Susan Kochan, Senior Executive Editor

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Overview

G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers publishes approximately fifty books a year for children, from lively, accessible picture books to some of today’s strongest voices in fiction and nonfiction. We strive to publish a book for every reader (ages 0-18).

In 1838, George Palmer Putnam and John Wiley established the publishing house of Wiley & Putnam, which became known as G. P. Putnam’s Sons in 1872. One of the first children’s titles published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons was the 1925 Newbery Honor book Nicholas by Anne Carroll Moore. In 1936, Putnam merged with Coward McCann, bringing Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág to the list. In 1980, Eric Hill’s classic lift-the flap Where’s Spot? was published and became an international sensation. With the acquisition of Dodd, Mead’s juvenile division in 1989, Putnam welcomed one of its brightest stars—Jan Brett, whose picture books annually climb to the top of the bestseller list. Putnam is also the proud publisher of the beloved Goodnight, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann, published in 1994 and continuing to delight readers today.

Putnam is proud to have published Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson, winner of the Newbery Medal, the Caldecott Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book; The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, winner of the Caldecott Honor; La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, winner of the Pura BelpréAward for Illustration; Cornrows by Camille Yarbrough, illustrated by Carole Byard, winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration; Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Christian Robinson, winner of the Coretta Scott King Honor for Illustration; Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi, winner of the National Book Award; The Mitten by Jan Brett; Gladys the Magic Chicken by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Adam Rex; the Planet Omar series by Zanib Mian, illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik and Kyan Cheng; the Humphrey series by Betty G. Birney; the PAWS graphic novel series by Nathan Fairbairn and Michele Assarasakorn; The Forgotten Five series by Lisa McMann; Heir by Sabaa Tahir; How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine; Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood; Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan; Everything We Never Said by Sloan Harlow; House of Marionne by J. Elle; The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman; The Queen’s Assassin by  Melissa de la Cruz. Our backlist includes books by Rick Yancey, Marie Lu, David Yoon, Ayana Gray, Stacey Lee, Katherine Arden, Carrie Firestone, Lisi Harrison, Tomie dePaola, Deborah Marcero, Carrie Finison, Briane Farley, and Maile Meloy. 

We have a steady pipeline of exciting new books so please check back often to see our latest publications!

Meet the Team

Jennifer Klonsky, President & Publisher

Jen joined Penguin Young Readers in 2018 and is the Publisher of G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Berkley XO. Her select list includes authors Max Greenfield, Josh Gad, Ben Falcone, Bobby Moynihan, Sara Shepard, Sloan Harlow, Jessica M. Felleman, Hazel Cross, Kathleen Kitt, and Steven Rowley. She previously held positions at HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Scholastic.

Rūta Rimas, Senior Executive Editor and Publishing Director

Rūta Rimas is a senior executive editor and publishing director for GP Putnam’s Books for Young Readers, acquiring and editing middle grade and young adult, fiction and non, and graphic novels. At Penguin Random House, she has the honor and privilege of working with the most talented authors and illustrators in the industry, including Sabaa Tahir, J. Elle, Jessica Goodman, Diana Urban, Ginny Myers Sain, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, and more. Her tastes are quirky and sharp, boundary-pushing, with a dash of darkness and a whole lot of heart.

Kate Harrison, Editorial Director of Picture Books

Kate Harrison (she/her) spent much of her childhood in a tiny town in Southern Missouri that is best known for its “Throwed Rolls” restaurant, where you actually have to catch your bread in order to eat it. It inspired a strong work ethic, a true love of carbohydrates, and maybe a weird sense of humor. She went to college in North Carolina and worked at Harcourt Children’s Books before spending the last eighteen years at Penguin Young Readers, first at Dial Books for Young Readers and now G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers. She feels extremely lucky to work with so many incredible authors and illustrators, including Victoria Jamieson, Pedro Martín, Cori Doerrfeld, Huda Fahmy, Neil Sharpson, Dan Santat, Abby Hanlon, Tony DiTerlizzi, Omar Mohamed, Rob Harrell, Ingrid Law, Maya Tatsukawa, Ursula Vernon, Paul Griffin, Brad and Kristi Montague, Hannah E. Harrison, Samantha Cotterill, Jory John, Liz Climo, Vanessa Roeder, and many others. Her goal with every book she publishes is to inspire laughter, empathy, introspection, courage, creativity, a new perspective, or hopefully all of those things together. You can often find her wandering around a park, cuddling with her puppy, cheering too loudly at a kid’s sports game, listening to an audiobook, or reading and eating ice cream late at night when her three kids are finally asleep.

