Alyssa Eisner Henkin is a literary agent with Birch Path Literary. She says: “Upon earning my bachelorÕs 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 childrenÕs 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 ÒsoulÓ 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 Bront‘s. 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.”