Submissions open on 1 May 2025

  • Submissions generally open annually from 1 May to 30 September.
  • Unsolicited submissions outside of this period will not be considered.
  • Please note that submissions now require a nominal payment of R100 to be considered - this is to cover our small Submissions team's time and effort in reviewing and analysing your manuscripts.

We're looking for submissions in the following genres:

  • Illustrated children’s picture books (fiction and non-fiction)
  • Children's chapter books (fiction and non-fiction)
  • Children's comic books   
  • Science-fiction and fantasy novels 

How to Submit

    1. Submit: Submit your manuscript to us via Query Manager. This is currently closed.
    2. Pay: Ensure payment is made (link provided when submissions open). Submissions with no payments attached will not be considered.
      1. Once your manuscript is submitted, you will receive a link to make payment (or you can do so ahead of time at this link). Please make payment using the same email address that you submitted your book with.
      2. Please note that submissions now require a nominal payment of R100 to be considered - this is to cover our small Submissions team's time and effort in reviewing and analysing your manuscripts.
      3. If you cannot afford the payment, please email us at hello@imagnaryhouse.com. We will require some evidence, but we are happy to make exceptions to authors who cannot afford this, within reason.
      4. Only one payment is due per author, not per submission. So you can make multiple submissions, but are only required to make a single payment.  

Submission details

Your submission can only be sent digitally (in .PDF or .docx format — illustrations are preferred in .PDF). We don't accept hardcopy submissions. 

Owing to the volume of submissions we receive, the assessment process may in some instances take up to 4 months post the submissions close date. 

Submission for publication places Imagnary House under no obligation to publish your material, and we reserve the right to select our publication list according to our own in-house guidelines. 

Scroll down to see what kind of stories we are after.  

Children's Picture or Chapter Books (Fiction)

We're looking for exceptional children's picture and chapter books that are fun and imaginative. Make us laugh! Make us wonder, think, get warm fuzzy feelings, or cry... but don't try to teach us a lesson for the sake of it. We want sophisticated books from local authors that breathe imagination, curiosity, and depths of fun into children. Our list is primarily made up of picture books and so this is the type of book we are most actively hunting for.  

For chapter books, we're looking for stories that are focused on middle-grade readers that just ooze humour and ideally have an illustrator attached to them. Chapter books tend to be repetitive, yet plot-driven and treat more complex themes than picture books. We're only after originally funny stories. 

We don't look at or accept didactic children's stories. Let your story carry a meaning, but don't let your meaning carry a story. Children can smell the latter a mile off, and they will run. 

We do prefer to children's book authors who are also illustrators, or authors who have an existing relationship with an illustrator whose work we love. 

    Children's Picture or Chapter Books (Non-Fiction)

    We're looking for trending or popular experts in their field to speak into non-fiction topics and educate our children through incredible picture or chapter book concepts. We invite you to educate us, but we want to laugh, wonder, and feel along the way. We aren't just looking for a book of facts. 

    We are willing to accept non-fiction submissions from any writer, but we are specifically looking for writers with a depth of knowledge and experience in the field of non-fiction that they are tackling. 

    We don't look at or accept didactic children's stories. Let your story carry a meaning, but don't let your meaning carry a story. Children can smell the latter a mile off, and they will run.  

    Picture book references:

    Fantasy Books 

    We're looking for urban and romantic fantasy stories. We are looking for stories that are ideally written for a tween, teen or young-adult audience, but will consider all ages. Most importantly, we are after strong characters and high-concept plots that can carry across a series instead of standalone titles. We really want to see some fresh African-inspired urban fantasy with a romantic edge. 

    We want universal books that can hold an international audience, but which have roots in our country. Build your world, but be inspired by your context. We want to give our local writers the opportunity to enter into the international stage.