How to Write a Children’s Book Families Will Love (+ Template)

So you want to be the next Astrid Lindgren? To write a great children’s book, you need clear stakes, memorable characters, and a plot that respects the intelligence of young readers.

This guide breaks down how to write a children’s book. We’ll focus on storytelling fundamentals, common beginner mistakes, and how to prepare your manuscript for feedback or publication.

1. Define your age group

Before you start writing, you should know who your readers are. Are they big-eyed 3-year-olds or precocious 7-year-olds? Each group has different expectations around length, language, and structure.

Below, we break down the specific sub-categories of “children’s books” and outline the target reading ages, as well as suggested word counts:For the rest of this article, we’ll use the terms “children’s book” and “kid’s book” to refer primarily to picture books. 

Middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) books follow different conventions — but don’t worry, we cover them elsewhere.

2. Outline a simple, fun idea

The best children’s books are built around simple ideas that engage young readers. They also offer a clear emotional or experiential takeaway. Think of Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham. The premise hinges on one small conflict: Sam-I-Am trying to convince a picky eater to try something new! It’s interesting, playful, and rooted in a situation many children recognize.

Here’s how to develop an idea that will work well for a children’s book.

Address children’s hopes and doubts

In addition to centering on one main problem or emotional concern, strong children’s book ideas also:

• Reflect situations children recognize from their own lives;

• Offer resolution through action or growth, not explanation; and

• Leave room for curiosity, humor, or surprise.

It can help to come up with a story idea with a specific child in mind — one you know personally. Draw on how they experience the world and what they care about. What makes them laugh, worry, or feel proud?

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, for example, explores a child’s anxiety about starting school — a concern many young readers share — and offers reassurance without talking down to its audience.

Similarly, Dianne Ochiltree’s It’s a Firefly Night follows a child who catches fireflies on a summer evening, then chooses to release them. Which child wouldn’t be drawn to such an enchanting childhood experience that also gently reinforces empathy for others?

Emotional resonance and relatability aside, you’ll also want to consider your story’s market potential.

Know which themes are selling

As longtime children’s book editor Brooke Vitale points out, the most popular picture book concepts haven’t massively changed over the years.

“Across the board, the top-selling themes for picture books have been bedtime, farm, and ABC. These are evergreen subjects that kids can easily understand — whether because they’re relatable, colorful, or simply easy to grasp conceptually.

“Also high on the list have been holiday stories around Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. The reason for this is because they're marketable.” By marketable, Vitale means that these picture books are often bought as gifts for children during these seasons.

The Bookseller predicts that celebrations and seasonal shifts will continue to be popular in 2026.

They also predict an increase in children’s books that refer back to traditional tales and evergreen stories. The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane Auch, for instance, reimagines a classic fairy tale setup by giving its princess a modern, self-directed goal — and pairing it with something kids already love! 🍕

Got your strong core idea? Great! The next step is creating a main character young readers can connect with.

3. Create a relatable main character

The most iconic children's book characters have distinct and relatable personalities. Leo Lionni’s Frederick, for instance, follows a field mouse whose artistic sensibilities set him apart from his family’s practical efforts to gather supplies for winter.

Another example is Jim Panzee from Suzanne Lang’s Grumpy Monkey. As another outsider who struggles with his “bad temper”, he captures a feeling many children recognize.

Your main character can be a child, robot, animal, or sentient gas cloud. What matters is that they feel real to the reader, with their own memorable set of strengths, weaknesses, and emotional stakes.

Define their strengths and flaws

Characters with flaws are important because they mirror the challenges young readers face in real life, like:

• Learning how to navigate friendships;

• Starting school; and

• Processing their own feelings.

A character who is strong in one area (like being brave or kind) but has room for growth in another (like controlling their temper or working through self-doubt) teaches readers that strength isn’t about being flawless; it’s about learning and growing.

Give them agency to reach their goals

As Reedsy children’s editor Anna Bowles suggests, don’t forget who the heroes are.

“A lot of beginners write about children as we adults see them: as cute, slightly comical little beings. But what children actually want is stories where they are the heroes — driving the action, facing real challenges, and making their own choices.”

