Tips for Writing Books for Younger Children

The rules for writing books for younger children (ages 2–8) are different from the rules for writing books for middle graders, young adults, and adults. Keep the following twelve commandments in mind when writing a younger children’s book. (As with most commandments, you may be able to dance around one or two, but you’d better have a dang good reason.)

• It’s okay to be different, but it’s not easy.

• Bad guys never win.

• Good guys must win in the end.

• Extremes rule (the world is black or white, not both — most children ages 10 and under can be quite literal).

• People can change from essentially good (with faults) to pretty bad (with some good points) or vice versa, but they can’t be both at the same time.

• It’s fine for something to be scary, but it can never touch your body.

• Little people can triumph over big people.

• Poopoo, peepee, tushies, passing gas, burping, underwear — they’re all hilarious.

• Turning things upside down is funny — as long as those things make sense in the first place right side up.

• Magic can occur as a logical reaction to an action.

• Regular children can perform extraordinary feats.

• Regular children can go on implausible missions sanctioned (or not) by adults in charge.