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by Clare Helen Welsh
A picture book is an exciting opportunity to explore powerful themes, engaging plots and interesting characters with readers, and all in a delicate balance between words and pictures.
However, crafting them can be challenging! This is true for theme-driven picture books; the focus of today’s prompt. As an author and fan of theme-driven picture books, I know there’s a fine line between presenting meaningful content and being too moralistic.
Fear not! As well as some idea generation techniques, I’m here to share some strategies for crafting picture books that are rich and meaningful yet enjoyable for readers.
Tips for generating theme-driven ideas:
Have a look at some of these tried and tested exercises for brainstorming a theme-driven picture book.
- Flip a Familiar Story: Take a well-known tale and reimagine it with a new perspective or twist. For example, what if the tortoise and hare became friends instead of competitors?
I did this when I wrote Scissorella (illustrated by Laura Barrett, published by Andersen Press) – a re-imagining of the Cinderella story, based on the life and work of animator, Lotte Reiniger. The story has a clear takeaway of making your own happy ever after, but also a strong hook and interesting characters to balance out the message.
- Start with a Feeling: Think of an emotion or challenge you’d like to explore, such as jealousy, fear or hope, then try building a story around it.
I do this a lot in my writing. My picture books about divorce (Everything Changes) and cancer (The Perfect Shelter) illustrated by Asa Gilland and published by Kane Miller, both began life as difficult feelings that I was trying to process. Thinking about how I would explain them to children, helped me to develop child-centre storylines.
- Use “What If” Questions: Ask imaginative questions like, “What if a rainstorm had feelings?” or “What if bedtime stories came to life?” Starting with a WHAT IF that appeals to children can give you an engaging – and non-preachy – approach to your theme.
When I was invited to write a story about Daylight Savings, I knew I would need to find a fun way in to prevent the story feeling too educational. In Sunshine At Bedtime, (illustrated by Sally Soweol Han) the story begins with Miki thinking the sun must have forgotten to go to bed, and things develop quickly from there; “What if the Sun forgot to go to bed?”
- Draw from Personal Experience: Reflect on significant moments from your own childhood. Can you translate these experiences into a story with universal appeal?
My upcoming picture book with Fiona Lumbers, The Space Between (published by Andersen Press), is about a girl living with uncertainty, which is something I dealt with a lot growing up, and still struggle with now. The protagonist has just moved house and learns some coping strategies that I wish I’d had when I was younger. In the story, she learns to be more comfortable with uncomfortable feelings.
- Observe Children: Watch how children interact with the world. What delights, frustrates and challenges them? These observations can spark story ideas grounded in real-life themes.
My first published theme-driven picture book was about a family learning to live well with dementia, called The Tide. It’s illustrated by Ashling Lindsay and published by Tiger Tales. It began life as a day on the beach, watching my children’s joy as the sea came closer and closer. Without this child-centric approach and interesting setting, the story could well have been too hard-hitting and on-the-nose.
See? I wasn’t joking when I said I was a fan of theme-driven books! I also write funny books and non-fiction, but many of my titles have strong messages and clear takeaways.
Strategies for Crafting Theme-Driven Stories:
Assuming that you now have a starting point, here are some strategies to help you write a picture book that is rich in meaning but also accessible and enjoyable for your audience.
- Start with the Story, Not the Lesson: Children (and adults) can sense when a story is constructed solely to deliver a moral. Ensure you have a character, conflict, situation or hook that fascinates. The theme will emerge naturally through the choices your characters make and the consequences they face.
- Understand Your Audience: Consider themes that might naturally align with your readers’ experiences. Concepts like kindness, perseverance, curiosity and acceptance often resonate with children without feeling heavy-handed when woven into an engaging story.
- Create Characters with Depth: Authentic, multidimensional characters are the heart of any good picture book. A well-drawn character can embody a theme without the need for lots of exposition. For example, a character who is afraid of trying new things might reflect the theme of bravery through their actions, rather than through lots of narration or dialogue.
