Studio journalNotes on the craft
Journal
Notes on making children's books.
Shorter, more opinionated pieces than our long-form guides. Craft notes, pricing honesty, format comparisons, and the occasional rant about book covers.
Craft· April 2026 · 8 min read
Children's book illustration styles, explained
The six dominant styles of contemporary children's book illustration, how to tell them apart, and which tends to work for which kind of story.
Covers· April 2026 · 9 min read
What makes a good children's book cover
The anatomy of a cover that actually sells — typography, composition, the Amazon-thumbnail test, and the five covers every author should study first.
Pricing· March 2026 · 7 min read
How much does a children's book illustrator cost?
The real numbers behind picture book illustration — what $500, $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000 buy you in 2026, and why the cheapest option is almost always the most expensive.
Formats· March 2026 · 6 min read
Picture book vs chapter book: which is your manuscript?
Word count, page count, audience age, and the two questions that decide whether your story wants to be a picture book, a chapter book, or something in between.
Also worth reading
The long-form guides.
For deeper walkthroughs of writing, illustrating, and publishing a children's book — the guides section is where the proper how-to content lives.
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