Susan Kochan, Senior Executive Editor

Susan Kochan is Associate Editorial Director of G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. She joined Putnam in 1994 after teaching elementary school. She acquires fiction and nonfiction board books, picture books, and middle-grade novels, and loves stories that masterfully mix humor and heart. Susan has edited successful series including the Iggy books by Annie Barrows, the Planet Omar series by Zanib Mian, and Betty G. Birney’s Humphrey series. She has also edited Patty Lovell and David Catrow’s Molly Lou Melon books, Corey Rosen Schwartz and Dan Santat’s beloved ninja fairy tales, starting with The Three Ninja Pigs, and Laura Murray and Mike Lowery’s classroom favorites, the Gingerbread Man on the Loose books, as well as children’s books luminaries Jan Brett, Gennifer Choldenko, and Keiko Kasza.

Stacey Barney, Editor-at-Large, Director of Partnerships

Stacey Barney joined Nancy Paulsen Books for Young Readers as Associate Publisher in 2021. She edits a diverse list of award-winning and bestselling young adult and middle grade fiction as well as select picture books and nonfiction. Her list includes New York Times bestselling authors Krystal Sutherland, Renée Ahdieh, Katherine Arden, Ellen Hopkins and American Ballet Theater principal dancer Misty Copeland as well as Caldecott Honor-winning The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu.

Stephanie Pitts, Senior Executive Editor

Stephanie Pitts is an Executive Editor at G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. She acquires a healthy mix of picture books, middle grade, YA, nonfiction, and graphic novels for young readers. She edited the instant New York Times Bestseller Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson, the #1 Indie Bestseller In a Jar by Deborah Marcero, Gladys the Magic Chicken by Adam Rubin and Adam Rex, and The Octopus Escapes by Maile Meloy and Felicita Sala, among other picture books. Stephanie has also edited many novels for young readers, including the #1 New York Times Bestseller The Ice Cream Machine by Adam Rubin, the New York Times Bestseller and Reese’s Book Club YA Pick The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee, Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan, and Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone.

Christopher Hernandez, Senior Editor

Chris Hernandez is a senior editor, acquiring picture books, middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels. Chris especially enjoys working on illustrated books as well as stories with heart, multi-layered humor, well-crafted mystery, thrilling adventure, a witty voice, and/or a unique twist on something familiar. Prior to joining Penguin, he was an editor at HarperCollins, where he had the pleasure of working with such bestselling and award-winning creators as Katherine Applegate, Thanhhà Lai, Lisa McMann, Tahereh Mafi, and Cori Doerrfeld. When he’s not editing children’s books, Chris goes home to write them—whenever his dog and cats give him a moment of peace. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisMakesBooks.

Polo Orozco, Senior Editor

Polo Orozco edits YA and middle grade fiction for G. P. Putnam’s Sons, as well as crossover fiction for Berkley XO. He enjoys mystery, romance, and fantasy, always seeking stories that are highly entertaining, remarkably imaginative, and wholly human. At Putnam, Polo has worked with authors like Melissa de la Cruz, Danielle Valentine, Alexis Henderson, Ali Hazelwood, and Anna Sortino. Outside of work, Polo likes riding his bike, rewatching Almodóvar movies, and going down Wikipedia rabbit holes.

Reina Galhea, Senior Editor

Prior to joining Penguin Young Readers in 2026, Reina was an editorial chameleon. At different points in her career, she edited cookbooks, acquired original fiction for a book box subscription, and wrote service journalism in every category from product reviews to travel guides. For the past several years, however, she’s been steeped in romance: acquiring young adult/adult romance for the indie publisher Galatea, developing romcom scripts for the TV app CandyJar, and even ghostwriting romance novellas based on viral trends (like Caught on the Jumbotron, inspired by the Coldplay Kiss Cam scandal). She’s delighted to bring her obsession with love stories to PRH, where she acquires young adult and crossover commercial romance for Putnam Young Readers and Berkley XO.

Tiara Kittrell, Editor

Tiara Kittrell is an editor, acquiring picture books, middle grade, young adult, and nonfiction for Putnam Young Readers, and crossover fiction for Berkley, XO. Prior to joining Penguin Random House, she was an associate editor at Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, where she acquired books by Alyssa Cole and Nia Davenport. Tiara first entered publishing as a marketing assistant at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and assisted on campaigns for Leigh Bardugo, Marissa Meyer, and Katherine Applegate. Her favorite genres include paranormal, fantasy, thriller, horror, with a particular emphasis on romance. Tiara has a soft spot for diverse, high-concept, and emotionally resonant stories. When she’s not working, you can find her watching (arguably) too much TV and annoying her cat, Gus Gus.

Gretchen Durning, Editor

Gretchen Durning is an editor at G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. While at Penguin, she’s worked on titles such as the instant New York Times bestsellers Hotel Magnifique and The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor, the internationally bestselling Threads That Bind duology by Kika Hatzopoulou, and the critically acclaimed novel The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by Mary Averling. Gretchen works primarily on middle grade and young adult fiction, chiefly in the fantasy, mystery/thriller, or horror genres. She’s especially drawn to stories with a strong hook, an immersive voice, and an escapist plot. When not reading, you can probably find her planning a trip to somewhere new or watching a BBC nature documentary. Follow her on Twitter: @gretchendurning.

