- Orca Book Publishers Website
- Blog
- The latest news about Orca. Awards, reviews, and current events.
- About Us
- Orca is an award-winning children's publisher, publishing best-selling books in a number of genres--more than 60 new titles a year.
- Orca publishes hardcover, high-quality picturebooks, early chapter books in the Orca Echoes and Orca Young Readers series, novels for the reluctant reader in the Orca Currents, Orca Sports and Orca Soundings series, standalone juvenile fiction and novels for teens, and hiking guidebooks to Vancouver Island.
- Many successful children's authors publish with Orca, including Jean Little, Carrie Mac, Eric Walters, Norah McClintock, Lesley Choyce, and Andrea Spalding.
- Orca prides itself on publishing Canadian authors and bringing them to a wider market. The international recognition garnered has shown that Canadian authors can compete on a world stage while writing for, and about, Canadians.
- Orca distributes their own titles and those of seven other Canadian publishers into the United States.
- In Canada
- Dominique et Compagnie
- Vancouver Island Trails Information Society
- In the US
- James Lorimer & Co.
- The Book Publishing Company (7th Generation)
- Formac
- Second Story Press
- Sono Nis Press
- Nimbus Publishing
- Creative Book Publishing
- Sumach Press
- Polestar Calendars
- Foreign rights have been sold to many of our titles all over the world, including to Australia, Great Britain, Germany, Denmark, Korea, Japan, Latvia and many other countries. World rights (excluding North America) to many titles are available and are represented by Samantha Haywood of Transatlantic Literary Agency.
- Authors/Illustrators
- Teachers' Guides
- Order
- This is our US website. If you have an existing account with Orca you may place an order using a Purchase Order. Enter the purchase order number when asked for payment information.
- Canadian customers should order from the Canadian Site.
- To receive your regular discounts, please enter the appropriate discount codes when you begin placing an order:
- US School or Library discount code = USSchool
- US Retail Account discount code = USRetail
- If you are not sure of your discount level please enter your order without a code and customer service will adjust your order as it is received.
- If you have any questions about your order please call 1.800.210.5277.
- You can also order Orca books from our affiliates, listed here.
- Catalogs
- Canadian Catalogs
- US Catalogs
- Submit
At this time we are considering manuscripts from Canadian writers only.- Illustrator Guidelines
- What Orca is looking for
- Orca Book Publishers accepts submissions from Canadian artists and illustrators.
- We require artists to illustrate full-color picturebooks and full-color covers for our fiction titles, including first chapter books, juvenile fiction and books for young adults.
- We also require illustrators for black-and-white interior images for the Orca Young Reader and Orca Echoes series. These are sketches, typically rendered in pencil, and are used to interpret the story.
- Our publishing program varies in its scope from books with realistic situations and milieus, historic and contemporary, to humorous stories that tickle the funny bone.
- When we review a portfolio we look for art that is either realistic, or abstracted and stylized to any degree, but executed in a professional manner, consistent with the high standards of children’s publishing in Canada. We look for accomplished drawing and execution in the chosen medium.
- The ability to create a believable, individual character is essential, as is the ability to understand, interpret and illustrate a literary text. Character development, consistency and accurate, thorough research are important.
- We always need to see images of children interacting and showing emotions.
- Conventional cartoon or animation styles are not needed.
- Submission format
- Send samples of your work in a self-contained, labeled folder in the following formats:
- 4 to 8 color copies, digital color proofs, tear sheets, press sheets (please be sure to include your name and contact information on each sheet.)
- 1 copy of any published book or set of folded and gathered sheets.
- Any number of images on a CD in jpeg, tif or pdf format.
- Web portfolios are also accepted.
- Do not send:
- Original art
- Any material that you need returned
- Mail to:
- Art Director, Orca Book Publishers, 1016 Balmoral Road, Victoria, BC, V8T 1A8
- Author Guidelines
- Please no faxed or emailed queries or submissions.
- Inappropriate queries and submissions that arrive without a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) will be disposed of.
- We are unable to offer any editorial comment unless we feel the work has potential for publication with Orca
- Submission format
- Complete picturebook manuscripts may be submitted, with an SASE, without prior authorization.
- If you are interested in submitting a novel, please send a query first, including a synopsis and three or four sample chapters. Include an SASE.
- Manuscripts should be typed and double-spaced on one side only of 8.5 x 11" white paper. Submissions using coloured paper, handwriting or script fonts, or typed in ALL CAPITALS, are less likely to be given serious consideration.
- Do not bind your work in any way (paper clips are fine).
- A typed cover letter of no more than one page should accompany all manuscripts. Query letters, cover letters, synopses and the first page of manuscripts should include the author's name, address and phone number.
