Children’s books are the fastest-growing segment of publishing in 2020. This year, The Very Hungry Caterpillar was in the top ten of all products on Amazon.
What has happened? Why are children’s books blowing up? Parents are reading to their kids at home, but maybe something else is happening. Many writers have newfound free time in 2020 and are starting to write for children.
As a dad of a nine-month-old and a two-year-old, I have learned a lot about children’s books in the last couple of years. I have read a lot of children’s books, and right now, my daughter is going crazy about The Poky Little Puppy and many others. In fact, Winnie the Pooh is her new fascination.
But how do you write a great book for children?
I asked Linda Howard. She’s the associate publisher for children and youth at Tyndale House Publishers. She has an extensive background of working with children and children’s products because of her role in many organizations, including the illustrious Focus on the Family Adventures in Odyssey, which my wife and I grew up listening to.
How has 2020 changed the publishing of children’s books?
Thomas: Normally, children’s books are the neglected stepchild of the publishing industry. But then 2020 happened. What has 2020 looked like on the publishing side?
Linda: It’s been an interesting year with parents being forced to be home with their children. They have extra time and don’t want to toss their kids in front of screens, so they’ve been turning to books and finding ways to keep their kids busy with books instead of screens. We’ve seen an upward tick, particularly in activity books like puzzle books and coloring books.
Kids’ books have been selling like crazy. The first month or so after Covid hit, we saw a downturn, and I think it was because everybody was buying toilet paper instead of books. But once that settled down, they’ve been buying books and bonding with their kids through reading.
Thomas: Children’s ebook sales are up. Normally, if you look at a genre like romance, about 80% of the sales are ebooks. But with children’s books, it used to be more like 5%. Now, in some categories, it’s jumped to 15%, 20%, even 25% or more. That’s still low compared to other genres, but it’s a significant increase for children’s books.
Is that because parents are buying their kids Kindle Fires for school and Zoom classes?
Linda: I think that’s part of it. Families already have electronic devices at home because of e-learning or homeschooling, so it makes sense to have kids read some of their books digitally, especially since the devices are already there. Also, if you’re hesitant to have physical items delivered or don’t want to go out shopping, ebooks offer a contact-free alternative. There’s no worry about germs or safety. Plus, if you have a Kindle Fire, kids can still enjoy full-color picture books, so it stays fun and interactive for them.
Thomas: If you have one of those padded Kindle Fires for kids, it might be more durable than a physical book. At our house, we have a little “book hospital” where we try to repair damaged books and a “book graveyard” for the ones that didn’t survive. My toddlers have definitely destroyed their fair share of books. They’re quite prolific when it comes to tearing out pages.
Linda: My grandkids are the same way. If a book has a dust cover, my daughter just takes it off the minute it comes into the house. It’s not even worth keeping.
How have libraries affected children’s book sales?
Thomas: Most people don’t realize that in many libraries, the top ten most-checked-out books are children’s books. In fact, the New York Public Library released a list of the top ten most-checked-out books of all time, and most of them were children’s books.
There was even a note explaining why Goodnight Moon didn’t make the list. It turns out that for decades, a librarian at the New York Public Library simply didn’t like Goodnight Moon and excluded it from the system. Because of that, even though it’s been a top book since then, it hasn’t been able to catch up with the others in terms of total checkouts.
I think this also helps explain why children’s book sales are up. Normally, parents will go to the library and check out five or ten children’s books at a time and do it again the next week. But now, many libraries are closed or only offering limited services like curbside pickup. Additionally, most of the library activities, like children’s story time, aren’t happening.
Is the publishing landscape different for Christian children’s books?
Thomas: I’ve noticed it can be difficult to get Christian books into libraries. Sometimes, librarians have a bias against them. What have you seen?
Linda: Our kids’ book sales are up this year compared to last year, and I think the shift in library access might have something to do with that. We don’t have as much trouble getting our YA books into libraries, but picture books are a different story. They’re harder to place. You need the right reviews and the right people to notice them before librarians will consider purchasing.
If you can get a good review in School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, or Kirkus, that really helps. Librarians pay close attention to those sources. For Christian publishers especially, getting influential reviews is one of the best ways to get your books into libraries. That opens the door to more opportunities.
