Childrens picture book tips for writing
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www.ReadWriteThink.org www.ReadWriteThink.org Tips for Teens Writing a Children’s Picture Storybook Definition A children’s picture storybook is a work written for children that uses both words and pictures to tell a simple story. Format Most picture books average 30 pages and are made up of 14 to 16 two-page spreads (the two facing pages of an open book). Overall Tips A children’s picture book should be or- ganized into short, simple sentences and short paragraphs. Use strong action words to keep the story vivid in the reader’s mind (“The girl jumped and laughed” is probably better than “The girl is happy”). Use the sound of words to make the story come to life. Children love to hear repetition, rhyme, and other lan- guage sounds. Repeating a phrase throughout a story (“And the mouse still didn’t have any cheese” at the end of every page) can help hold a reader’s attention. Use a question at the end of a page (“And what did the monkey find under that rock?”) to help move your reader to the next page. Pictures Many children’s books have a vivid and attractive picture on the front cover that introduces the reader to the main character or problem in the story. Pictures are usually created after the story is written. Use pictures to help readers under- stand the words in the story. Characters The main character should have one or two personality traits that children can relate to easily. Use words and pictures to get the character’s personality across to the reader. Try not to use long lists of details to describe a character. Decide whether the main character will stay the same or change as the story goes on. Plot/Story A well-designed plot or story is essen- tial to a good children’s book. Limit your story to one main problem the character has to overcome. Some of the common themes that au- thors build children’s stories around are being accepted by others, what it’s like being in a family, growing up, and being afraid of something that’s new or unknown. Children’s books usually try to teach a positive lesson, but most do not men- tion the lesson directly. The lesson is often made clear through the good and bad outcomes of the choices a character makes. Setting Make the time and place of a story clear to help readers imagine where everything is happening. Children can be entertained equally well by stories set in very familiar places and far away, exotic places. Setting a story in an unfamiliar loca- tion can be a great way to get a reader to ask lots of questions.
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Transcript of Childrens picture book tips for writing
www.ReadWriteThink.orgwww.ReadWriteThink.org
Tips for Teens Writing a Children’s Picture Storybook
Definition� A children’s picture storybook is a work
written for children that uses bothwords and pictures to tell a simplestory.
Format� Most picture books average 30 pages
and are made up of14 to 16 two-page spreads (the twofacing pages of an open book).
Overall Tips� A children’s picture book should be or-
ganized into short, simple sentencesand short paragraphs.
� Use strong action words to keep thestory vivid in the reader’s mind (“Thegirl jumped and laughed” is probablybetter than “The girl is happy”).
� Use the sound of words to make thestory come to life. Children love tohear repetition, rhyme, and other lan-guage sounds.
� Repeating a phrase throughout a story(“And the mouse still didn’t have anycheese” at the end of every page) canhelp hold a reader’s attention.
� Use a question at the end of a page(“And what did the monkey find underthat rock?”) to help move your readerto the next page.
Pictures� Many children’s books have a vivid and
attractive picture on the front coverthat introduces the reader to the maincharacter or problem in the story.
� Pictures are usually created after thestory is written.
� Use pictures to help readers under-stand the words in the story.
Characters� The main character should have one
or two personality traits that childrencan relate to easily.
� Use words and pictures to get thecharacter’s personality across to thereader.
� Try not to use long lists of details todescribe a character.
� Decide whether the main character willstay the same or change as the storygoes on.
Plot/Story� A well-designed plot or story is essen-
tial to a good children’s book.� Limit your story to one main problem
the character has to overcome.� Some of the common themes that au-
thors build children’s stories aroundare being accepted by others, what it’slike being in a family, growing up, andbeing afraid of something that’s newor unknown.
� Children’s books usually try to teach apositive lesson, but most do not men-tion the lesson directly. The lesson isoften made clear through the goodand bad outcomes of the choices acharacter makes.
Setting� Make the time and place of a story
clear to help readers imagine whereeverything is happening.
� Children can be entertained equallywell by stories set in very familiarplaces and far away, exotic places.
� Setting a story in an unfamiliar loca-tion can be a great way to get areader to ask lots of questions.
