In the imaginative world of children’s books, you can’t underestimate the power of design and layout. Visual by nature, a well-crafted children’s book engages the minds of your young readers and provides a gateway to a lifelong love of reading.
Since you’re here, you know a children’s book’s layout is fundamental to its success. How the story unfolds on the pages, the arrangement of illustrations and text, and the overarching flow of the story all play a role in captivating the interest of young readers.
Here, we explore the art of effectively using children’s book templates, focusing on essential layout tips that will allow you to design visually stunning books. Learn the ropes of storyboarding, flow, and consistency to elevate your book’s creative appeal and narrative.
Before creating a children’s book, you need a clear vision. Here’s what you need before diving into your children’s book design.
With these boxes checked, you’ve done most of the hard work toward designing your children’s book. The next phase is to assemble a storyboard and start organizing the components of your template and layout.
A storyboard is a sequenced visual representation of your children’s book. It’s a roadmap that outlines the flow of the story and text and illustration placement on each page. Crafting a storyboard shapes a clear and organized structure to deliver your book’s narrative.
Storyboarding involves visually structuring a story’s sequence of events, settings, character development, and key plot points. By organizing the story into separate cells, you can focus on each narrative element and create a visual blueprint that helps keep everything flowing smoothly.
The storyboard becomes even more valuable when working with a children’s book template. It can help instruct the design modifications and customization of a template to match your specific ideas and content better. Here’s how the storyboard aligns with the template and aids the design process.
The storyboard is a powerful tool to help you visualize your ideas, identify any potential gaps or inconsistencies in the story, and seamlessly transition from page to page.
Many components must come together to create a cohesive children’s book layout. Each element plays a role in engaging young readers and immersing them in the story. Let’s dive into each so you can choose templates that work best for every part of your book.
The book cover is the first thing children see, and it serves as a gateway into the magical world inside. The cover’s design should spark curiosity and intrigue, inviting children to pick up the book and explore further.
Consider a template that will allow you to show off your most vibrant and eye-catching illustration, the one that reflects the essence of your story. And, while your visuals should be the most attention-grabbing, your title and author’s name should also be clear and legible in the template you choose. Remember to customize your layout using fonts matching the rest of your book.
Front matter typically includes the title page, copyright page, and dedication. Find a simple, uncluttered template with consistent fonts and design elements that align with the book’s theme. Front matter sets the stage for the story and establishes the book’s credibility, but it shouldn’t distract or disrupt the reading experience.
Scene breaks signal transitions within the story. Novelists usually use visual icons and line breaks to indicate a shift in time or setting, a change in point of view, or skip over unimportant moments.
A children’s book differs slightly from a novel, as every page or spread is a natural scene break! Look for a children’s book template that allows you to use single pages to capture a whole scene and entire spreads for key story scenes.
As mentioned above, page spreads and turns are hugely important in your book design process. Spreads are two facing pages in a book, where illustrations and text interact cohesively across the fold. These are full-spread panoramic views of a scene well-suited for dramatic images and important story events. You’ve already chosen a template with both individual pages and spreads. Now it’s time to organize those page spread layouts mindfully by ensuring the visuals complement the text and add depth to the storytelling.
Page turns are another structural element that can build suspense, reveal surprises, and enhance the pacing of a book. Strategically placed page turns create tension and anticipation, encouraging children to flip to the next page eagerly. You’ve probably built this tension into your storyboard, but as you move through the design process, keep these moments of pause in mind.
As you look for the perfect template, consider the overall size of your book! This will affect how much information you can fit on a page and the overall design feel. Choose an age-appropriate trim size that feels comfortable for young hands to hold.
Generally, large hardcover books make for great children’s books, as they enhance the view of illustrations and text while also making for easier page-turning. But smaller sizes can also work well for board books and early readers. Use a trim size that best accommodates the nature of your book’s content, audience, and reading experience.
Illustrations are the heart and soul of a children’s book. They provide a visual narrative that complements and enhances the written text and visual cues that help comprehension and relatability.
While not built into children’s book templates, you’ll want to consider your imagery as you select the right one for your book. It will inform which templates are most appropriate as well as the book’s overall design. If you’re part of a bookmaking team, ensure you’re collaborating. Whether you’re the author or illustrator, if you’re working with another person, getting on the same page allows your book to be cohesive, visually appealing, and consistent.
Balancing word count in children’s books is essential to keep the story engaging and appropriate for your target age group, as different age groups have different word count expectations. A template that works for a chapter book for older children won’t work for youngsters—so carefully consider your word count as you choose your layouts.
For early readers (ages 5 to 8), aim for word counts between 1,000 and 2,500 words. For picture books, keep the word count to around 600 or less. Longer chapter books for children can range from 4,000 to 10,000 words.
Of course, these are general ranges and depend on the specific genre, story, and audience. But as a general rule, remember that children’s books generally rely on concise and impactful storytelling. Focus on your story’s essential elements; every word should contribute to the narrative.