What is a Kirkus review?
Linda: Kirkus is a very prestigious, high-end review magazine. They don’t review a large number of books, especially when it comes to Christian titles, as they tend to focus more on secular content. That said, we’ve received positive reviews from them for a few of our YA and picture books over the past few years.
Getting a good review from Kirkus, especially if it’s starred, is a big deal. Librarians and other industry professionals pay attention to those reviews, and they can make a real difference in boosting your book sales.
Thomas: Authors pay a fee to submit their book to Kirkus, and then Kirkus decides whether or not to review your book or not. It’s a risky proposition with a potentially big reward.
Linda: Publishers don’t always have to pay to have books seen by Kirkus. You can pay for a review, but the problem is that you don’t know whether the review will be good or bad. You’re taking a risk when you’re spending your money to force a review. They’re not just going to be nice because you paid them some money. They give their honest opinion.
What makes a children’s book a Christian children’s book?
Linda: It’s a question we continue to wrestle with at Tyndale. I don’t think you have to share the gospel on every page in order for it to be a Christian children’s book. There’s a place for a Christian worldview that brings in lessons and values that are taught in the Bible, but we don’t necessarily have to say Jesus or God on every page. At Tyndale, we ask, “Is that worldview communicated strongly enough that people know where we’re coming from in our books?”
There’s a continuum of people coming to Christ. Some are still seekers who don’t know Christ at all and don’t think they want to know him. But there are also people who are sold out for him 100%. Being able to publish books across that continuum is important. We want to be able to meet people where they are and draw them to Christ.
A Christian book might be something simple that presents a biblical worldview in a way that draws readers in and gets them thinking. For example, if the book is about creation, it might lead someone to ask, “Well, who did create everything?” It invites them to consider deeper questions and gently moves them along that spiritual journey.
Thomas: Not every book of the Bible shares the gospel. There are only four gospels in the Bible. Plus, there’s a whole book of the Bible that’s nothing but a discussion of sex.
Esther doesn’t mention God. And in the Protestant version of the story, there’s no prayer. The Apocrypha version is a bit more explicit with its extended edition of Esther.
But in the Hebrew Version, which is what we have in our Protestant Bibles, there’s no explicit mention of God. He’s alluded to but never mentioned by name.
In the story of Esther, the people fast, but there’s no mention of them praying.
As a Christian publisher, you’re asking, “If a book about loving your neighbor, is that Christian enough, or do we have to say, ‘Jesus said, love your neighbor?'”
Linda: I would never say, “All books we publish must say love your neighbor.” But sometimes books that just say love your neighbor are okay. We need a good mix. At no point can there be anything in any of these books that would be contrary to what we believe as Christians. However, we can talk about those values and character traits without having to explicitly bring Jesus and God onto every page.
What advice do you have for somebody who’s writing their first children’s book?
Linda: Keep your audience in mind. What makes writing children’s books a bit more challenging is that you’re really writing for two audiences: the kids and the adults. You need to capture the child’s attention and make them want to come back to the story, but you also have to appeal to the adults because they’re the ones choosing and buying the book.
That means the story needs to be just as enjoyable for an adult to read as it is for a child to listen to. Anyone with young kids or grandkids knows that if a child loves a book, you will end up reading it repeatedly.
So when you’re writing, you have to keep both audiences in mind. The language needs to be simple and concrete enough for young children to understand. Picture books don’t lend themselves well to metaphors or abstract ideas. Three-year-olds just want you to tell them, “The dog ran down the street, then he fell down, and then he got better.” They want something clear and direct, but it still needs to be fun and engaging.
In my opinion, one of the best examples of this is VeggieTales. They nailed that balance. Kids loved VeggieTales, but adults loved it just as much. There were layers of humor and meaning that the kids didn’t catch, but the adults did, and it made the experience enjoyable for both. We should aim for storytelling that is clear and entertaining for kids but also fun and meaningful for the adults who are along for the ride.
Thomas: You crushed that with Adventures in Odyssey. Adventures in Odyssey is very well made for both audiences. My wife and I went back and listened to some of our favorite episodes.
How can you write books that appeal to both children and adults?
