Sean McCarthy
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mccarthylit.com
Sean McCarthy
@mccarthylit.com
1.1K followers 270 following 97 posts
Founder/Literary Agent at mccarthylit.com, long-suffering Mets fan, hops (beer and rabbits) enthusiast.
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Had an unexpected visitor to our backyard today!
A picture of a red fox A picture of a red fox with its ears back
November 7, 2025 at 8:16 PM
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Two for Tuesday!

Celebrating new picture book deals today for both Margaret Chiu Greanias w/ Bloomsbury and Hyewon Yum w/ Henry Holt.

Congrats, Margaret and Hyewon!
Sarah Shumway at Bloomsbury has bought world rights to Jade vs. the Claw Machine, a picture book by Margaret Chiu Greanias (l.), illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee. When Jade's baba's boba shop gets a new claw machine with adorable prizes inside, Jade is determined to beat the odds, win a toy, and change her luck forever. Publication is set for spring 2028; Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency represented the author, and Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency represented the illustrator. Dana Chidiac at Henry Holt has bought, at auction, The Girl, the Village, and the Terrible Thunder by debut author Aimee Yealim Lee (l.), illustrated by Hyewon Yum, a humorous story inspired by a Korean folktale about a girl with a powerful, very smelly secret and how she learns to use it to help her community. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Stefanie Molina-Santos at Looking Glass Literary Agency sold world rights while at Ladderbird Literary Agency, and Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
October 28, 2025 at 9:17 PM
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Half-baked (and way too niche) children's publishing Halloween idea: John CandleWick
A mashup of the sweet Candlewick bear on the body of beloved hero John Wick
October 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM
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Closing out the week with a new deal - congrats @cindysykang.com on the upcoming picture book, THE KIMCHI FRIDGE, written by Tina Cho!

Cannot wait for everyone to meet Mina and her video game-playing Omma as they make kimchi for kimjang.

Coming next year from Little Bee Books!
Brett Duquette at Little Bee Books has bought world rights to The Kimchi Fridge by Tina Cho (l.), illustrated by Cindy Kang, in which a girl learns to make kimchi as her whole family gathers for kimjang, the Korean tradition of preparing and sharing large quantities of this delicious food. Publication is planned for fall 2026; Adria Goetz at KT Literary represented the author, and Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency represented the illustrator.
October 24, 2025 at 4:34 PM
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Closing out July with a deal announcement for the next book from @arielbbooks.bsky.social in her delightful OLIVE AND OSCAR early reader series, coming in Spring 2027 (and look for the lead title - THE FAVORITE HAT - in January 2026 from @simonkids.bsky.social).

Congrats, Ariel!!!!
Ariel Bernstein's THE PLAY, the next book in the Olive and Oscar early reader series, in which a boy inadvertently upstages a girl during her own one-elephant play, so they decide to work on a new show together, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal, to Elizabeth Barton at Simon Spotlight, for publication in spring 2027, by Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency for the author, and by Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties for the illustrator (world)
July 31, 2025 at 4:23 PM
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The only thing hotter than the temperature is this deal announcement from @pwkidsbookshelf.bsky.social for Margaret Chiu Greanias and Yu Chiao Kuo!

Cannot wait for everyone to meet Chih-Ming in Spring 2027 from @mackidsbooks.bsky.social in this celebration of what community looks and feels like.
Kortney Nash at Macmillan/Godwin Books has acquired world English rights to Friendship Is an Invitation, a picture book by Margaret Chiu Greanias (l.), illustrated by Yu Chiao Kuo. When Chih-Ming moves to America, he misses the familiar faces in Taiwan. As he befriends his neighbor Paul, each playdate ends with an invitation to try something new together, from the Fourth of July to the Mid-Autumn Festival. But when Paul announces his family is moving away, it's Chih-Ming's turn to welcome the new arrivals to the neighborhood. Publication is set for spring 2027; Sean McCarthy at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency represented the author, and Amy Milligan at the Illo Agency represented the illustrator.
July 29, 2025 at 9:44 PM
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New favorite spot in Westchester - Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers!
July 19, 2025 at 9:14 PM
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Same for semi-final on Tuesday. Cheaper to get into the game than getting a beer there.
July 5, 2025 at 10:13 PM
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Counting Crows. Barenaked Ladies. Goo Goo Dolls. Live *and* Collected Soul **and** Our Lady Peace.

