ABOUT

Gianna Lakenauth is an Editor at Knopf Books for Young Readers. Her list is focused on middle-grade and young adult novels with select picture books. Gianna loves cinematic stories with big feelings and genre-bending stories. As an immigrant from Guyana, she is always on the lookout for stories that center Caribbean characters, and stories that explore identity, class, and coming-of-age themes. You can learn more about what she is looking for on her MSWL page and some of the books she has edited in the Books Edited section. Gianna holds a BA in Applied Psychology and a MS in Publishing from Pace University. Gianna is also a writer. Her debut middle-grade novel Limitlessly, Mina will be out in Spring 2027, and her debut picture book Home is Here (illustrated by Bea Jackson) will be out in Summer 2027. She is represented by Wendi Gu at HG Literary.