Thomas: One practical technique can help your writing appeal to children and adults: it’s called right-branching sentences, and it comes from journalism.
Last night, my wife came across her old American Girl books. Our toddler saw one of the dolls on the cover and picked it up. I thought, “You’re probably not ready for this yet,” but she liked the cover, so I said, “Okay, sit down with me, and we’ll give it a try.”
I read the first sentence, and it was a perfect right-branching sentence. She was still with me. We kept going, and I realized that probably six out of seven sentences on that first page were right-branching. I even turned to my wife and said, “These are all right-branching sentences!” And sure enough, my toddler made it ten pages into a book with almost no pictures.
A right-branching sentence is a style often used in journalism. The example of “The dog ran down the street, then he fell down, then he got better” is a perfect right-branching sentence. The key is that the subject of the sentence is introduced right away. You’re not making the reader hold a bunch of information before they know who or what the sentence is about.
In contrast, left-branching sentences, which are more common in literary fiction, delay the subject. That can create tension and drama, but it also forces the reader to store a lot of information in their head. For example, “In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit.” That structure makes it harder for young readers to track what’s happening.
When I took journalism classes, right-branching sentences were on day one, right after the syllabus. You can build an entire article that way. If you’ve ever wondered why you’re able to read six-paragraph articles in The New York Times or The New York Post without getting lost, it’s probably because they use right-branching sentences. They work for adults and kids.
I don’t think the phrase “right-branching sentence” has made its way into the author world yet; it’s still mostly in journalism.
Once you know to look for it, you’ll see it everywhere. The entire book Goodnight Moon is basically one long right-branching sentence. It holds children’s attention so well that even parody books like Goodnight Mr. Darcy work because they mimic that structure.
To learn more about right-branching sentences, listen to the following episodes:
- Write Bestselling Pitches by Avoiding These 10 Copywriting Mistakes
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What mistakes do you see children’s authors making with their writing?
Linda: Earlier, I mentioned the importance of clarity, and that applies to writing for children. Sometimes, children’s authors try too hard to be clever or to include metaphors and deeper meanings when what’s needed is clarity and simplicity.
Mistake 1: Not Understanding the Genre
Another common issue I see is writers not fully understanding the genre they’re working in or the audience they’re writing for. You have to know both. If you’re writing a picture book, for example, it should be under 1,000 words. It needs to be clear and simple and use language that a child can easily understand. Don’t try to make it something it’s not. Don’t try to turn it into the next Pride and Prejudice.
Some writers get caught up in trying to create something profound or literary, and in the process, they lose sight of what a picture book is. If someone sends me a proposal for a picture book and it’s 4,000 words long, my first reaction is, “You don’t understand the genre.”
I advise aspiring authors to research the genre they’re writing in. Study it. Understand the structure, the voice, and the expectations for that age group. If you don’t, it’s going to show in your writing, and your audience will feel it.
Mistake 2: Using a Complicated Sentence Structure
Thomas: I tell children’s book authors to test their stories on actual children. It’s one of the few genres where you can get real-time feedback. When my daughter gets bored with a book, she straightens her whole body and slides right off my lap. I know exactly when I’ve lost her. As someone who works in publishing, I’m always paying attention to what causes that reaction. Usually, it’s a left-branching sentence.
Mistake 3: Failing to Use Concrete Imagery
It also happens with overly complicated metaphors or similes or anything too abstract. When writing for kids, you have to be concrete. If I can’t picture it, and the illustrator can’t figure out what to draw, then you’re not done yet. You need to keep working until the language is simple, clear, and visual.
Even in the Bible, some of the most powerful teachings are incredibly concrete. If you had to turn any of Jesus’s parables into a picture book, the illustrations would almost draw themselves. That’s how vivid and grounded his storytelling was.
On the other hand, Paul’s writing in the Bible is more abstract, which is why Scripture itself says Paul is hard to understand. So when you’re writing for children, be like Jesus. Don’t be like Paul. If you’re writing for theology majors or seminary students, sure, go full Paul. But for kids, clarity and concreteness win every time.
