[QCrit]: LOLA, MG Fantasy, 67,000, 2nd Attempt.

Hi, this is my second attempt posting (thank you to the mod for your help with the initial query) for my first book. Any feedback and help is appreciated! Query follows below:

Dear [Agent Name],

I am seeking representation for LOLA, a 61,700-word Upper Middle Grade Fantasy piece with crossover appeal, blending the mythic training and creature bond of Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera, the compelling journey of self-discovery in Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani LaRocca, with the coastal adventure and emotional depth of The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat.

Years ago, a bull shark dragged Mason and his father into the canal behind their Florida home, and a golden seal named Lola saved them — at terrible cost.

Now twelve and starting his final year of middle school, Mason just wants to survive bullies and protect the people he loves. When a classmate shoves his best friend into the deep end of the school pool, Mason dives in — and the water answers. The current bends. Golden light floods the tiles, and the rescue is caught on camera.

The footage lands in the hands of Rose Delaney, Mason's aunt and a school board member hungry for headlines and influence. She engineers an aquarium field trip designed to force Mason into using his power in public. If she exposes him, Mason won’t be a kid with a secret, he’ll be a specimen.

As Rose closes in, Lola returns with a warning: the sea is not finished with him. She begins training Mason to become a Guardian — a protector bound to water and will. But each lesson leaves him weaker, sleep-deprived, and marked by something he can’t explain.

Mason wants to remain a son, a friend, a boy who belongs on land. But if he refuses the ocean’s call, people will drown. If he accepts it, he may lose his family forever.

[BIO]

Thank you for your time and consideration. The manuscript is complete and available upon request.

Sincerely,