Kids says the darndest things. And who better to give picture book authors great ideas than their readers? I asked Mrs. Lombardo’s 2nd Grade and Mrs. Mozer’s 3rd Grade classes what kind of book they would like to write and why.
“If I could publish a children’s book, it would be about…”
“Dragons because a lot of little boys like dragons.” – Oscar
“Soccer because I could teach others how to play soccer.” – Victor
“Dinosaurs because children like the T. Rex, triceratops and others.” – Aidan M.
“Friendship because children should learn how to be nice to each other.” – Mark
“Presidents because they are important for our country.” – Marshal
“Turkeys because it’s November.” – Dylan
“A girl and a boy walking in the woods and a witch would take them and bring them home. I would write it so some people would get scared a little bit.” – Taylor
“Dragons because I like dragons.” – Chris
“A little funny eraser who has big adventures all around the world because kids always like adventures.” – Gabriela
“Animals because lots of people like animals.” – Eliana
“Vampires and aliens because that is what most kids like.” – Annika
“A kid getting a pet. I would do it because they might like the book.” – Angelina
“Two girls who buy cotton candy. One of the girls eats it and the other one doesn’t. So it makes fun of that cotton candy. I would write this story because it makes me laugh.” – Neda
“Dragons. My book will be about dragons because it’s easy to make the problem and solve the problem.” – Thomas
“Friends because at school we learn about being bullied and good friends have to be nice to each other.” – Kyle
“Snow because children like to play in snow.” – Payoon
“Valentine’s Day because a lot of people like Valentine’s Day.” – Rebecca
“A girl and a boy helping others because other people could help others, too.” – Sophia
“A long time ago so kids can learn about a long time ago.” – Aidan Z.
“Christmas because it’s my favorite holiday.” – Halle
“A scarecrow, pumpkin, witch, house, people, crayons, lunch, snack, class. You could write a school.” – Vikesh
“A boy that could fly because it would be cool to see the world.” – George
“A boy who’s stuck in a haunted house because I like to tell spooky stories and it would be a cool adventure.” – Melanie
“A boy who could create pictures in his mind and make things happen because I think that would be exciting.” – Nick
“A girl who plays soccer because I think it would be interesting to read about a girl like me.” – Leah
“A girl who was teased because she was so good at math because I’m so good at math.” – Sophie
“A girl that has powers because I think that would be interesting.” – Hanna
“Dinosaurs because kids really like dinosaurs.” – Pierson
“A girl in a wheelchair because it would be cool to see how she dealt with school and her differences.” – Alex
“A girl that could fly because I would love to fly.” – Ella
“A girl that could go anywhere because she’d be able to get anything.” – Meredith
“A girl that wanted a dog because I want a dog and can’t get one.” – Denise
“A bear that is lazy and never helps people because it would be funny.” – Christian
“A boy who could fly because it’s my dream to fly and it would be cool to read about.” – Matthew
“People with powers because that would be cool.” – Jenna
“A boy who could fly because I like fantasy.” – Jimmy
“An alien who is friends with a boy because it would be cool.” – Julia
“A boy that could do amazing things because that would be interesting to read.” – Alexander
“A boy with super powers because that would be awesome.” – Henry
“Football because I know a lot about it and I play football.” – Tucker
“A kid who stunk at soccer and then becomes the best player on his team because it would be a good book.” – Lucas
“A boy who could fly because a lot of children want to fly and would like to read a book about it.” – Ethan
“A girl that has a brother and sister that annoys her a lot because I have a brother and sister that annoy me.” – Abby
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Shelley Moore Thomas
He is very persistent and keeps showing up when I’m doodling, waiting for his chance to star in a story. He is not what I am supposed to be drawing right now. I am supposed to be drawing chickens and mice and Christmas trees as well as coming up with a brilliant picture book idea everyday, none of which have had anything to do with bunnies so far. But he keeps showing up, begging for attention like a puppy who wants to go for a walk.
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Ever since my husband and I adopted Emma over the summer, it’s become a hobby of mine to come up with silly names for her. Miss Emma Dog. The Furry One. Emmakin Skywalker. She doesn’t seem to mind.
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Lori Calabrese is an award-winning children’s author. Her first picture book, 
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Total Humiliation!
Nightmares!
(Yeah, I was grown before I figured that one out.)
You can have the queen invite the golfer with the highest score to the palace for tea, and meet the prince, who is even worse at Goony Golf than you are.
You can become a super-hero in training, and rid the world of evil, baby-eating furniture.
How cool is that? As children’s book writers and illustrators, we get to do this all the time. So, having aired three of my own neuroses . . . er, picture book ideas . . . here is a tip for today: think back to those times in your childhood when things were not quite what you expected them to be—and imagine what it would take to discover a new, old friend . . . or have the last laugh . . . or fly to the rescue.
Bonnie then, practicing her skeptical glare; and now—-an older and wiser children’s book illustrator.
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I get pretty specific and allow for the unexpected to pop in. Don’t we all love a character with some weird little surprising personality quirk?
If I’ve done my job, then my main character and how she relates to the world will lead me to a plot. There will be something in her personality that stands out, and it’s up to me to put something in her way. For example, if she really hates something–like sports. I make her put on a pair of soccer cleats and play. Or, if she’s really embarrassed about something–like her frilly blankie that she sleeps with every night. I make sure someone exposes her at a spend-the-night party.
Sarah Frances Hardy, a Southern girl living in Oxford, Mississippi, took an early retirement from practicing law to paint and write full time. She has exhibited her work in galleries throughout the Southeast as well as in New York. Her corporate clients include Steve Wynn who purchased several of Sarah Frances’s paintings for the Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi. 
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 