How to Turn Your Child's Story Into a Real Picture Book
Every kid has a story they tell over and over. A dragon who is afraid of the dark. A cat who runs a bakery. A best friend who lives on the moon. With a little help, that story can become a real printed picture book with your child's name on the cover.
Real books, written by real kids.
All you need is a story idea (even a tiny one), about 20 minutes, and a grown up to help write things down. You never need photos of your child. Here is how it works.
1. Catch the story
Ask your child to tell you the story out loud, and write down their words exactly as they say them. Their phrasing is what makes the book theirs.
Stuck? These four questions unlock almost any story:
- Who is the story about?
- What do they wish for more than anything?
- What goes wrong along the way?
- How does it all work out?
If the ideas wander, that is normal. Write everything down first and choose the best parts together later.
2. Plan it page by page
One moment per page, in order.
Picture books work best with one moment per page. Help your child split the story into a beginning, a middle, and an end, then into scenes. Ask, "What picture should be on this page?" Kids are often surprisingly good at this.
Our free story builder walks your child through characters, the problem, and the happy ending, and you can save it before you decide anything.
3. Choose how the pictures get made
There are two ways to make a KidLore book, and both become real printed books. Watch the same villain go from our young author's crayon drawing to the illustrated page in his book.
Cartillia, drawn by Xan Galaxy, and the illustrated Cartillia from Dragon Boy and the Bean Thief.
We illustrate it. Your child tells the story and we create original illustrations for every page, keeping their characters looking the way they imagined them. See illustrated books
Your child draws it. Your child draws every page and we turn their drawings into a book exactly as they made them, crayon lines and all. Get the free drawing pages
4. Add the finishing touches
Every cover carries the author's name. Ours use pen names.
Real books have a few extra pages, and kids love deciding them:
- The title. Let your child name it. We will spell it correctly on the cover.
- A dedication. Who is the book for? Grandma, a pet, a best friend?
- About the Author. A few fun facts about your young author, like a favorite food or animal.
- A pen name (optional). If you would like the book on our public Bookshelf, your child can publish under a pen name, just like real authors do.
5. Review the proof
This is what a proof page looks like.
Within 7 days of getting your story or pages, we send a proof of every page and both covers. For illustrated books we keep your child's words and ideas, making only small changes so the story flows, and we show you every change. Nothing is printed until you approve it.
6. Print it and share it
The back cover of a finished book.
Your child's book is printed as an 8.5 x 8.5 inch square picture book in premium full color with a glossy cover, and shipped to your door.
Then the fun part: grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends can order their own copies. You can choose a royalty of $0, $3, $5, or $10 per copy that your family earns each time someone else orders one.
The best part is watching your child hold a book they made. Kids reread their own books again and again, and that is how a story turns into a reader.
Common questions
Who owns the story?
The story and its ideas belong to your family. Every book comes with a Certificate of Authorship crediting your child as the author.
Does my child need to know how to write?
No. Younger kids can tell the story out loud while a grown up writes it down. Older kids can write every word themselves.
Do you need photos of my child?
Never. Describe characters in words, or send your child's drawings of them.
How long does it take?
You see a proof within 7 days of sending your story. After you approve it, printing and shipping usually take 1 to 2 weeks. For Christmas, order a new book by December 1.
Start with the free story builder
Plan the story first. You only pay when you are ready to make the book.
More ideas for young authors: How to Help a Reluctant Reader Fall in Love With Books.