Patrick Picklebottom and the Penny Book is the story of a young boy who goes to buy his favorite book. On the way home, his friends invite him to fly a drone, play video games, or scroll through social media — but he declines and goes home to read instead. An unassuming plot, perhaps, but what’s momentous is that it’s his decision. Patrick himself calls all the shots.

Keep in mind that young readers want to see their own agency reflected in your book. The story should be about their dreams, and the young hero or heroine should be the one driving the narrative forward.

Now, let’s look at story structure.

4. Give your plot a satisfying structure

Don’t think that the limited word count of children’s books exempts you from needing a satisfying story arc. If anything, structuring your book correctly is even more important, so you can captivate young readers in relatively little space.

Ground your premise in a simple question

One way to achieve such an arc is to think of your story as a simple question-and-answer journey. Picture book editor Cara Stevens, who has written and edited for Nickelodeon, Disney, and Sesame Street, says that every story should begin with a dilemma — no matter how small.

“There's usually a question: Will Mr. Frumble get his hat back? Why doesn’t Priscilla like chocolate? How will Elmo deal with going to the dentist? Having a question like this helps reinforce your story’s direction when you’re not sure where it’s going.”

📼 Watch the Reedsy Live in which Cara Stevens reveals the 20 questions that can help picture book authors turn their ideas into finished manuscripts.

Ideally, the central question should tie into the theme you picked in the previous step. If you’re exploring bravery, for example, perhaps your question is: “Will [character] be brave enough to get through [conflict]?” — and on a deeper level, how will their bravery show up on the page?

Once you’ve identified the story-driving question, you then need the character to face meaningful challenges and doubts.

Add conflict to the mix

Even in the simplest of narratives, the character should grow and learn something by overcoming internal and external conflicts.

Having begun the character creation process in step 3, you should have some idea of what their strengths and weaknesses are, as well as their major goals and desires. Given all that, what sort of conflict will challenge them and help them grow?

In Richard Scarry’s Be Careful, Mr. Frumble!, the title character goes on a walk on a windy day and his hat is whisked away by the wind. Again, the simple but essential question here is: Will he get it back? After chasing it through trains, trees, and the sea, he does. Despite Mr. Frumble’s initial worry, he finds he’s grateful for the fun that losing his hat brought with it.

Or think again of Patrick Picklebottom, who just wants to read his book; this clashes with his friends’ requests to do other things. But by the time he reaches home, he has learned to say no and prioritize what he values most.

Of course, whatever journey your characters go on, it’ll have to fit within the standard picture book’s length.

Keep it under 30 pages

Many children’s authors really fall in love with their own story and characters. That’s not a bad thing! But be wary of overwriting as a result.

The average word count for a standard, traditionally published picture book falls between 400 and 800 words, with a length of 24 to 32 pages. The page count includes the copyright and dedication page, as well as back matter — which can include an author’s note, more information on the subject matter, a glossary, or anything else that might add value but does not belong in the story itself.

At this point, you have a lot of story elements cooking and a structure to mix them in. But before you do that, think about the secret sauce: style.

5. Make the story easy to follow

Your core audience is likely still mastering basic literacy skills. This calls for a few considerations as you write and edit your children’s book.

Start the story quickly

Young readers benefit from clear momentum early on, so jumpstart the action with some sort of hook in the first few pages. Here, clarity matters more than surprise. The “hook” could come in the form of a character or an event that kicks off the entire story.

The inciting incident of Dr. Seuss’s classic The Cat in the Hat, as you might recall, is the arrival of an intriguing character. After setting up a scene with two bored siblings, Dr. Seuss introduces a mysterious cat who invites himself into their home.

Is the cat good or bad? Should he stay or should he go? The reader understands that the cat brings chaos, and the story is set in motion.

Once the story has started, it’s just as important to maintain a steady pace. Each scene should ideally act as a mini “hook” of its own, building the tempo or raising the stakes until the resolution.

Another important thing to consider is your choice of words.