- Show, Don’t Tell: Use the visuals to support the theme. If your story is about the value of teamwork, consider scenes where teamwork is shown – characters lifting something heavy together or painting a mural as a group. This approach allows readers to discover the theme on their own.
- Reflect Real Life: Themes in picture books don’t have to be tied up neatly with a bow. Life is rarely like this! For example, if your story’s theme involves friendship, you might close with the ups and downs of a relationship rather than ending with a perfect, idealised version. This allows readers to draw their own conclusions and can lighten the lesson.
- Use Humour and Playfulness: Picture books thrive on wonder and play. Humour can help convey meaningful ideas without being too didactic. Think of books like Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems, which subtly explores themes of self-control through hilarious scenarios.
- Don’t Overload the Story: Stick to one takeaway or theme per text, rather than trying to address multiple lessons in the same story line. There isn’t the space in a picture book to handle more than one message, especially if you want to do it well!
Some final thoughts…
Theme-driven picture books balance meaning with magic. They aren’t always the easiest to write, but they’re worth it! And by focusing on authentic characters, engaging stories and subtle storytelling techniques, it is possible to create books that resonate with readers without feeling moralistic. Approach them with creativity, care and perhaps a touch of playfulness, and you’ll have a theme-driven story with the power to shape hearts and minds.
Clare is a former teacher, turned children’s writer, and the author of over 60 books for children. Her writing is varied—sometimes funny, factual or heartfelt—but she has a particular passion for theme-driven books.
Inspired by her time as a mental health champion, Clare founded Books That Help; a place to gather picture books that help when the words are hard to find.
When Clare isn’t fulfilling her dream of writing for children, she is helping aspiring writers do the same. Clare offers critiques and 1:1 mentoring via her website, and workshops and courses via Write Mentor.
Clare lives in the UK with her husband, two children and a dog called Hope. Visit her at ClareHelenWelsh.com and follow on social @ClareHelenWelsh.
Clare Helen Welsh is offering a 30-minutes virtual chat about anything picture book-y; the industry, your story or about carving out a career as a writer, to one lucky winner.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2025 participant and you have commented only once below.
Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.
by Leigh Anne Carter
Hello Storystormers! Today we’re going to dig deep and ask ourselves: What am I not ready for?
Get really honest! It could be something inevitable that you’re dreading. It could be something you keep putting off. Whatever it is, sit with it and write or sketch your thoughts. Whenever I’ve taken time to think about a truth that comes from inside myself, I can usually find a story I want to tell.
Maybe it’s small: a toothpaste spot on the bathroom mirror that needs to be cleaned. Is it serious? A work presentation or a close friend is moving away. You could be feeling annoyed, overwhelmed, nervous, or unprepared. Use that emotion to fuel your brainstorming.
Now how could that be worked into a story that a kid can relate to? Housework turns into chores or homework. Presentations turn into show and tell. Friends can move during all stages of life. You decide on tone. It can be punny, serious, inspirational—whatever works!
YETI IS NOT READY FOR SCHOOL is my debut picture book and it began from a Storystorm idea. But it boiled down to what my kidself struggled with. A memory from my first day of kindergarten began with me nervous to go in the classroom. But once I saw a friend, I was ready to go inside and enjoy what felt impossible. How could I turn that into a story that would inspire and be marketable? I have always loved stories about ghosts and monsters, so it felt right that I should write about a yeti who was not ready for her first day of school. After lots of revision and hard work, Yeti is now coming to a bookstore near you this summer!
Because I love seeing examples, here are even more picture books to give you different ideas on how you can work “readiness” into a story.
A perfect example: DON’T WASH WINSTON (Ashley Belote) shows a boy who goes to great lengths to prevent his teddy bear from a trip inside the scary washing machine. It’s not until a certain turn of events that he realizes Winston might feel better after a bath. A self-realized journey to being ready!
Try flipping it around: A character is ready. In THE LONGEST LETSGOBOY (Derick Wilder and Cátia Chien), a family pet knows his time is near. Told from the dog’s perspective on his last walk with his Little, he makes sure she will be okay after he is gone. He knows he is ready for the next part of his journey and the reader is gifted with a beautiful, bittersweet conclusion.