The dream of the 90s is still alive in Bridgeport, Connecticut apparently.
A poster for shows in Bridgeport that feature many acts from the 90s.
June 17, 2025 at 4:34 PM
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Starting the week off with some fantastic news - THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE BABYSITTER is an @americanbookseller.bsky.social Kids' Indie Next Pick!

Available now at your local indie: bookshop.org/p/books/ther...

Congrats, Elayne!
The book cover to THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE BABYSITTER along with an ABA Indie Next Recommendation sticker.
June 9, 2025 at 4:02 PM
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Quite pleased with my haul from Dublin and Galway last week. Not pictured: the delicious brown bread that fueled us on our long days out and about!
A collection of used and new books from Ireland; a novelty 45 record, and a Galway United winter hat.
April 10, 2025 at 8:42 PM
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Happy St. Rabbit's Day to all that celebrate
A white house rabbit wearing a mini sparkly green hat for St. Patrick's Day
March 17, 2025 at 4:10 PM
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Did you consider renting a book
March 17, 2025 at 3:47 PM
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Took me twice as long as the recipe said, but quite pleased with this blood orange olive oil loaf. Not sure how Mary Berry would feel about that crack, though.
A blood orange olive oil loaf on a plate
March 4, 2025 at 2:13 AM
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Seems like the national news just keeps getting worse and worse, but at least I made a delicious shrimp and corn chowder.
A bowl of shrimp and corn chowder with bacon and scallions.
February 15, 2025 at 1:22 AM
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What better way (other than eating tteokguk, of course!) to celebrate Seollal than with these amazing picture books from Junghwa Park and Hyewon Yum?

LET'S CELEBRATE KOREAN NEW YEAR! - bookshop.org/p/books/let-...

WISH SOUP - bookshop.org/p/books/wish...
The picture books LET'S CELEBRATE KOREAN NEW YEAR! by Michelle W. Park and Hyewon Yum and WISH SOUP by Junghwa Park
January 29, 2025 at 10:18 PM
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Final 24 hours for my picture book manuscript/dummy critique + 15 minute follow-up phone call via @kidlitforla.bsky.social, with all proceeds donated directly to LA wildlife relief efforts (and huge thanks to everyone that's already bid!).

Full details here: www.32auctions.com/organization...
Photoshopped image of Sean McCarthy on the "Dan Smith Will Teach You Guitar" poster to raise money for Kidlit For Los Angeles.
January 27, 2025 at 8:10 PM
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My reaction watching The Substance (which I did enjoy!):
January 10, 2025 at 8:53 PM
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Scene from today's walk. Not pictured: a possible Swainson's thrush (or a hermit thrush).
November 24, 2024 at 10:31 PM
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Huge fan of the graphic novel collection that we have at Westchester Public Library. Cannot wait to read these!
The adult graphic novels FINAL CUT by Charles Burns and VICTORY PARADE by Leela Corman
November 20, 2024 at 10:53 PM
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Such a great question! I will humblebrag and use recent books I've worked on as examples:

Original Opening - GIANT PANTS by @fearingmark.bsky.social
Expert Pacing - AMAH FARAWAY written by Margaret Chiu Greanias
Narrative Voice - YOU GO FIRST written by @arielbbooks.bsky.social
The picture book GIANT PANTS by Mark Fearing The picture book AMAH FARAWAY by Margaret Chiu Greanias and Tracy Subisak The picture book YOU GO FIRST by Ariel Bernstein and Marc Rosenthal
November 18, 2024 at 4:31 PM
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Great minds!
November 12, 2024 at 8:51 PM
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One of my favorite things of working in publishing is getting to see advance copies of books before they're published, and I'm so excited for this one - Hyewon Yum's next author-illustrator picture book TOTO, coming in January 2025 from Neal Porter Books/Holiday House!
Hyewon Yum's newest picture book, TOTO, coming out in January 2025
November 11, 2024 at 6:25 PM
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Hare conditioning
Two rabbits are sitting in front of a fan
July 15, 2024 at 4:03 PM
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Might have to temporarily change the title to ODE TO AN INCREDIBLE DAY - congrats #HyewonYum and #ChelseaLinWallce on the Horn Book Honor for ODE TO A BAD DAY!

www.hbook.com/story/presen...
June 20, 2024 at 4:26 PM