Jessica Smith Senior Editor Aladdin

 

Jessica Smith—but please, call her Jessi!—is a senior editor with Aladdin. In early middle grade through upper middle grade fiction, she looks for escapist reads with a combination of high stakes, compelling characters, and a lot of heart. As an editor and reader who reads for characters, she is open to most genres but is especially interested in mysteries, historical fiction, fantasy, and romantic stories that capture the thrill and awkwardness of first love. She loves to fall in love with flawed characters who learn and grow from their experiences. She isn’t a good fit for issue-driven stories or stories with grief as the main plotline.