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Children’s Book Analysis and Writing …It’s Fun, But It’s NOT Child’s Play!

Many people want to write children’s books. But when was

the last time you READ a children’s book, or studied it?

What type of children’s book was it?

And what age range was it for?

Was there a message or theme?

You see, writing children’s books seems really simple. After

all, depending on the age range it’s intended for, there may not be many

words.

But writing a children’s book is not child’s play. Many decisions go into any

publication. Where the words are placed, whether there will be images (and if

so, the type of art or images), the specific age range, the theme, and more. You

may want to consider certain trends that are occurring right now in

publication, such as the multiple book franchise or series, and you also want

to find a way to be original.

You must also realize that while it is for the child, you are also considering the

parent, as the parent is the one who purchases the item. So how do you get

this person to buy? Is it meant for entertainment only, or while entertaining,

does it address a need, like toilet training, fear of the dark or handling the

death of a loved one, all with an appropriate “story” edge?

CLEARLY, writing a children’s book requires strategy and critical thinking!

**So if you want to write a children’s book, the first thing to do is research.

Get several children’s books, from picture books to early readers.

Use the Handout below to analyze and study the book, or each of the books

that you look at. USE ONE handout for EACH book you analyze.

Guaranteed, you will begin to LEARN. You will find that there are certain

logic, design, organization, or even theme, writing/word/style choices that

certain books have in common.

When you decide to write your children’s book, you will be ahead of the

game!!

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CHILDREN’S BOOK ANALYSIS – USE ONE SHEET FOR EACH BOOK

Hand Writing Version

Book title and Author_________________________________________________________________

Font size/Type_______________________________________________________________________

Font placement (left side of page, top, bottom, right, wanders to reflect action, etc.) _________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Where is art placed? ___________________________________________________________________

Is the Art and Font the same or similar throughout book? Does the Art and Font seem to “match each

other”? This is two questions.____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Type of art done? ______________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Is there any kind of cool Gimmick or interesting use of Material? ________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Is the AUTHOR and ILLUSTRATOR the same person? Name the illustrator if the name is different

____________________________________________________________________________________

Size of Book itself_____________________________________________________________________

It is landscape or regular? _______________________________________________________________

With what material is it bound? ___________________________________________________________

On what side is it bound (top or side) ______________________________________________________

Age ranges served for this book___________________________________________________________

How can YOU TELL? IS IT REFLECTED IN FONT SIZE? TOPIC of STORY? SIZE OF BOOK?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

From a salable standpoint, what’s the VIBE of the book? What COOL about it, or what is its selling

point? (home-y, old-timey, handling-touchy-subjects-well, edgy-cool art, very-pc, new-issues, etc).

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

How much does THIS particular Book COST? _______________________________________________

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CHILDREN’S BOOK ANALYSIS

Computer Version

1. Book title and Author?

2. Font size?

3. Font placement (left side of page, top, bottom, right, wanders to reflect action, etc.)?

4. Where is art placed?

5. Does the Art and Font Stay the same or remain similar throughout the book? Do the Art and Font

seem to “match each other” These are two questions. Answer both.

6. Type of art done (style).

7. Is there any kind of cool Gimmick or interesting use of Material?

8. Is the AUTHOR and ILLUSTRATOR the same person? Name the illustrator if the name is different.

9. Size of Book itself.

10. It is landscape or regular?

11. With what material is it bound?

12. On what side is it bound (top or side)?

13. Age ranges served for this book? (Give your best opinion).

14. How can YOU TELL? IS IT REFLECTED IN FONT SIZE? TOPIC of STORY? SIZE OF BOOK?

15. From a salable standpoint, what’s the VIBE of the book? What COOL about it, or what is its selling

point? (home-y, old-timey, handling-touchy-subjects-well, edgy-cool art, very-pc, new-issues, etc).

16. How much does THIS particular Book COST? (Turn it over, as price is usually on the back.)

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ONCE YOU’VE ANALYZED SEVERAL BOOKS

1.What are the price differences in books, regarding artwork or hardcover versus softcover? ___________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. What else might affect price that you have seen in your analysis? ______________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Knowing what you know about “Big People” books, what are some general conclusions you’ve come to

regarding picture books when it comes to

3. The size of the font: __________________________________________________________________

4. The size of the book itself______________________________________________________________

5. The way it is bound (top up or landscape) _________________________________________________

6. The presence of art/pictures etc_________________________________________________________

7. IN GENERAL, WHY do you think young children would like the art you’ve seen? What might make it

pleasing to youngsters? _________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

8. What characteristics do the books seem to share, and why do you think they have these characteristics?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

9. What realizations, if ANY, have you come to, about the NUMBER of decisions a picture book writer

must make when creating a making a “seemingly simple” work for a One- to five-year old? __________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

10. If you were given the assignment of writing a children’s book in this class, what topics would you

write about, what age range would you target, and what other decisions do you think you could make

right now after having done this exercise (consider construction, style, art). You can of course change

your idea!____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

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ONCE YOU’VE ANALYZED SEVERAL BOOKS

1. What are the price differences in books, regarding artwork or hardcover versus softcover?

2. What else might affect price that you have seen in your analysis?

Knowing what you know about “Big People” books, what are some general conclusions you’ve come to

regarding picture books when it comes to

3. The size of the font.

4. The size of the book itself.

5. The way it is bound (top up or landscape).

6. The presence of art/pictures etc.

7. IN GENERAL, WHY do you think young children would like the art you’ve seen? What might make it

pleasing to youngsters?

8. What characteristics do the books seem to share, and why do you think they have these characteristics?

9. What realizations, if ANY, have you come to, about the NUMBER of decisions a picture book writer

must make when creating a making a “seemingly simple” work for a One- to five-year old?

10. If you were given the assignment of writing a children’s book in this class, what topics would you

write about, what age range would you target, and what other decisions do you think you could make

right now after having done this exercise (consider construction, style, art). You can of course change

your idea!