Annabel Barker Agency is an Australian literary agency, founded in 2020 with a focus on writers and illustrators creating for children and young adults. We now represent a growing list of creators working across all age groups and genres.
We are drawn to work that reflects the richness and diversity of the Australian experience, while resonating with readers around the world. We are committed to building an inclusive and accessible publishing landscape, supporting both emerging voices and established creators.
Our clients’ books have been recognised in major Australian and international awards, including the CBCA Awards, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, the Booksellers’ Choice Awards, the ABIA Awards, the BolognaRagazzi Award, and more. We’re proud to regularly secure translation, screen, and other rights for our clients around the world.
At the heart of our work is a commitment to nurturing long-term creative careers.
You can find some of our latest deals here.
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Annabel Barker
Agent
Annabel founded Annabel Barker Agency in 2020.
An experienced publishing professional with a career spanning two decades, Annabel held roles at Macmillan London, Pan Macmillan Australia, Hachette Children’s Books London and most recently at Hardie Grant Australia, where she was Rights Director and Managing Director of the children’s division. Annabel is an active member of the Australian book industry, and has contributed as a member of the APA’s children's publishers committee and its export working group, as well as serving on Creative Australia’s Visiting International Publishers Program committee. She regularly contributes as an award judge, peer assessor, and mentor.
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Bella Suckling
Associate Agent
Bella has now been promoted to Associate Agent and will be building her own list of clients.
Bella joined the agency as Administration and Marketing Coordinator in 2023. She has worked as a bookseller at various bookstores across Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra and as a copywriter for a number of different brands and arts organisations. In 2024, she completed a Masters of Publishing, Editing and Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne. She represented the agency at the Bologna Book Fair in 2025 and is thrilled to be taking on clients as an Associate Agent.
Contact us below for all non-submission enquiries. Submission details can be found on our submissions page.