Mistake 4: Too Many Big Words
Thomas: Another mistake authors make is that they think they’re finished when they’re not. If you look at rhyming books that really work, chances are they’ve gone through a hundred revisions. But a lot of authors stop too soon. They’ll say, “Hey, it more or less rhymes,” but half the rhyming words are big SAT-level vocabulary. That’s a sign the work isn’t finished yet.
You get one SAT word per book.
Mistake: Poor Rhyming
Linda: Another mistake I see is poor rhyming. Many people think they can rhyme, but maybe they’re not as good at it as they think they are.
Sometimes, the rhymes feel forced and not authentic. Rhyming is hard. Good rhyming with good rhythm is hard. If you’re going to write a rhyming book, read it out loud because it sounds different in your head than it does when you read it out loud.
Thomas: Make sure you have other people read your book out loud, too. You might have a unique way of reading that masks issues in the text.
There’s one book we’ve had since our daughter Mercy was born that we absolutely love. It was the first book she really fell in love with. But it has one unnecessary word on the final page that completely ruins the meter. The word is “very,” and it didn’t need to be there. The author probably added it, thinking it would help stick the landing. Instead, it threw the whole rhythm off. It bugs my wife so much that she edits the sentence in real time and skips the word when she reads it.
That’s why understanding rhythm and meter matters, especially in rhyming books. Unfortunately, the way poetry has been taught in the last 50 years hasn’t helped. Most of it’s been free form with no rules, which is very postmodern and not useful when it comes to writing for children.
If you want to get better at rhyme and rhythm, I recommend picking up older poetry. Study sonnets, look at iambic pentameter, and learn how rhyme schemes and meter work. Understand where the emphasis goes in a line. Diagram it if you have to.
Children love rhyme and meter, especially when it’s done well. That’s one reason Dr. Seuss books have endured for so long. When he set a rhyme and meter pattern, he stuck to it religiously. That consistency creates a sense of comfort and predictability that kids crave.
When the rhyme or rhythm is “close enough” but not quite, it makes kids uncomfortable. Instead of feeling safe and engaged, they feel like something’s off. When you’re writing for children, your book needs to provide structure. They’re already testing boundaries in other areas of life; your story should offer some clear ones they can count on.
What type of children’s books do you want to see on your desk?
Thomas: What do you see in a children’s book that excites the editor in you?
Linda: I love seeing books that help kids grow as people. I’m passionate about books that build character and deepen children’s understanding of the world.
For me, well-done books on diversity are especially meaningful. In the Christian publishing world, we haven’t always done a great job in this area. And when I say “diversity,” I don’t just mean books that say, “You’re Black, and I’m white, and we should be friends.” I mean stories that reflect own voices, meaning stories told from within a culture, sharing what life looks like through that lens. We need stories that might be different from what I’m used to reading or seeing every day.
We should be asking how we can use books to help kids see differences as beautiful and not as something to fear. Books that do that are powerful.
Racial diversity is incredibly important, but I also care deeply about representing physical diversity, such as kids in wheelchairs, kids with disabilities, and kids who are autistic. All the differences we see around us every day deserve to be reflected in children’s books.
We need to do a better job of showing kids that these differences are not flaws; they’re part of the beauty of God’s creation. Books that help children grow in empathy and identity are the ones that truly make an impact.
How does an author write about diversity for children?
Thomas: Let’s say an author is a 55-year-old white Baptist woman, and she’s not diverse in any of the ways that you’re talking about. How does she write a book that incorporates some of that diversity?
Linda: It’s hard because one of the things people are talking about right now is cultural appropriation, meaning “don’t you write about my culture if you haven’t lived it.”
Thomas: The Courduroy books were famous for cultural appropriation. The books featured an African American family but were written by a white man. The family is very white in how they interact with the world around them. But you’re saying that book would not be a hit if it were published in 2020?
Linda: I think they would probably get a lot of pushback if it was published today. If you’re not part of the culture that you want to write about, maybe you could team up with someone who is. You could write together to talk about how it feels to be on each side of the culture. Part of me wants to say, “Do some research,” but I don’t think that’s the way to go these days. I think you either find something else to write about that will still make a beautiful book, or you find a way to team up with someone who understands another culture or diversity in a different way.
Thomas: Are you saying that white Baptist ladies shouldn’t write children’s books unless they can find a diverse person to write with?