Use age-appropriate vocabulary

There are many great places to show off your bombastic grandiloquence, but a kid’s book is not one of them. Children won't be impressed by 50-cent words; they'll only be confused.

That said, children’s editor Jenny Bowman tells authors that — when used intentionally — the occasional big word can be welcome. “Children are smarter than you think, and context can be a beautiful teacher.”

To determine the most fitting vocabulary for your story, read other books for kids in your age group. You can also consult word sets for early readers, such as:

• The Fry list;

• The Dolch list; or

• The Children’s Writer Word Book.

Each of these resources features the most commonly used words for reading and writing, including many “sight words” that children will recognize, or words that are otherwise easy to sound out.

Lastly, consider your characters, their actions, and the environments they inhabit. A talking eagle who’s a corporate lawyer working on a big M&A case might not be as compelling as a little mouse having her first day of school.

Ask others what they think

Read your story out loud to children and parents in your social circle. Pay attention to how it sounds with an audience and whether it invokes an emotional response. Kids are usually pretty honest, so their reactions can be quite valuable (though it’ll be up to you to interpret specific action points from things like laughter or wandering eyes).

Or for more focused — and potentially more constructive — feedback, find a critique group of fellow children’s authors. Look for authors in your area who are able to meet regularly to hone their craft. If this isn’t possible, try connecting with them online through social media or email, and ask if they might be interested in meeting virtually for regular critique sessions.

In any case, aim for a few rounds of feedback, and incorporate others’ suggestions as much as possible. Once you have thumbs-ups all around, you can begin to think about your next step — combining your words with powerful visuals.

6. Consider repetition and rhyme

Picture books often feature repetition, rhythm, and rhyme. Figurative language can also be great for adding musicality to books, making them more fun to read (and to be heard!) aloud.

🤔 Should your picture book rhyme? Listen to editor and children's author Tracy Gold's opinion on Reedsy Live.

Let’s take a closer look at why repetition and rhyme are especially common in kids’ books.

Repetition facilitates understanding

You can use different types of repetition in picture books. You can even use repetition (see what we did there?) to structure your story, pace it, or reinforce a certain point or concept.

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith uses repetition wonderfully, starting with the narrator walking down the road and spotting a donkey. The first sentence is repeated in every scene, along with the donkey sound. (Hee Haw!)

Then Smith adds a line describing the donkey: its appearance, mood, and taste in music (a sort of donkey “dad joke”). But that’s not all; each scene also adds a short, rhyming description of the donkey — which, as the book progresses, builds up into an amusing climax.

Building the story incrementally like this, through repetition and rhyme, can be very powerful. But remember, it’s not compulsory… and not all repeating/rhyming books are created equal.

Building the story incrementally through repetition and rhyme can be powerful. But remember, it’s not compulsory — and not all rhymes are created equal.

Only rhyme if you can do it well

In recent years, many children’s book editors have advised against rhyming in your book. That’s because it can be difficult to rhyme without sounding halfhearted or derivative, and children's book agents can spot a bad rhyme from a mile away.

However, if you are a master of the perfectly unexpected rhyme, it can go over brilliantly. Llama Llama Red Pajama, for instance, is packed with rhymes from start to finish. It’s a simple story of a cria (that’s a baby llama!) waiting for their mother to comfort them at bedtime.

If you’re writing in verse and rhyme, always read it aloud. Think about if it feels forced, excessive, or awkward in any way, and whether the rhyme really benefits the story. If it doesn’t sound quite right, you can always try rewriting your story in prose and see how it feels without rhymes. (The silver lining of children’s books is that, with relatively little text, it’s easier to experiment than with other kinds of books!)

In any case, according to writer and editor Jennifer Rees, you’ll achieve better results without forcing things. “There are so many gorgeously written picture books that do not rhyme, but they just sound beautiful. Simply pay attention to how the lines read and how every single word sounds when you read it out loud.”

There are also a few more choices to consider as you write your story, which we’ll cover below.

7. Write with illustrations in mind

Illustrated children’s books obviously rely on text and illustrations working together to create an immersive experience. Whether you’re planning to bring in an illustrator or pick up a paintbrush yourself, you should always be thinking about the visuals while drafting.

