The Oldest Tree's Birthday
Create a tale about a group of animals who throw a surprise birthday party for the oldest tree in the forest. What games do they play? What gifts do they give?
Suggested length: A board book: under 100 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Use one silly sound word kids will want to say.
- Use a repeated line young readers can join in on.
- Make the ending warm, safe and a little bit funny.
Writing children's
Ages 0 to 8: books made to be read aloud, again and again.
Children's books run from board books and picture books for the youngest to early readers and chapter books for kids reading on their own. Every word counts, and the adults reading aloud are an audience too.
What readers expect
- Simple, rhythmic language
- A child's point of view
- Room for the illustrations
- A satisfying, often gentle ending
A tip before you start
You don't need an illustrator. Publishers pair picture book writers with artists, so leave room in your text for the pictures to tell part of the story.
More Board Book prompts
- The Crayon’s Big AdventureImagine a day in the life of a crayon in a big box of colorful friends. What adventures do they embark on when a child picks them up to draw?
- The Kitten's Wish BellThink of a story where a little kitten finds a lost magical bell that grants wishes. What mischief and adventures ensue as the kitten learns how to…
- The Bird's First FlightWrite a story about a baby bird's first attempt to fly. Describe the world from its point of view as it flutters from branch to branch, meeting new…
- The Monster Under My BedThink of a friendly monster that lives under a bed. What does this monster look like and what is its daily routine? One night, the child who sleeps…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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