Agent Spotlight: Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel

This week's Agent Spotlight features Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel of Full Circle Literary.
Status: Closed to submissions. The agency website says she plans to open to middle grade fiction and nonfiction and illustrators only in May 2023.

About: "Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel is co-founder of Full Circle Literary, an entrepreneur, and mom with 25+ years of experience in trade book publishing. Prior to agenting, she worked in editorial, publicity and trade marketing with Penguin and Harcourt Children’s Books. She enjoys tapping her publicity and marketing background to champion writers and artists. Stefanie represents children’s books from toddler to tween, and select adult nonfiction. In adult nonfiction, her focus is on creativity and inspiration. Recent titles she represents: You Will Leave a Trail of Stars by Lisa Congdon (Chronicle) and The Tunisian Crochet Handbook by Toni Lipsey (Abrams).

Children’s books Stefanie represents have been awarded the Sibert Medal, Caldecott Honor, Schneider Family Book Award, Ezra Jack Keats Honor, Charlotte Zolotow Award, Christopher Award, Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, New York Times Best Illustrated, Pura Belpré Awards and Honors, NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor, and Agatha Award. Some of Stefanie’s clients include Monica Brown, author of Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book; Sibert Medal and Caldecott Honor recipient Juana Martinez-Neal known for Alma and How She Got Her Name; Rafael López illustrator of #1 NYT Bestsellers The Day You Begin and Just Ask!; and poet Carmen Tafolla, author of Charlotte Zolotow Award-winning What Can You Do with a Paleta? 

Award-winning middle grade authors include Celia C. Pérez, author of Tumble and The First Rule of Punk, a Pura Belpré Honor and Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book; Diana López, author of Lucky Luna and forthcoming Los Monstruos; and Pura Belpré Honor author Adrianna Cuevas, author of The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez. Stefanie also represents a celebrated list of illustrators including Juana Martinez-Neal, Lisa Congdon, Christine Almeda, Adriana M. Garcia, Estelí Meza, Vanessa Morales, Thaís Mesquita, Rafael López and Alexander Vidal. She is always thrilled to work with creatives that have a distinct style or expertise that can crossover to both children’s and adult markets.

A proud Tejana from San Antonio, Stefanie is based in southern California. She is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents and a board member of Latinx in Publishing." (From Agency website)
About the Agency:
“Full Circle Literary is a full-service literary agency, offering a full circle approach to literary representation. Our team has diverse experience in book publishing including editorial, marketing, publicity, legal and rights, which we use collectively to build careers book by book.
"We work with both award-winning veteran and debut writers and illustrators, and our team has a knack for finding and developing new and diverse talent. We work with writers and illustrators from development of concepts and proposals for submission to championing a book into the hands of readers. Our titles have received awards and honors from the American Library Association, National Book Critics’ Circle, Children’s Book Council, Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators, National Council of Teachers of English, International Reading Association, and many more." (From Agency Website)
Web Presence:
Full Circle Lit website.
Full Circle Lit blog. 
AgentQuery.
QueryTracker.

Social Media: IG and twitter pls follow @fullcirclelit
What She's Looking For:

STEFANIE'S WISH LIST - [QUERY STEFANIE SANCHEZ VON BORSTEL]
Stefanie is currently closed to submissions. She will reopen in May 2023 via QueryManager in the following categories only: middle grade fiction/nonfiction, illustrators.

From Her SCBWI Exclusive Interview:

"Full Circle has had some exciting middle grade debuts this year, and I warmly welcome middle grade manuscripts exploring themes of identity, family, community, and social justice. I’d love to find a middle grade with a touch of magic or a manuscript that explores the joys of life such as cooking or family traditions. I’ve also had the honor of working with exciting author-illustrator debuts by SCBWI members Juana Martinez-Neal and Susie Ghahremani, and I’d love to bring more women of color illustrators and author-illustrators to children’s books."
What She Isn't Looking For:
Romance, historical fiction, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, westerns, poetry, screenplays, cookbooks, or rhyming picture books. (Link)
Editorial Agent?
The agency supports its clients through all phases of the publishing process, including editorial support when needed.
Clients:
There is list of select client titles on the agency website. Some of Ms. von Borstel's clients are listed in her bio above.
Query Methods:
E-mail: No.  
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: Yes.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
The agency only accepts submissions via QueryManager. (Link)
See the Full Circle Literary website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
The agency only responds if interested, usually within 8 weeks.
What's the Buzz?
Full Circle Literary is a well established and respected agency that prides itself on its full circle approach. They are big supporters of diversity in books and actively seek multicultural and diverse projects. Ms. von Borstel’s clients seem very happy with her representation. Her experience and sales recommend her.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews:

Publishers Weekly “Literary Agents Assess the Middle Grade Landscape” and Horn Book “A Conversation with Literary Agents on Diversity and Inclusion“. 
Around the Web:
Contact:
Please see the Full Circle Literary website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 3/11/2023.
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? Yes.
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Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com

Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's literature. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.