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More About Sylvia Chen (She/Her)
Languages: English
Born and raised in Queens, New York, Sylvia Chen has also lived and worked in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Paris, and Tokyo, and now resides in Essex County, New Jersey. As the author of picture books TRICKY CHOPSTICKS (illus. Fanny Liem; Atheneum/Simon & Schuster) and SPARKLES FOR SUNNY: A Lunar New Year Story (illus. Thai My Phuong; Flamingo Books/Penguin Random House), Sylvia loves crafting picture books that spark kids’ interest in STEAM and creative thinking. She is also the creator of #PBStudyBuddy, which features amazing picture books on social media for fellow creators, teachers, and librarians.
You can find Sylvia online at:
Sylvia’s strengths include…
Pinpointing potential big picture issues
Raising questions to help build stronger hooks
Reviewing areas where wording and transitions may need more attention
Suggesting show vs. tell improvements
Identifying opportunities to use onomatopoeia
Streamlining art/action notes
Looking at possible line edits (in a more suggestive vs. prescriptive way)
Advising on various ways to improve querying (research tactics, pitch and query letters)
Craft-building (helpful resources, interviews/podcasts, mentor texts)
Author platform basics (website, social media).
What Sylvia is looking for…
Sylvia would love to help a mentee who is part of 1 or more critique groups and seeks support and insightful advice, not just for manuscript critiques but also for querying tactics, pitch refinement, PB craft development, and any other industry-related questions.
She tends to gravitate towards picture books with fun wordplay and/or mind-sparking concepts (bonus if STEAM-oriented!), and not as much for uber-lyrical or rhyming manuscripts—at least for mentorship purposes.
She hopes to match well with a BIPOC creator with a similar background or experiences to help support more opportunities for diverse authors, but she is open to supporting a mentee of any background who shares the same super-love for PBs!
A Note from Sylvia:
“When reviewing applications, I will focus mostly on the manuscript submitted, additional pitches provided, why the applicant would like to work with me specifically, and if the mentorship goals and strengths/weaknesses shared are a good match for how I can help the prospective mentee. I may request additional manuscripts to help with my final decision.”
Sylvia’s Picture Books
Tricky Chopsticks, written by Sylvia Chen, illustrated by Fanny Liem
Sparkles for Sunny: A Lunar New Year Story, written by Sylvia Chen, illustrated by Thai My Phuong
If Sylvia created a Visual Wish List, it would be made up of…
*Sylvia loves all of these for one or more of the following reasons: fresh premise and structure, savvy use of literary devices, fun but with great heart. For more of her favorites, please peruse the PBStudyBuddy website: https://www.pbstudybuddy.com/
Unless otherwise stated, the below serves as a wish list only. Each mentor is excited about the opportunity to find a manuscript they can’t stop thinking about. Please apply if you think you’d be a good fit.
ADELA'S MARIACHI BAND, written by Denise Vega, illustrated by Erika Rodríguez Medina
KADOOBOO!, written by Shruthi Rao, illustrated by Darshika Varma
ÁNH'S NEW WORD, written by Hanh Bui, illustrated by Bao Luu
THE INTERPRETER, written by Olivia Abtahi, illustrated by Monica Arnaldo
BHANGRA BOOGIE, written by Hena Khan, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat
SAMI'S SPECIAL GIFT, written by M.O. Yuksel, illustrated by Hüseyin Sönmezay
LULI AND THE LANGUAGE OF TEA, written by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Hyewon Yum
ANOTHER WORD FOR NEIGHBOR, written by Angela Pham Krans, illustrated by Thai My Phuong
Sylvia is a good fit for:
Diverse stories, especially ones that weave in Asian and/or Asian American culture
STEAM-focused narratives, including informational fiction
Humor with additional genre hooks
Character-driven arcs with SEL tie-ins
Writing with clever wordplay
Sylvia is not a good fit for:
Those with manuscripts mostly in rhyme
Those whose work is typically lyrical as the main hook
Grief (unless done in a *very* uplifting way)
Slice of life stories
🚫 Note: If the manuscript focuses on neurodiversity, please make sure it is not written in an ableist or potentially negative or harmful way.
Who can apply to Sylvia?
Unagented Text-Only Authors
⚠️Historically marginalized creators are especially encouraged to apply, but Sylvia is open to everyone.