Maybe it’s a small part of your story: ALL THE GREATNESS IN YOU (Tameka Fryer Brown and Alleanna Harris) celebrates a child from their family’s voice. They share things that make him great, but one spread advises sometimes he might feel like he’s not ready to face certain obstacles. It ends on encouragement: “Tomorrow, should life make you doubt or forget who you are, or fear something new…Remember your can-do! Depend on that bounce-back! Believe all the greatness in you.”
Whether your character seeks out help from others or discovers answers on their own, part of being ready is acknowledging what is challenging. Through their story they can determine what they need to triumph. Honesty can help us use our own experiences and emotions to inspire a story.
Are you ready to listen, dig deep, and plant your next story seed? I think I know the answer.
Leigh Anne Carter is a writer and illustrator of stories for young readers. Her debut picture book YETI IS NOT READY FOR SCHOOL will be published July 2025 (Random House Children’s Books) with a second Yeti story coming in 2026. If she’s not at her desk working, you can find her lost in a book or the forest. She lives and works in North Carolina.
Find Leigh Anne online at LACarter.com and follow her on social @lacarterbooks.
Leigh Anne Carter is giving away either a signed copy of her debut picture book or a picture book critique, one winner’s choice.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2025 participant and you have commented only once below.
Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.
by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
The idea of coming up with a new story idea (or 30!) can be intimidating. My favorite go-to tactic when I’m faced with an intimidating challenge is: make it fun. How can we make brainstorming fun? For me, that often means turn it into a game!
In this post, I’m going to share how I turn a simple word puzzle, in this case the word ladder, into a word-association brainstorming spree. If you’re unfamiliar with word ladder puzzles, you’re given two words with the same number of letters and you have to find a path from one to the other by changing one letter at a time, the goal being to make as few changes as possible. If your two words are TIME and WELT, for example, then the word ladder to get from one to the other might look like this:
- TIME
- TILE
- TILT
- WILT
- WELT
Since our goal is brainstorming, not puzzle solving, I’m going to start with one word, and then build a ladder by changing one letter at a time until I end up with five different words. Your starting word can be anything you want, and any length, but the longer your word, the harder it might be to find new words by changing one letter. I also recommend doing the word ladder part fairly quickly. Try not to worry about whether or not the words you’re making are “good”—there are no right or wrong answers here, and sometimes it’s the options that appear unlikely that lead us to the most interesting places. Follow your instincts and have fun!
Here is a word ladder I made, starting with the word BOOK:
- BOOK
- BOOT
- BOAT
- GOAT
- COAT
I like these five words well enough, so I’m ready to move on to the brainstorming part.
Look at your list of words. What do they bring to mind for you? Do any spark ideas for characters? Can you imagine connections between different words? How many of the words can you string together to form a story? Explore questions that come up for you as you make different associations.
Here’s the mental path I followed as I looked at my words:
I picture a goat, wearing a coat and boots, in a boat, and holding a book. What is his story? Where is he going? What kind of boat is he in? Maybe it’s a rowboat. If he’s wearing a coat and boots, it must be cold. Why is he outside, in the boat, if it’s cold? Maybe he doesn’t want to be in the boat, but he’s trying to find some peace and quiet away from noisy brothers and sisters so he can read his book. His plan is to row into the middle of the lake so he can read. What challenges could he face? Maybe the weather, or maybe there’s a hole in the boat. Or maybe a sibling has stowed away under a blanket in the rowboat, with the intention of surprising their brother. They wait until the goat stops in the middle of the lake and finally starts to read, and then the sibling throws off the blanket and bleats, “Maaaah!” What happens next? Maybe the goat is so startled, he falls into the water. Maybe the boat capsizes and they both fall into the water. Maybe that’s when it starts to rain. What happens next?
Is this a good idea for a story? I don’t know, but I’m kind of delighted by the idea of this goat who only wants to read his book in peace and quiet. Maybe I’ll write his story, just to entertain myself, and see where that takes me.
