A Letter for Teddy
You receive a mysterious letter in the mail, but it's not addressed to you—it's addressed to your favorite stuffed animal! Write about your journey to help your stuffed animal read the letter and discover who it's from and what it says.
Suggested length: A picture book: 300 to 800 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.
- Make the ending warm, safe and a little bit funny.
- Keep it to one problem and one place.
- Let the child solve the problem, not a grown-up.
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 Picture Book prompts
- The Duck Afraid to SwimWrite a story about a little duck who is afraid of water. Describe how the duck's friends help overcome this fear and enjoy their first swim together…
- The Backyard Spaceship RepairA little robot lands in a backyard and needs help to fix its spaceship. The children in the house team up with the robot, using household items for…
- A Teddy Bear's Busy DayCreate a tale about a day in the life of a teddy bear. From morning cuddles to a tea party with other stuffed animals, how does the teddy bear spend…
- Talking to Backyard AnimalsImagine you wake up one morning and find that you can talk to animals! Write a story about your first conversation with your pet or a wild animal in…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
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