Linda: No, I’m saying they may not want to write about diversity or about someone from another culture. I think they should write about something that is true to themselves and authentic to who they are.
Diversity is important, but it’s not the only topic we need to be writing about today. There are so many other areas where kids need guidance, encouragement, and good information.
That said, I think the real mistake happens when someone tries to write about an experience they’ve never had and don’t truly understand, yet the book is written as if they’re an expert. That’s something to seriously rethink.
Instead, write about what’s true to your life, including what you’ve lived and know deeply. That’s where your most authentic and beautiful stories will come from.
What would you like to see from people who do not come from diverse minority groups?
Linda: I’d really like to see more character-building, virtue-based books. Anything that helps kids learn to communicate better is so valuable. Teaching them from a young age that it’s okay to disagree without tearing each other apart. I’d love to see a children’s book that handles that well and helps kids understand how to navigate conflict with kindness and respect.
One of the things I love about children’s books is that they impact the adults reading them. If we had great books on how to disagree well without attacking each other, and those books were being read aloud in homes, that could make a big difference.
On the Christian side, I’d love to see a well-done book on grief that helps children process loss in a healthy way. There’s so much grief and hardship in the world right now, and kids are feeling it. A thoughtful, compassionate book that walks them through those emotions would be incredibly meaningful.
We also publish a lot of devotionals, and I love seeing strong, well-crafted devotionals for kids. There’s such a need for resources that speak to the heart and help children grow spiritually and emotionally.
Thomas: As a major consumer of children’s books, I often buy them to help with very specific situations. For example, we got a book about saying goodbye to the crib and transitioning to a big girl bed. We also got Bye-Bye, Binky to help with pacifier weaning.
I went looking for children’s books to help. I found only one book on the topic. Meanwhile, we had half a dozen potty training books. If there had been a few more binky books, we probably would’ve bought those too. Those were sales that didn’t happen because the books didn’t exist.
That’s why I believe we need more specific books for kids. We need books that tackle real-life moments, like grief, anxiety, or potty training. Christian writers have to believe that the gospel and the Bible have something to say about specific life situations. Christianity is about more than just “believe in Jesus and don’t go to hell.”
If you believe that Scripture speaks into all areas of life, including parenting and childhood, then yes, there’s something Christians can say even about potty training.
Linda: Another good option for your hypothetical 55-year-old white Baptist author is interactive books.
We’ve seen a big rise in interactive books lately, and I’m always on the lookout for more that are fun and engaging, like Press Here. What a genius idea. It’s simple, didn’t cost much to produce, and could be sold at an affordable price, but it’s incredibly fun. Kids absolutely love it.
I’d love to see more creative, playful, and interactive books that draw kids in and make reading an experience. That kind of innovation is exciting, and there’s room for more of it in the children’s book world.
Thomas: Interactivity, as you see in Press Here, can be incorporated into almost any children’s book. If you work closely with a designer, you can create engaging, interactive elements that go beyond the story.
We have a series of books that do this really well. They feature puppy dogs, kitty cats, and birds that appear on every page. A big part of reading those books is finding those animals. If we skip a page without pointing out all the dogs and birds, we have to go back. It’s become part of the reading ritual.
But those animals have nothing to do with the main storyline. The book might be about a man making pizza. The animals may interact with the characters a little, but they’re not central to the plot. Still, those visual elements create an interactive experience that kids love.
The key is not to outsource that entirely to your designer. As the author or publisher, you should say, “Here are some interactive elements we want to include, and here’s why.”
Think of Where’s Waldo. You can include Where’s Waldo-style elements with a message about loving your neighbor or saying goodbye to the binky. It’s not either/or; you can have both. It’s all about approaching the book as a complete package and collaborating intentionally with your designer.
One more thing I’ve noticed in well-done books is the use of page turns to create tension. As you’re writing, you should think, “When is the page being turned? Why will a child want to turn it?”
One of the best examples of this is the book about P.J. Funnybunny. It goes: “He didn’t want to be a bunny. He wanted to be a…” and then you have to turn the page to find out that he wanted to be a bear. That creates movement, suspense, and interactivity.
