Abrams Children’s Books has announced that Emma Ledbetter will be joining the company as editorial director, picture books, effective November 26. Ledbetter most recently served as senior editor at Simon & Schuster’s Atheneum Books for Young Readers imprint.
Andrew Smith, senior v-p and publisher of the division, said in a statement, “Emma’s editorial career includes an expansive and impressive array of engaging picture books that have earned countless stellar reviews and accolades, but most important, they’ve delighted and enlightened young readers. I’m thrilled that she will be bringing her keen eye and expert taste to Abrams, and I’m very excited about the contributions she’ll be making to our list.”
Over the course of her eight years at Atheneum, Ledbetter acquired fiction and nonfiction picture books by acclaimed authors and illustrators, including Tomie dePaola, Julie Fogliano, Molly Idle, Caron Levis, Loren Long, LeUyen Pham, Christian Robinson (whose 2019 solo debut she also acquired), Charles Santoso, and Jillian Tamaki.
In her new position, Ledbetter will steer Abrams’s picture book program. Recent successes for the division have included I Am Human by Susan Verde, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds; Princesses Save the World by Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie with Allison Oppenheim, illustrated by Eva Byrne; the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winner They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki; and the Questioneers series by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts. Ledbetter is succeeding Tamar Brazis, who left Abrams in September to assume the role of editorial director, picture books, at Viking Children’s Books.
Ledbetter said of the move, “I’ve always admired Abrams’s commitment to the ‘art of books’ and their beautifully curated list. I’m delighted to be joining this talented team, and I look forward to working together to publish a wide range of high-quality picture books that speak to kids.”
