A picture-book author-illustrator powerhouse who also places prestige literary fiction — Levick wants character-driven stories that take on big subjects like grief and mortality with hope, across every age and with a genre-bent streak.
In brief
The deal record is dominated by award-winning, illustrator-driven picture books — this is the engine of the list.
But Levick also places serious literary fiction: they represent a PEN/Hemingway Award winner, so the range runs from kids' shelves to major adult prizes.
The throughline is theme: Levick is drawn to books that tackle big topics — grief, mortality, identity — in a fresh, ultimately hopeful way, and actively wants them genre-bent (fantasy, sci-fi), not just contemporary.
Levick is committed to own-voices stories about historically underrepresented identities, and is blunt about deal-breakers (no police procedurals, true crime, military thrillers, satire, or erotica).
Lately
Craves a distinctive voice and a strong thematic point — character-driven stories about big subjects like mortality or grief told in a new and hopefully uplifting way, and wants them genre-bent, not just contemporary.
In a query, of course I want the usual — a brief pitch, comp titles, a bio — but I particularly love to hear about the why. Why this author wrote this particular book. What about this idea called to them? I love hearing the passion behind a project.
I don't love when query letters are written from the character's perspective — it's more confusing than intriguing to me, and presents a bit of a barrier to entry.
I've been feeling the need for escapism lately, so anything that transports me away from the here and now — even a swoony contemporary — is a welcome reprieve.
Murder mysteries are not for me, and a vast majority of thrillers are not my bag. I also don't really work on verse novels.
What Alexandra is looking for
The core and most prolific lane. Levick specifically wants author-illustrators (and illustrators hoping to write one day) — not text-only picture-book authors. The sales here are deep and decorated, from comic series to tender, award-winning standalones.
A broad appetite across MG and YA, in prose or graphic-novel form. Levick gravitates to character-driven stories built around a strong thematic point, and explicitly wants speculative and genre-bent takes — send them your fantasy and sci-fi, not only your contemporary.
On the adult side Levick leans speculative: romance, horror, and fantasy with a distinctive voice and something real to say. They also clearly place literary fiction of the highest caliber when the writing and theme demand it.
Not the right fit
Threads through Alexandra's deals
The clearest signal in the deals: a high volume of illustrator-driven picture books, many award-winning, several with repeat creators. If you're an author-illustrator, you're aiming squarely at the strike zone.
Across ages these books take on heavy themes — bipolar disorder, disability, grief — without becoming “issue books,” landing on something uplifting. It's the exact brief Levick describes wanting, borne out by what they sell.
A consistent commitment to underrepresented identities and cultures — Native experience, queer protagonists, culturally rooted picture books. This isn't a tagline on the list; it's what the deals actually are.
Alongside the kidlit Levick places literary adult fiction at the highest level — a PEN/Hemingway winner among them. The breadth means they can champion a book on its merits regardless of where it sits on the shelf.
On Alexandra's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Alexandra
If you're an author-illustrator, you're in the sweet spot — text-only picture books aren't a fit.
Lead with theme. Levick wants a strong thematic point and a distinctive voice, and a big subject (grief, mortality, identity) handled with hope is an instant lightbulb.
Don't be afraid to go speculative — Levick actively asks for fantasy, sci-fi, and genre-benders over straight contemporary.
Send a personalized query plus your first ten pages pasted in the body — no attachments — and query only one agent at the agency at a time.
Skip the hard nos: police procedurals, true crime, military thrillers, satire, and erotica. If your book touches murder at all, flag it with a trigger warning.