Matt Phipps, Editor

Matt Phipps acquires picture books, middle grade, young adult, and crossover, including graphic novels across categories. Books he has recently edited include the middle grade novels The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez by Jasminne Paulino, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; Majestica by Sarah Tolcser, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year; and the picture books At the Cookout by Nadia Fisher and The Crayon Stub by Marcus Cutler. Prior to joining Putnam in 2020, he spent several years on Penguin’s School and Library Marketing team. He was an Editor Mentor with The Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary and volunteered with the Representation Matters Mentorship Program, in addition to serving on the board of the Penguin Random House LGBTQ+ Network. He has also worked as a bookseller, a Spanish-English translator, and a college writing instructor.

Simone Roberts-Payne, Associate Editor

Simone Roberts-Payne (she/her) is an Associate Editor at G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, where she edits across age categories, including young adult, middle grade and picture books. Prior to joining Putnam in 2021, she worked as a research assistant for Jacqueline Woodson. She has supported on projects by Sabaa Tahir, J. Elle, Jessica Goodman, Sloan Harlow and Shifa Saltagi Safadi. Simone has always loved books from a teen perspective and their unique ability to make us feel less alone. She is now particularly interested in uplifting BIPOC voices and is drawn to dynamic and diverse fiction, with complicated familial and romantic relationships, a hint of mystery, a dash of heartbreak and all things hopeful.

Sarah Sather, Assistant Editor

Sarah Sather (she/her) joined Putnam Young Readers as an Assistant Editor in June 2024. She previously worked on the Nancy Paulsen Books team before finding her home at G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers in 2026. Prior to PYR, she worked at Netflix Animation, Marvel Comics, A24, and Saturday Night Live. She is passionate about supporting and developing diverse content that re-centers marginalized voices, dissolves barriers, and expands the idea of who gets to be the hero of their story. Sarah is drawn to stories of resilience and hope—the inner fire that guides each of us, refusing to go out even in the face of grief and loss. She believes that books are a form of magic, and through them, we can radically transform the world.

Kyra Kruger, Assistant Editor

Kyra Kruger (she/her) joined Putnam Young Readers in 2023 after a stint as a children’s bookseller. She is looking to build a list primarily of picture books, middle grade novels, and graphic novels for all ages. She has assisted on projects by award-winning creators such as Jan Brett, Betty Birney, and Tom Taylor, as well as on multiple successful series including PAWS, Pencil & Eraser, and The Gingerbread Man on the Loose. Kyra has eclectic taste across genres, but is drawn to stories that capture the wild, weird, and wonderful—especially if they have a wry sense of humor, a tinge of mystery, and a literary voice. She also loves bold, distinctive illustration styles and creators who aren’t afraid to lean into the absurd. When she’s not reading or editing, Kyra can most often be found basking in Prospect Park, cooking a new recipe from the New York Times, or petting every dog.

Madeline Art, Editorial Assistant

Madeline Art (she/her) graduated from Yale University, where she studied English and Creative Writing. Before joining Putnam in 2025, she interned at Quill Tree Books. She loves gutsy characters and voice-driven fiction that captures how it feels to be young. She’s drawn to YA with a hint of mystery, middle grade with a hint of magic, and picture books with lots of heart. She assists Stephanie Pitts and Polo Orozco.

JoJo Lee, Editorial Assistant

JoJo Lee (she/her) received her B.A. in English and Philosophy from Tufts University, where her long-held fascination with gender dynamics, women writers, and children’s literature culminated in her senior thesis “Reading Little Women and Anne of Green Gables Queerly.” Prior to joining Penguin Young Readers at Dial Books for Young Readers in 2024, she interned at Astra Books for Young Readers, W. W. Norton, and Yale University Press. She has always had a soft spot for middle grade, which she believes is the peak of literature, but she’s also partial to stories that get philosophical, that both affirm and unsettle, or that feature illustrations that make her laugh out loud. When she isn’t assisting Jen Klonsky and Ruta Rimas, you can find her listening to an ever-growing rotation of podcasts, practicing yoga, or watching Bluey.

Nan Munger, Assistant Editor

Nan Munger (she/her) graduated from Stanford University, where she studied Studio Art and Education. She’s been assisting Kate Harrison since 2024, first at Dial and now at Putnam. Before joining Penguin Young Readers, Nan interned at Bloomsbury Children’s and Writers House, and taught middle school art for three years. She especially loves picture books and graphic novels with distinctive art styles, middle grade stories that represent neurodiversity or disability with nuance and joy, historical fiction centering underrepresented stories, and books across all ages that spark curiosity. She lives in New York City, where she enjoys running and being overly competitive at Bananagrams, but not at the same time.