Alyssa Henkin

About the Agent

Upon earning my bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania, I fulfilled a childhood dream - to move to New York and work with books. I was fortunate to land a job in editorial at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. At S&S, the time spent learning about the rapidly flourishing kidlit market from the wisest of colleagues was invaluable to my career. Ultimately my entrepreneurial drive led me to become a literary agent at Trident Media Group. At TMG, I cultivated a stable of bestselling and multi-award-winning children’s book authors. A plethora of ancillary deals for audio, film, theatrical, merchandising, and international editions has made me an ardent advocate for the rights of creators. With the founding of Birch Path Literary, I have the privilege of “soul” proprietorship. I come from a long line of business owners who have always valued professional integrity, optimism, and passion. Just as enterprising Anne Shirley strode down her Birch Path, I thrive on navigating intricate labyrinths with each author and illustrator. We plot and strategize the best long-term opportunities across genre, format, and territory amidst an everchanging but verdant landscape for stories. Timeless telling styles always entice me as a bicentennial baby fed on Bemelmans, Betsy-Tacy, Burnett, and the Brontës. Yet I am especially hungry for bold, change-making projects that promote underrepresented perspectives and foster inclusion. Certainly, the two categories are not mutually exclusive. My favorite books are character-driven, quirky, heartfelt, slyly humorous, and ultimately hopeful.

Represented authors

• Wendy Anderson
• Wendy Anderson Halperin
• Rachel Astor
• Jenna Beatrice
• Jennifer Bryant
• Jessica Burkhart
• Sylvia Chen
• Michelle Colman
• Buket Erdogan
• Ryan Graudin
• Lisa Greenwald
• Charlotte Herman
• Lindsey Hewett
• Kristi Holl
• Kathryn Holmes
• Ariel Horn
• Caroline Kenney
• Sarah Maclean
• Preston McDaniels
• Jennifer Roy
• Susan Shaw
• Gail D. Villanueva
• Mike Winchell