Page turns shouldn’t just happen because you’ve run out of words. Use them with purpose to keep kids engaged and eager for what’s next.
Linda: Kids and adults alike want to be drawn into stories. Bring them in and make them want to keep turning pages.
What encouragement do you have for writers of children’s books?
Linda: First, don’t give up. Many authors get turned down multiple times before finally landing a book deal. Persistence is key.
One of the best things you can do is find a writing group or a mentor who truly understands writing and can help you grow. That kind of support can make a huge difference.
I recently received a proposal that had a lot of potential, but the author was a first-time writer, and the story needed some work. We connected her with an experienced mentor who could help raise the level of her writing. She was willing to put in the time and effort, and now we’re working on a contract with her because she was open to learning and growing through that process.
Thomas: It’s also important to find ways to deliberately practice in public where you can get real feedback from people who know what they’re doing.
Another crucial step is getting your writing in front of children. That could be as simple as printing out your story with some stock images, handing it to a few families at church, and saying, “Let me know when your kids straighten up and slide off your lap.” That’s your signal something’s not working.
You could also get involved in children’s ministry. I worked with a team of authors who ran the children’s ministry at a megachurch, and every Sunday, they had the opportunity to test their stories on a fresh group of kids who had never heard the story before. What an incredible advantage. They were doing built-in user testing week after week.
I encouraged them to ask questions, engage with the kids afterward, and ensure the story elements resonated. Kids today are growing up in a very different world.
Are we returning to darker stories?
This is a bit of a tangent, but I’d love your thoughts on it: I have a theory that we’re moving back toward a grimmer kind of storytelling, more like the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The world has become scarier, and historically, when that happens, stories become darker, too. Stories help children process fear and danger in a safe, controlled way. Rather than learning hard lessons in real life, they learn them through story.
There was a time when “the big bad wolf” wasn’t a metaphor. Wolves were real, and teaching your kids to be cautious in the woods was a matter of survival. In some ways, we’re back to that. Teaching children how to navigate danger and uncertainty is becoming important again.
So maybe we’re heading into a season where darker, more consequence-heavy stories resonate. We may need stories where characters face real danger, and some even die. Most children’s books have been very sanitized and Disney-fied for the last hundred years because the world felt safe. But today’s world no longer looks like that, and I suspect children’s books will need to reflect this new reality.
Linda: I could see that trend emerging, though I’m not seeing it yet in the proposals I’m receiving. That said, I do think kids are starting to ask more difficult, deeper questions. As authors and publishers, we’ll need to respond to that.
That’s one reason I’d love to see an excellent book on grief. More people are experiencing loss than ever before. Kids are being kept away from their grandparents and other loved ones for safety reasons, and that separation brings real emotional impact. We need to start addressing that in children’s literature.
It will be interesting to see how this evolves, but I believe the need for honest, compassionate storytelling will only grow.
Thomas: Kids are asking tough questions like, “Why did my dog die?” or “Why isn’t Rover getting up?” For many children, the death of a pet is one of the most traumatic experiences of their early life.
In the 20th-century “Disney” approach, we tried to soften the blow with euphemisms like “Rover went to live on a farm upstate” or “Rover is sleeping.” But today’s kids are more aware. They have access to more information than we ever did at their age, and those kinds of explanations don’t work the way they used to.
It’s much harder to shield children from reality now. Instead of trying to protect them with vague answers, I believe the better approach is to equip them to process hard truths in a thoughtful, age-appropriate way.
The best way to do that is through story, not with a list of rules or facts, but with meaningful narratives. Think of the original Little Red Riding Hood, where the big bad wolf eats her because she disobeyed her mother’s warning not to stray from the path. Stories like that taught important lessons through consequence and narrative.
Linda: I don’t know that I’d go that far, but I get your point.
Thomas: I’ve ordered a copy of the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and I will read them to my daughter. We’re going to see what she thinks.
Linda: I’ll be very interested to see how she responds.
Thomas: I told her a version of The Three Little Pigs from memory where the first two little pigs got eaten, and she said, “More! More!” She wanted me to tell it again. So she was not traumatized by little pigs getting eaten by the big bad wolf.
Linda: I think kids are much more resilient than we give them credit for.