Think in terms of scenes

Think of your book like a (very) short movie. Each time you flip a page, you enter a new scene with the potential to surprise your young readers. To achieve this effect, consider placing your surprises strategically on the other side of page turns.

Let the visuals do the talking

When self-editing your manuscript, try to cut unnecessary sentences and let the visuals (or future visuals) do the talking instead. Don’t squander your precious word count describing the weather or a character’s clothes if pictures can do it for you.

If you’re not illustrating the book yourself, you can include certain visual details in your art notes. However, take care not to micromanage your illustrator — that is, you only need to include art notes if they are a) crucial to the story and b) not already clear from your manuscript’s text. Otherwise you can (and should) trust your chosen illustrator to interpret your manuscript effectively. After all, that’s their job!

Finally, once you’ve written and rewritten your children’s story, it’s time to polish it further through editing.

8. Self-edit common issues

Even the best ideas can lose impact if they’re weighed down by avoidable issues. Here are the most common things to be aware of as you review your own manuscript:

🗣️ Talking down to the audience. Children are quick to sense when a story is overly instructive or moralizing. Instead of hitting them over the head with it, let meaning emerge through action, consequence, and character choice.

😵‍💫 Overcomplicating the story. Still, take care to balance organic storytelling with digestibility. Too many characters, subplots, or focus shifts can overwhelm young readers. Children’s books tend to work best when they center on a single goal or problem and follow it to a clear resolution.

🏃 Underestimating the importance of pacing. Lingering too long on setup, or repeating the same beat without escalation, can stall the story. Each scene should move the story forward or deepen our understanding of the main character.

👨🏻 Writing for adults instead of children. While parents and caregivers may be the primary buyers of picture books, the story ultimately needs to resonate with its intended readers — in language, perspective, and emotional focus.

A careful revision pass, ideally with feedback from children or fellow children’s book authors (as mentioned above), can help you spot and fix these issues. It can also help save money when it comes time to hire a professional.

9. Work with a children’s editor

Indeed, if you’ve gotten feedback from a child, self-edited extensively, and still feel your children’s book isn’t quite there, consider hiring a professional children’s editor. Their experience will both improve your storytelling and ensure your book has strong sales potential.

There are two types of children’s book editors you may be looking for:

• Developmental editors. These editors will look at your story’s backbone, from concept to characters to plot, and make sure your book is a) market-appropriate and b) ready for line/copy editing (the next step in this process). They may also comment on overarching style or tone of voice, if you need to change the time frame or point of view, and any other “big picture” improvements.

• Copy editors. The copy editor will correct your typos, spelling, and grammar, assess specific word choices, and ensure your text is perfectly polished.

Read our post on children’s book costs to find out the average price for each service. That said, if you’re self-publishing, you should set most of your budget aside for one thing: hiring an illustrator to bring your world to life.

10. Hire an illustrator

If you want to publish your book traditionally, skip this step. Just prepare your picture book query letter and start pitching to agents. 

If you’re planning to publish your picture book yourself, you’ll have to find your very own artist. We’ve written an in-depth guide on how to hire a children’s book illustrator — but one of the most important first steps is to articulate your ideal illustration style.

Identify the visual style for your book

What style will best capture the mood and world of your story? Perhaps your book is for very young readers who will enjoy bright, bold, and graphic illustrations. Or maybe you’re targeting a slightly older audience, who’ll appreciate whimsical characters but a more muted color palette.

You should also gather a range of references, so you have ample inspiration and “mentor texts” to refer back to. Browse through your favorite kids’ books, or a gallery of children’s book covers and illustrations, and pick out what you like. This post on 30 children’s book illustrators may be a helpful jumping-off point.

While some artists might welcome a challenge, the best way to guarantee good results is to find an artist whose style already matches your vision — rather than asking them to fit a square peg into a round hole.

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And there you have it! Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll have a completed children's book ready for publication. Check out our guide on how to publish your children’s book for more information on getting your story into the hands of young readers.