Serene Hakim

About the Agent

Serene Hakim joined Ayesha Pande Literary in 2015, having previously worked at Laura Gross Literary Agency in Boston. Born to Lebanese immigrants in the Midwest, she grew up straddling cultures and languages and still feels like a third-culture kid. She represents authors across a variety of genres, from middle grade fantasy to adult literary fiction and contemporary young adult. Her clients include Kristen Arnett, Jean Chen Ho, Kaela Rivera, Ream Shukairy, and Shannon C.F. Rogers. Serene is particularly interested in YA and adult fiction with international themes, that highlights diverse cultures, and focuses on underrepresented and/or marginalized voices. She is currently focusing primarily on YA and middle grade, and is more selective with adult submissions. She is actively seeking writing that explores different meanings of identity, home, and family, and would love to find more Middle Eastern writers. She gravitates toward books that are joy-filled and full of heart, as well as stories that delve deep into grief. Her educational background is in French and women's studies, and she holds an MA in French-English translation from NYU. Serene is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) and serves on its DEI committee.