are interested in working with authors and illustrators who are just as committed to the books they create as they are to sharing them with readers. Successful marketing is the result of a meaningful relationship between house and author. We work with our authors to identify opportunities for them to connect with their audience, then, we help organize events; promoting book sales and increasing brand awareness. 

Middle grade novels should be somewhere in the ballpark of 20,000 – 50,000 words. We will not accept manuscripts that exceed 50,000 words.

Barnacle Editions only considers unsolicited manuscripts during our open submission windows. We do not require exclusive submissions. We do not accept unfinished manuscripts. We will only consider a work one time. Please only submit a finished work, ready for publication.

Please submit your first chapter and cover letter using the submissions portal linked below.

Note* If you are the author and illustrator of this piece and intend on publishing your work with illustrations, please include at least three illustrations with your manuscript.

Submission Guidelines

Authors should submit cover letters in the same document as the first chapter of the manuscript. This must be a single PDF. Please attach the cover letter and first chapter of the manuscript saved as TITLE__LAST NAME.

The Cover Letter

The cover letter must be attached to the manuscript as ONE PDF. It should include:

• A brief description of the story.

• Short bio of the author, mentioning publishing history or relevant background information.

• Two to three sentences telling us the inspiration for your story.

• The reading comprehension level of your story. Please use this free tool to analyze the reading level.

• Choose two recent books similar to your book and explain how yours is different.

• Contact information.

The Manuscript

• Manuscripts should be attached to the cover letter and saved as ONE PDF (containing both the cover letter and manuscript).

• Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced.

The Nuts and Bolts

Due to the volume of submissions, we will only be responding to manuscripts we are interested in pursuing. One work that is selected for publication will be awarded the Mary Camezon Prize for Books That Inspire Young Readers. A short list will be announced in early 2025 and the award winner will be announced in spring of 2025.

Please submit using our form linked here. Submissions close November 15, 2024.