About Us:

Providing comprehensive coverage of the U.S., Canadian, and Australian book markets across Adult Fiction
& Non-Fiction, New Adult, YA, & Children’s, Kin & Co. Literary Scouting is a full-service agency that
sources, matches, and advises international publisher and film clients on the best projects and opportunities
for translation and adaptation.

Kin & Co. was formed by sisters Rachel Hecht and Ellie VandenBerg in 2025, created as they acquired
Baker Literary Scouting (est. 2014) and combined operations with Rachel Hecht Children’s Scouting (est.
2016). The first and only family-owned scouting agency currently services 15 clients across international
publishing and film & TV, and brings together the sisters’ nearly 30 years of combined publishing experience.
 

Rachel Hecht first began scouting in 2007 for Mary Anne Thompson Associates, and also previously worked
in foreign rights at Anderson Literary Management and Foundry Media, where she served as Foreign Rights
Director for Children’s Books. Ellie VandenBerg was VP at Baker Literary Scouting, where she started
in 2015, and previously worked at John Wiley & Sons. Raised by an elementary school teacher, and with
small town librarians in their extended family, Kin & Co.’s founders have been steeped in story from the
very beginning.

 

Both Rachel and Ellie are thrilled to be working together and fusing their shared passion for
literature and rights as they seek every day to find that next perfect book – be it tomorrow’s mega bestseller,
or a sleeper gem - for their international publisher and film clients.