Tanusri Prasanna

Tanusri’s background in human rights law has helped shape her eclectic list, which features compelling new voices in the adult and children’s books spaces. She looks for accessible and wide-reaching, narrative nonfiction set against themes in social justice and representation, as well as memoirs and select fiction featuring diverse perspectives, contexts, and even storytelling styles. In the YA and middle-grade spaces, Tanusri is drawn to contemporary coming-of-age stories, charming and relatable romances, ambitious world-building fantasies, and well-plotted, voice-driven suspense. She’s also a big fan of stories set in schools or interesting neighborhoods told from fresh viewpoints. For picture books, her list includes both meaningful, lyrical, stories as well as ones that bring alive the wonder and complexity of our world with humor and heart. She’s also interested in nonfiction that excites the imagination and curiosity of young readers.  Tanusri was born and raised in India, and has been living in NYC for well over a decade. She is a graduate of the National Law School of India, holds an LLM from Harvard Law School and a PhD from Oxford University.

Adult Highlights and Forthcoming:

  • Simran Jeet Singh (THE LIGHT WE GIVE: The Power of Sikh Wisdom to Transform Your Life)
  • Ayesha Siddiqua Chaudhry (THE COLOUR OF GOD)
  • Keerthik Sasidharan (DHARMA FOREST: Book 1 of the Dharma Trilogy)

Children’s Highlights and Forthcoming:

  • Kevin Christopher Snipes (MILO AND MARCOS AT THE END OF THE WORLD)
  • Simran Jeet Singh (FAUJA SINGH KEEPS GOING: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon)
  • Anitha Rao-Robinson (SARI SISTERS)
  • Qasim Rashid (HANNAH AND THE RAMADAN GIFT)
  • Jacque Lynn (SPACE MATTERS)
  • Hope Lim (MY TREE, I AM A BIRD, MOMMY’S HOMETOWN, AT THE WINDOW)
  • Karen Konnerth (THE SNOWMAN WALTZ)
  • Natasha Khan Kazi (MOON’S RAMADAN)
  • Alec Carvlin (HOW TO BAKE A UNIVERSE)

How to Submit to Tanusri Prasanna:

You can query her at tpsubmissions@defliterary.com with a concise pitch, short bio, and a two-page synopsis if querying YA/MG fiction. For picture books, please include the entire text in the body of your email. If querying an illustrated project, please provide sample illustrations and links to your website/Instagram page.


Headshot for Tanusri Prasanna
  • THE LIGHT WE GIVE: The Power of Sikh Wisdom to Transform Your Life
    Penguin/Riverhead, 2022
  • FAUJA SINGH KEEPS GOING: The True Story of The Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon, illustrated by Baljinder Kaur
    Penguin/Kokila, 2020
  • THE COLOUR OF GOD
    Oneworld UK, 2020
  • THE DHARMA FOREST, volume 1 of THE DHARMA CYCLE (3 volumes)
    Penguin India, 2020
  • MILO AND MARCOS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
    HarperTeen, 2022
  • MY TREE, illustrated by Il Sung Na
    Neal Porter Books/Holiday House Books, 2021
  • SPACE MATTERS, illustrated by Lydia Nichols
    Clarion, 2020
  • HANNAH AND THE RAMADAN GIFT, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel
    Viking Children’s, 2020
  • HOW TO BAKE A UNIVERSE, illustrated by Brian Biggs
    Norton Young Readers, 2022
  • I AM A BIRD, illustrated by Hyewon Yum
    Candlewick, 2021
  • MOMMY'S HOMETOWN, illustrated by Jaime Kim
    Candlewick, 2022
  • The Snowman Waltz
    forthcoming Sleeping Bear Press, 2022
  • MOON’S RAMADAN
    Versify/HarperCollins, 2023