GENRE: **Diverse, Holiday, Expository Non-Fiction
WORDS: 700
Query:
Dear Agent or Editor,
I am submitting for your consideration my 700-word, 32-page picture book A DELICIOUS DOZEN: A CELEBRATION OF COOKIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Travel to twelve countries on five continents and celebrate a dozen different cultures and cookies—one for each month of the year—from Scottish New Year’s Day shortbread, to good luck Chinese almond cookies, to celebratory Mexican polvorones cookies.
My story would appeal to readers of ICE CREAM EVERYWHERE: Sweet Stories from Around the World by Judy Campbell-Smith (Sleeping Bear Press, 2024), TEATIME AROUND THE WORLD: A Tea Book for Kids by Denyse Waissbluth (Greystone Kids, 2020), and PANCAKES TO PARATHAS: Breakfast Around the World by Alice B. McGinty (Little Bee Books, 2019).
I am a 4th grade teacher at a diverse public school in Los Angeles, California. I love to bake, experimenting with recipes from around the world—my family and friends appreciate it! My goal is to share informative nonfiction stories with young readers to help open their minds to new cultures and people who have impacted our world.
As an active member of SCBWI and the Courage to Create, I work on improving my craft by attending conferences, taking classes, and participating in two critique groups. In 2023, I was a mentee in the PB Rising Stars Program as well as a PB Party Honorable Mention. In 2024, I was an SCBWI Work-In-Progress Winner in the “Underrepresented Voices” category. In 2025, I won a gold scholarship to 12×12.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Excerpt:
Make them and bake them. Eat them and share them.
With so many textures, flavors, sizes, and shapes, cookies are a reason to celebrate. Let’s eat cookies around the world!
Scotland – Cookies celebrate new beginnings. Isla and Lachlan’s relatives bring crumbly
shortbread cookies as a gift for a sweet New Year. The shortbread comes in three shapes and is made with only four ingredients: butter, flour, sugar, and salt.
What inspired you to write this story & what do you have in common with it:
As an educator and daughter of Filipino immigrants, I believe diversity and multiculturalism is so important. I think that one interesting way to learn about different cultures is through food. I have always loved to bake and eat desserts! I was inspired to write this story after a trip to Europe, where I sampled treats from various countries. In my story, I made sure to include cookies from around the world, including the Philippines. Through food, I can teach children about new places, celebrations, and traditions.
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