But let’s return to that original word list and see what other mental paths it might lead me down:
Maybe the main character is not a goat, but a child. Maybe it’s the child who wants to read a book in peace and quiet, and they live on a farm and are being followed by a goat who is a nuisance. Maybe, after some conflict, the story resolves with the child reading aloud to the goat.
Or . . .
Maybe the boat is a toy—a bath-time toy? Maybe this is a story about playing in the tub and not wanting to get out. Maybe there is also a goat bath-time toy. And bath-time . . . boots? Coat? Okay, maybe not. But that’s okay! Your ultimate goal is idea generation, not using all five words. Maybe this is an absurd story with another character trying more and more ridiculous things to entice the main character out of the tub. Maybe some of those ridiculous things are boots and a coat and a book! Hmmm . . .
Or . . .
Maybe “goat” isn’t about the animal but G.O.A.T, Greatest of All Time. Maybe the main character wants to be the Greatest of All Time at something. What might that be? What obstacle could they face? Or maybe they want to meet the Greatest of All Time. Maybe this is a story about someone preparing to meet their hero. Who would that be? Why does this person mean so much to the main character? What is the situation that brings the main character and their hero together? How might their meeting go?
You can see how the original list of five words can take you in many different directions. And they are all worthy of your imagination! Try not to judge your ideas in this very early stage. Explore and experiment with whatever ideas appeal to you. Don’t think about marketability, or whether this is something an agent or editor would like, or if anthropomorphized characters are a hard sell these days, or if there are too many bath-time books in the market already . . . Save that thinking for later, after you’ve drafted your story and put it aside for a while.
Right now, your goal is simple: Play with words! Entertain your inner child. Be silly. Be absurd. And most importantly: Make it fun!
Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is the New York Times bestselling author of the Book Scavenger series, Sisterhood of Sleuths, and the picture book A Good Deed Can Grow, illustrated by Holly Hatam. Her books have received many honors, such as being named Indie Next picks, Amazon Books of the Year, Bank Street College Book of the Year, NCTE Notable Book, among other accolades. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from St. Mary’s College and has worked in a variety of roles with children and in publishing. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Jennifer now lives in Colorado with her family. You can subscribe to her newsletter on Substack, follow her on Instagram, Blue Sky, or visit her website for more information about her and her books.
Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is giving away three signed copies of her picture book, A GOOD DEED CAN GROW, illustrated by Holly Hatam, to three separate winners.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2025 participant and you have commented only once below.
Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.
It’s Day One of Storystorm 2025!
Hooray!
From PARTY ANIMALS, illustrated by Anna Raff
You remembered, right?
Did you put it on your Google Calendar?
Don’t despair if you didn’t. I admit, I’m not the most organized person, either. I suppose it’s those creative genes that make me a whirlwind, haphazard mess. Every year when I get through Storystorm, I marvel at how I accomplished organizing it. Because “Tara” and “organized” have never gone together. It’s more like “Tara” and “slapdash” around here. My husband encourages me to plan things out, but I can never get my act together.
This is why I adore Google Calendar. I can take two seconds to throw something on it and then I look like a genius. Like when I start a free trial subscription of a streaming service—I mark the calendar a few days before it expires so I receive a reminder to cancel before I get charged.
I also color-code entries. All my school visits are banana yellow so I can easily flip through the weeks and see when they’re coming up. Doctor appointments are basil green. Deadlines are tomato red.
Perhaps, like me, you play Wordle. (Allow me this quick diversion, as it does have a point.)
December 30th’s word was STARE.
And this is what I want you to add to your Google Calendar: time to stop and STARE out the window.
You see, daydreaming is typically something we do when we’re supposed to be doing something ELSE. In a boring lecture? STARE out the window. Washing the dishes? STARE out at the garden. PBS Pledge Drive interrupting your show? STARE at the ceiling.
Nobody daydreams on purpose. Yet now, I am encouraging you to SCHEDULE IT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
Time to let your mind wander and play is essential to being a creator. So why leave that precious time to chance? Pencil in an hour every week (or however often you want) to do nothing but STARE. Leave a sign on your door that says, “Working!” Because YOU ARE!