- Please keep in mind that an unprofessional-looking submission has the potential to prejudice even the most open-minded editor.
- Orca is seeking manuscripts in the following genres:
- Picturebooks
- Good stories, well told.
- Any lesson or moral should be secondary to credible characters, an engaging plot and strong writing.
- The point of view should invite the child reader into the story.
- Picturebook manuscripts will typically be not more than 1,500 words.
- Unless you are a trained artist, no artwork should be included with picturebook submissions. Original art should never be included, nor should mock-ups.
- Complete manuscripts, no queries please, should be sent to the attention of Maggie deVries, children’s book editor.
- Chapter books and juvenile fiction
- Contemporary stories or fantasy with a universal theme, a compelling, unified plot and a strong, sympathetic child protagonist who grows through the course of the story and solves the central problem him/herself.
- Orca Echoes
- 5,500 to 6,000 words.
- Aimed at seven year-olds.
- Shold be sent in their entirety to the attention of Maggie deVries, editor.
- Orca Young Readers
- 13,000 to 18,000 words.
- Aimed at eight- to ten-year-olds.
- Should be sent with sample chapters to the attention of Sarah Harvey, editor.
- Juvenile Fiction
- 25,000 to 35,000 words.
- Aimed at nine- to thirteen-year-olds.
- Should be sent with sample chapters to the attention of Sarah Harvey, editor.
- Well-researched stories dealing with, or taking their inspiration from, historical subjects, but not thinly disguised history lessons.
- Orca Currents
- These stories should have middle-school-appropriate story lines (family issues, humor, sports, adventure, mystery/suspense, fantasy, etc.).
- Strong plots, credible characters/situations and fine writing remain essential to this series. Please avoid awkward moralizing.
- The novels feature simple language and short, high-interest chapters.
- Protagonists are between 12 and 14 years old and should be appealing and believable.
- Manuscripts should be between 14,000 and 16,000 words long, 12 to 16 short chapters.
- A chapter-by-chapter outline and one sample chapter should be sent to the attention of Melanie Jeffs, editor.
- Orca Sports
- Interest level ages 10+
- Older protagonists (13+) to appeal to juvenile as well as teen readers.
- Strong plots, credible characters/situations and fine writing remain essential to this series. Please avoid awkward moralizing.
- The novels feature simple language and short, high-interest chapters.
- Sports action interspersed with mystery and suspense.
- Team sports.
- Manuscripts should be between 23,000 and 25,000 words long, with short, compelling chapters.
- A chapter-by-chapter outline and two sample chapters should be sent to the attention of Andrew Wooldridge, editor.
- Orca Soundings
- These stories should reflect the universal struggles that young people face. They need not be limited to "gritty" urban tales. Can include adventures, mystery/suspense, fantasy, etc.
- There is a definite need for humorous stories that will appeal to teens of both sexes.
- Try to avoid "disease-of-the-week" potboilers or awkward moralizing.
- The novels feature simple language and short, high-interest chapters.
- Protagonists are between 14 and 17 years old and should be appealing and believable.
- Manuscripts should be between 14,000 and 16,000 words long, 12 to 16 short chapters.
- A chapter-by-chapter outline and one sample chapter should be sent to the attention of Andrew Wooldridge, editor.
- Teen or young adult fiction
- Issue-oriented contemporary stories exploring a universal theme, with a compelling, unified plot and strong, sympathetic protagonist(s).
- Well-researched stories dealing with, or taking their inspiration from, historical subjects, but not thinly disguised history lessons.
- Teen fiction manuscripts range 45,000 to 50,000 words.
- Queries regarding teen or young adult fiction should be sent to the attention of Bob Tyrrell, publisher.
- Picturebook submissions and novel queries are usually processed within twelve weeks. However, novel submissions can sometimes take up to four months. Please write or phone if you haven't heard from us by the end of these time periods. Please include a SASE.
- Please browse Orca's books to see if your manuscript will fit in with our list.
- Mail to:
- Orca Book Publishers, PO Box 5626, Station B, Victoria, BC V8R 6S4
- Jobs
- Contact Us
- Phone: 1-800-210-5277
- Fax: 1-877-408-1551
- Mail
- Canada
- Box 5626, Station B, Victoria, BC, V8R 6S4
- US
- PO Box 468, Custer, WA, 98240-0468
- Books
- For Readers
- Games, information, reviews, and discussion boards for all Orca books--from Toopy & Binoo to teen novels.
- Teachers
- Teaching Tools: Project and assessment ideas.
- Teaching idea contest
- Orca Soundings and Currents grouped by theme
- Free Teachers' Guides
- Toopy and Binoo Books