When it comes to typography best practices, choose easy-to-read fonts that are child-friendly and align with the book’s theme. While children’s book templates often have fonts baked in, you should be able to easily customize each layout to better fit your story.
As a rule, your font and typography should match your story’s mood and tone. Consider opting for a larger font size for younger readers and experimenting with different styles for emphasis or character dialogue. Again, this is an excellent place for author and illustrator collaboration if you’re working on a team. This will ensure the font works well with the illustrations.
Colors are a powerful tool in children’s book design, setting the tone and atmosphere of the story. Most templates you find will have a pre-selected color scheme, but don’t feel locked in. Personalize any template you work with to have it fit your narrative needs.
Consider using bright, cheerful colors for light-hearted tales and softer, muted hues for soothing narratives. A carefully chosen color palette can enhance the emotional impact of the illustrations and create an immersive reading experience.
Back matter is another opportunity to be creative and provide added value to readers, be it activities, games, or additional information that complements the story. Again, this is where the book’s age group and reading level are relevant considerations. Keep back matter engaging and informative, encouraging further interaction with the book. And make sure you select a template that gives you the space and layout you need for all the content you’re planning!
We’ve given you a lot to think about above. But no matter which templates you choose or components you add to your book, there are a few best practices.
By appropriately customizing each component of your children’s book template, you can create a stunning layout that captivates young readers, stimulates their imagination, and leaves a lasting impression.
These case studies demonstrate how effective layout choices can elevate children’s books, making them engaging, visually appealing, and memorable.
The Birds in the Backyard is a visually stunning children’s book that exemplifies the power of a well-designed layout. The template used in this book allows for the perfect balance between elaborate illustrations and informative text placement. The vibrant color scheme captures the attention of young readers, while the clear visual hierarchy guides them through the book.
Amara’s Yoga Dreams is a beautiful example of how a simple layout supports the storytelling experience. The template’s larger font sizes and spacious page spreads allow young readers to immerse themselves in the enchanting world of yoga with Amara. The strategic placement of illustrations alongside the text illustrates the yoga poses, making the book interactive and easy to follow for children.
Wyatt the Pirate is an explorative example of customizing a children’s book template to create a captivating and adventurous story. The layout’s clever use of bold and playful fonts and imaginative illustrations bring the characters to life. The page spreads and scene breaks strategically build anticipation, encouraging young readers to explore the journey of this brave little pirate.
Ten Happy Planets is a wonderful example of how a children’s book layout effectively and effortlessly communicates educational concepts. The template’s clean and flexible framework supports the content in a way that’s visually appealing and accessible. The bright colors and engaging illustrations capture the attention of young readers, making learning about the solar system an engaging experience.
The Dog Named Yes is a heartwarming example of how a children’s book can shine even with drawings made by kids. The simple and charming illustrations, created by the children themselves, add a unique and endearing touch to the book’s layout. The template’s simple, consistent text layout complements the childlike illustrations, leaving the focus on the illustrations that let young readers connect with the story on a personal level.
Blurb is a print-on-demand company that empowers self-publishers to bring their books to life—and sell them! Our user-friendly bookmaking tools and children’s book templates simplify the design process. From there, we offer everything you need to sell and distribute your book.
Blurb is a proven solution for countless children’s book authors. To see examples, visit our bookstore to find hundreds of children’s books online. You’ll find books for babies, toddlers, and kids, all produced by self-publishers like you from around the world.
Get started on your children’s book project with us today!
In the second part of a series
for illustrators starting out in Picture Books
, Words & Pictures Illustration Editor John Shelley takes a look at planning images and layout.
So you have a story, and maybe some character studies and other sketched drawings. The next stage is to plan out the book and make a dummy.
Storyboards
A common starting point for illustrators is to mark out a storyboard on a single sheet of paper, representing the whole book in small thumbnail sized squares. This allows the artist to pencil in the basic design of each page, plan how the story unfolds over the pages, divide up the text, see where the dramatic points are, and consider the rhythm of the images. As the sketches are thumbnail size and very simple it's an easy matter to rub out and redraw. Some illustrators
draw tiny sketches or write the text on
sticky notes
which they can switch around the pages, though I find these have the annoying habit of curling up and falling off!
Storyboard for one of my recent books, Jack and the Beanstalk. Note the stickies! [Click to enlarge]
Sketching and Layout
Having roughly planned the book it's time to make larger sketches for each page or spread. Personally I draw pencil roughs at A5 size per page (so A4 for a double page spread) scan these to make my dummy and later enlarge for the final artwork stage, but everyone will have their own method.
All books (indeed all illustrators!) are different and the variety of style, composition and design is much too big a subject to summarise here. However here are a few commonly accepted pointers:
Boxed, Vignette, Spot and Full Bleed
(This may sound somewhat obvious, but it's worth clarifying!)