I like to STARE in specific places. Like sitting on my front porch with a cup of tea. Ahh, it’s calm and relaxing. I have no real agenda other than to let my mind be. I don’t know where it will meander, but it is inevitably someplace surprising. (But don’t be so flabbergasted that you neglect to write it down!)
So go ahead, schedule a STARE session.
Bonus is that you can color-code it in any hue you wish.
More than you want to know about Tara is here.
Tara Lazar is giving away a fiction picture book critique to one lucky Storystorm winner.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2025 participant and you have commented only once below.
Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.
It’s that time of the year again!
Welcome to STORYSTORM 2025 Registration!
Eight years ago I changed the name and month of my annual writing challenge, from Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) to STORYSTORM. Why? Answer’s here.
Although this challenge began as a picture book writer’s event, any writer interested in brainstorming new story ideas in January is invited to join the STORYSTORM challenge of 30 (or 31 or more) ideas in 31 days. Any genre, any style; student, amateur, hobbyist, aspiring author or seasoned professional.
How does STORYSTORM work? It’s simple…
- Register (instructions below).
- Read the daily posts right here on this blog, beginning January 1st.
- Write down one (or more) story idea daily. (Do not share your ideas with anyone.)
- At the end of January if you have at least 30 new ideas, you can sign the STORYSTORM PLEDGE and be eligible for PRIZES.
So are you ready?
To register, follow these steps:
- Register ON THIS BLOG POST by signing your name ONCE in the comments below (you must scroll all the way down, past previous comments, for the comment box). Full name or nickname—whatever name you’ll use for the entire event. Please leave ONE comment ONLY. Do not reply to say “hi” to a friend. Do not comment to fix a mistake. ONE COMMENT. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. Registering makes you eligible for prizes. Teachers participating with a class can register under the teacher’s name.
- Visit this blog daily (taralazar.com, you’re already here) in January for inspirational essays by guest bloggers—authors, illustrators and publishing industry professionals.
- Instead of visiting the blog directly, you can receive the daily posts via email by entering your address and clicking the “Follow Tara’s Blog” button in the left column—look under my photo for it. (You must do this if you want to receive emails. Emails DO NOT come automatically by signing your name in the comments.)
- At the end of January, if you have at least 30 ideas, sign the STORYSTORM PLEDGE (to be posted on January 31) and qualify for prizes.
Prizes include agent feedback, signed books, original art, writerly gadgets and gizmos.
Remember, do not share your ideas publicly in January. They are YOURS. No need to prove that you have them at the end of the month. The pledge you will sign is on the honor system.
Are you in? Awesome!
Other OPTIONAL activities:
- You can pick up the “Official Participant” badge (with art by Anna Raff) below and affix it to any social media account or personal website you wish. (Right click to save to your computer, then upload it anywhere.)
- You can also opt to join the STORYSTORM Facebook discussion group. Everyone needs writing friends!
The Facebook group remains a year-round source of writing information and support, mostly focused on picture books, I admit, because that is where this all began.
STORYSTORM registration will remain open through JANUARY 7th.
- In the meantime, head over to the STORYSTORM ZAZZLE SHOP to pick up your official journal. All proceeds from sales will be donated to Highlights Foundation. I’ll be adding more items, like mugs and t-shirts, throughout the month.
Thank you for joining!
I wish you a creative and prolific month ahead!
Just a quick message…
Storystorm registration will begin after Christmas (as a blog post right here), but you can get your official Storystorm Journal NOW from Zazzle!
Designed by illustrator Anna Raff, this spiral notebook features a dancing-in-the-rain Beatrix from PARTY ANIMALS, our book that debuts in March 2025.
All proceeds from journal sales, approximately $1 each, will be donated to Highlights Foundation and their mission to positively impact children by amplifying the voices of storytellers who inform, educate, and inspire children to become their best selves.
Storystorm itself is free to all, but merchandise is sold to benefit charity.
Thank you! Happy Holidays and see you soon!
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 