Aladdin’s team has extensive expertise in every category of children's books, with a focus on commercial fiction for middle grade readers.

Valerie Garfield is Senior Vice President and Publisher of Licensed, Novelty, and Branded Publishing at Simon & Schuster, overseeing the Aladdin, Boynton Bookworks, Little Simon, Pulse, and Simon Spotlight imprints.

Anna Jarzab joined the Aladdin team as Associate Publisher in January 2022. A graduate of Santa Clara University, the University of Chicago, and the Denver Publishing Institute, she started her publishing career in digital marketing and spent much of her early career at Penguin Young Readers before coming to Simon & Schuster Children’s, where she led the digital marketing department for four and a half years. In her current role, she serves as a liaison between the publisher’s office and other critical teams, including sales, marketing, publicity, and supply chain. Anna’s primary professional goal is to connect people with books that will enrich their lives.

Kristin started her long career in children’s publishing at Knopf and spent many years at HarperCollins and Penguin Random House before happily landing at Aladdin. She has had the honor of working with many award-winning and bestselling authors, and her experience ranges from developing multi-book programs for major movie releases, to creating new editions of beloved classics and contemporary favorites, to editing bestselling new series for today’s readers. Her recent titles for Aladdin include the City Spies series by James Ponti; the newest additions to the Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans; Alone by Megan Freeman; Grounded for All Eternity, by newcomer Darcy Marks; and Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman.

A lifelong book enthusiast, Kristin firmly believes in the power of a good story, and still has her very first library card. She’s excited to continue building Aladdin as the home for commercially successful middle-grade fiction.

On the fiction side: realistic fiction with a focus on building representation for the LGBTQ, gender non-conforming, neurodivergent, and physically challenged communities. I’m particularly drawn to quirky characters who are looking to figure out (or create) their place in the world. I like stories with honesty and heart; books that can make readers laugh, cry, think, and feel. I love a strong, smart, nerdy protagonist, strong sibling stories, and snarky humor, and am also looking for books that will help keep middle-grade boys devoted to reading. On the non-fiction side: I’m selectively looking for stories of overcoming adversity, books about young people who are making a difference, celebrations of unsung heroes, and humorous approaches to unusual subjects.

Kara Sargent joined Aladdin in 2020. She is an S&S Children’s alumni, having worked in Simon Spotlight as Editorial Director until 2015, after which she worked at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers as Editor in Chief of Brand, Licensed, and IP Publishing. Over the course of her career, Kara has written, developed, and edited hundreds of books for children of all ages, across formats as young as leveled readers and chapter books, and as advanced as young adult novels. Kara believes books are the perfect vehicle for introducing new stories, worlds, and perspectives to kids. She loves working closely with her authors to help develop their vision. She is thrilled to be back at S&S and focusing on middle grade novel and graphic novel acquisitions for Aladdin, as well as a list of cutting edge new titles for MTV Books.

What’s on Karen’s Wish List?

Aly Heller is an Executive Editor with the Aladdin imprint, where she is lucky enough to acquire and edit a range of titles, focusing on commercial chapter books through upper middle-grade. She is drawn to stand-alone stories and young series from underrepresented and diverse voices that center evergreen experiences and joy, complicated/toxic friendship and sibling dynamics, tough stuff (with hope!) and books that will make a reader feel a little less alone in the world. Aly does non-fiction middle-grade books about historical and contemporary figures who have made an impact and continue to inspire. In her spare time, Aly loves baking, traveling, dancing, Broadway and listening to a variety of podcasts. Tweet her @EditorAlysonH.

What’s on Aly’s Wish List?

My focus is on commercial chapter book through middle-upper middle grade fiction. In the middle-grade space, I am drawn to stories that explore complicated family bonds and/or complicated friendships; reimagined 90s/2000s popular movies for today’s tween audience; stories that have an adoptee as the main character (but the story itself is not about finding one’s birth parent(s)). I would also love to find mysteries/thrillers for middle-grade and upper-middle grade readers, action-adventure, and historical fiction that still has a contemporary/commercial voice and feel. For chapter books I enjoy contemporary themes with strong central characters, with a high concept hook. For non-fiction, I am interested in exploring either unknown areas of historical events or more unknown areas of a historical figure’s life (or within an innovative format), that still has a contemporary, accessible voice.

Regardless of category, I’d love for any of the above to center diverse voices and underrepresented communities, and intersectional identities.

Jessica Smith joined Simon & Schuster in September 2016. Other than getting lost in a great book, her favorite activities are laughing, daydreaming, and telling her resident cats Hank, Wilson, and Stormy and various foster cats and kittens how unbearably cute they are.

What’s on Jessi’s Wish List?

Middle grade and chapter books (no picture books, please!); Stories with a combination of whimsy, quirk, humor, and heart; Layered, atmospheric stories in the vein of Jodi Lynn Anderson’s Thirteen Witches; Middle grade rom-coms that capture the thrill (and awkwardness!) of middle-school/young high-school crushes; Stories pertaining to animals—mythical or real, but always rescue; Stories that will make me cry (happy, sad, or bittersweet tears—I love them all!).

What’s on Anna’s Wish List? 

Commercial chapter book through upper middle grade fiction and nonfiction, especially featuring underrepresented voices. I love stories that are full of adventure, including both epic and light fantasy and science fiction; suspensful thriller, mystery, and light horror; clever heists; surival stories; and reimagined fairytales and mythology. I'm also acquiring select high-concept contemporary and historical fiction, tending toward escapist plots but with characters who tackle real-world issues. For chapter books, I'm drawn to strong central characters and compelling series concepts with universal growing-up experiences, plus a dash of mystery or fantasy. And in nonfiction, I look for accessible narrative nonfiction or illustrated books that offer insights into important social topics or historical events. 

Vrinda joined Simon & Schuster in May 2023 after completing her B.A. in English Literature at Emory University, her M.S. in Publishing at New York University, and several internships at publishing companies. When her nose is not in a book, you can find her writing, taking photographs, or playing board games with friends.