In classically constructed books, a "boxed" illustration has straight defined edges, possibly with a border or frame, and sits within the confines of the page, so there is a gap between the image and the trim (i.e. the edge of the page). The illustration might be cropped from a loose-edged original, or painted to a ruled edge. As the border encloses the scene these are particularly suited to images with a considered, balanced composition.
Boxed in illustration from Levi Pinfold's Greenaway-award-winning Black Dog. Notice how the dog's paw breaks the straight line to bring the illustration out of the page. Pinfold also includes a small Spot by the text. (© Templar Publishing)
Vignettes are illustrations with faded or loosely defined edges. The loose edges incorporate the white of the surrounding page to give the image space, lightness and draw the viewer into the scene.
Quentin Blake is a master of vignettes. The background is minimal, but loose borders encourage the reader to mentally fill in the rest. (© Quentin Blake)
A spot illustration is a small free-floating motif, usually with no background. In picture books spots are particularly useful as visual addenda to the main narrative.
Bleed refers to part of an illustration that runs off the page edges, 'full bleed' means an image that entirely fills the page and is cropped by the trim. Nowadays very many picture books are full bleed throughout, however it's particularly effective when suddenly brought into play for the most dramatic and panoramic images.
Axel Scheffler double page showing a full bleed illustration and two vignettes
(© Alison Green Books)
Big or Small?
A small image on a page surrounded by white space focuses on detail, so it might suggest quiet intimacy, or a key-hole view of a drama about to unfold. Some books begin with smaller images, then gradually open up to full bleed as the drama unfolds. The reverse can work too - big to small. A classic example of this approach is Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are , where the first and last illustrations are small, with very wide white margins, while the central fantasy spreads are full bleed.Another use of small images is to break up a series of actions into details on a page. So for example, a piece of text might describe a character putting on a coat, then shoes, then tieing on a hat... one single image would suffice to cover all these actions, but by separating each into a series of vignettes or spots on a page a sense of time and motion can be introduced.
Sequential images from Emma Chichester-Clark
(© Emma Chichester-Clark)
Crescendos and Patterns
Picture books are a little like songs in that there is usually some kind of pattern or structure that the whole book follows, a regular rhythm flowing through, with choruses of loud, dynamic pages at key stages. It's equally true of both text and illustration. An image near the front of a book might be reflected with a similar design later to create a resonance.
Two spreads from my in-the-pipeline book Stone Giant. The top image is page 06/07, the lower is page 26/27. I designed these two spreads with their sequences of square, blocked-in images to mirror each other, though they're at opposite ends of the book. [Click to enlarge]
Page Turning
A key element of picture books is the need to move the narrative forward - the reader should always be encouraged to turn the page. This can be done by building tension and expectation in the image or text, ensuring plenty of movement from left to right, and drawing the reader's attention to the page corners.
Rules are Made to be Broken!
Well, some of them perhaps. It's not necessary to mix image sizes in a book - regularity works well if the story has a strong rhythm. Full bleed images don't have to be panoramic. Within these basic patterns all kinds of fun can be had by breaking up these types and inventing ways to combine/contrast layouts. In fact this is what makes picture books so interesting. Go wild, be clever, be crazy! But remember, however mad the page layout, the narrative has to move forward, it has to be understandable as a book.
The key thing is to follow instincts suggested by the text, do what the story conjures.
Challenging design and typography from Sarah Fanelli (© Phaidon Press)
Things to be careful of:
Remember the gutter (the book's hinge)! Avoid putting busy elements in the part of the book closest to the spine, they'll be lost in the final product. Be especially careful not to place key characters in the gutter!
Consider the text - where will it lie? How much space will it require? Will it run over the illustration or be separate on the page? Likewise, leave a good gap between text and the gutter and page trim.Page design is a big topic with myriad aspects. It's a good idea to peruse a lot of picture books and examine how other artists solve the challenges of page layout. There's also a lot of inspiring stuff on the Web if you dig around - for example Design of the Picture Book is a useful resource.
Dummies
Some illustrators make very elaborate dummies before submitting to publishers, but editors frequently say that a dummy that is too polished can actually make it difficult to consider the story. It's often recommended that artists sketch out spreads in simple black and white roughs, nothing too complicated, overlay the text, and draw just one or two finished images in colour to give an indication of the final look.
One of my pencil roughs for Halloween Forest , from the first dummy. The finished image is here
Personally I sketch all my dummies in pencil on loose sheets, scan in to Photoshop, adjust, then lay out using InDesign, adding the text. I might spend a long time tweaking, changing around and so on before I'm happy with the result. Finally I'll save as a lightweight .pdf which I can then either email to my agent/art director or print out, clip into a plastic file and show as a physical dummy.
John Shelley is the Illustration Feature Editor of Words & Pictures and current Central East Network coordinator.
He's illustrated over 40 books for children, many of them published in Japan where he lived for many years. His next titleis scheduled for release by Komine Shoten in Tokyo this autumn, and Charlesbridge in the US in Spring 2014. www.jshelley.com