Here’s a collection of picture book resources I’ve found. Enjoy!
(Note: this page was updated in August 2026, so all links at that point were good.)
Books about Writing Picture Books
Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication by Ann Whitford Paul*
You Can Write Children’s Books by Tracey E. Dils
Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children’s Books by Uri Shulevitz (See sample here: How to Make a Storyboard)
Illustrating Children’s Picture Books: Tutorials, Case Studies, Know-How, Inspiration by Steve Withrow and Lesley Breen Withrow
Picture Book Resources on the Web
You’ll often find on these sites that you should keep looking around for more info.
Getting Started Writing Picture Books
- If You Wanna Be a Picture Book Writer by Pam Calvert
- How To: Write a Picture Book by Sue Bradford Edwards
- Jane Yolen*: Creating and Recreating the Picture Book
- Picture Book or Short Story? by agent Mary Kole
- Writing Picture Books by Mem Fox
- Writing Picture Books: The Basics by Margot Finke
Layouts and Standards for Picture Books
- Dummies for Smarties by Sarah S. Brannen
- Picture Books 101 (Part 3): Understanding picture book format and construction by Debbie Ohi
- Picture Book Construction: Know Your Layout by Tara Lazar
- Storyboarding by Katherine Battersby
Tips and Do’s and Don’ts for Writing Picture Books
- 9 Quick Tips for Writing a Picture Book by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
- Twenty Tips for Writing Picture Books by Pat Mora*
- Writing Do’s and Don’ts by Mem Fox
Got Rhythm? Rhyme and Meter in Picture Books
- How to Write a Picture Book with Fabulous “R & M” by Margot Finke
- Rhymes and Misdemeanors by Hope Vestergaard*
- Rhyming Picture Books: A Rhyme With Reason by agent Mary Kole
- Writing in Rhyme for Children by Laura Backes
Plot and Character in Picture Books
- Irresistible Picture Book Characters by Tammi Sauer*
- Picture Book Plot Structure by Sondra Eby
- The Plot Clock in Picture Books by Rob Sanders
Revising Your Picture Book
- How to Revise a Picture Book: The Most Common Picture Book Revision Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) by Jenny Bowman
- How Many Times Can I Revise 500 Words by Brianna Caplan Sayres
- Make Your Picture Book Sparkle! by Peggy Tibbetts
- Six Tips for Revising Picture Books by Marcie Wessels
Illustrating Picture Books
- Does the Guild have any advice for aspiring illustrators of children’s books? (The Children’s Book Guild of Washington, D.C.)
- How to Illustrate a Children’s Book: Getting Started (Part 1) by Abi Cushman
- Loren Long* – Creating Picture Books: My Process
Other PB Resources
- 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know (New York Public Library)
- Monster List of Picture Book Agents by Heather Ayris Burnell
- Picture Book People Pointers FREE Ezine & FREE E-Book, Write a Dynamic Picture Book
- Storystorm – an annual event each January
- What Makes a Great Picture Book?
*I’ve heard these people speak, run, don’t walk, if you ever get a chance to hear them! A number of the others I’d LIKE to hear…