How to Write a Children's Book: Age Groups, Word Counts and Illustration

People often assume a children's book must be easier than a novel: fewer words, simpler sentences. Anyone who has tried knows better. In a picture book every word has to earn its place, and a middle-grade novel has to hold readers who will close a book without hesitation the moment it bores them. On top of that, most children's books have two audiences: the children who read or hear them, and the adults who buy them and read them aloud.

So the first step is a clear decision: which age are you writing for? That choice shapes the format, the length, the vocabulary and the role of the pictures.

Age groups and formats

The categories overlap, and publishers draw the lines a little differently. The overview below reflects common practice in US and UK children's publishing:

These are not rules, but they show how agents, editors and booksellers think. A 3,000-word picture book text or a 100,000-word middle-grade debut will face an uphill battle, however well it is written.

Picture books: every word counts

Picture books are usually read aloud, so the text has to sound good out loud: rhythm, repetition children can join in with, and sentences that never trip up the adult reading them. Read every draft aloud, several times.

Just as important is what you leave out. What the picture shows, the text does not need to say. If the illustration shows a red coat, your sentence does not need the word “red.” Strong picture book texts leave room for the art, and sometimes the pictures tell a slightly different story from the words, which children love to spot.

Early readers and chapter books

Early readers are for children learning to read on their own. They are usually organized into reading levels, with short sentences, familiar words, large type and only a few lines per page. Many publishers run dedicated series with precise requirements for sentence length, vocabulary and word count. If you want to write for one, read several titles in that series and look for its guidelines.

Chapter books are the next step: short chapters, a simple plot and often a recurring cast across a series. In both formats the challenge is the same: tell a story that is genuinely fun within tight limits. A child sounding out every word needs a reason to keep going, whether that is a question, a funny situation or a character worth rooting for.

Middle grade: pace and respect

Middle grade covers novels for readers roughly eight to twelve. Most novel-writing principles apply: a clear conflict, a protagonist with a goal, chapters that pull readers forward. A few conventions are worth knowing:

• The protagonist is usually at the older end of the readership. Children like reading about characters they can look up to a little.
• Kids solve the problem. If an adult swoops in and fixes everything at the end, young readers feel cheated.
• No lecturing. Children notice immediately when a story exists only to deliver a message. Values can live in the plot, not in sermons.
• Short chapters. Many middle-grade novels use chapters that can be read in one bedtime sitting.

Illustration: who draws, who decides?

The key rule for picture book authors surprises many beginners: when you submit to an agent or publisher, you normally send the text only. Publishers usually choose and pair the illustrator themselves, to fit their list and the style of the book. Including your own sketches, or art by a friend, can actually weaken a submission. The exception is the author-illustrator who submits text and art together, typically as a dummy with a few finished spreads.

Where the art must show something the text deliberately leaves out, you can add brief art notes, often in brackets or italics. Use them sparingly, only where the story would not make sense without them.

If you self-publish, you commission the illustrations yourself. Agree in writing which rights you receive, for which editions and territories, and how the illustrator is paid; for the contract, qualified advice is worth it. Think about production too: full-color interiors cost considerably more in print-on-demand than black-and-white ones, which affects your list price. Our guide to paperback trim size, binding and print covers the options.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to illustrate my own picture book?

No. If you submit to agents or publishers, you normally send the text only, and the publisher chooses the illustrator. Only professional author-illustrators submit text and art together. If you self-publish, you hire an illustrator.

Do picture books have to rhyme?

No. Rhyming texts can be wonderful, but only when the rhyme and meter are flawless. Forced rhyme does more harm than good, and many agents are cautious about rhyming submissions. Plenty of beloved picture books are written in prose.

How do I know if my text suits the age group?

Read widely among recent books for the same age and compare sentence length, vocabulary and word count. Read your text aloud to children in the target age group and watch where they fidget or ask questions.