Skip to main content

What makes a good chidren's story / book?

There is no interview with an SFC Team Member today. Instead I have a wonderful guest post to share from World of Ink Tour Guests Tom Listul & Heather Listul Hewitt.


What makes a good chidren's story / book ?

Every children’s story that I have enjoyed has had some main ingredients. 

Interesting Characters and Story Line
First and foremost, it is important to have interesting characters and an interesting story line that will hold the reader’s attention. Children need to be able to relate to the story and have fun reading it. 

Wording
The words in a children’s story are the core of the book, but the illustrations are also very important. The overall feeling of a story can change dramatically depending on how the words are depicted through pictures. 

Artwork/Illustrations
I think a good children’s story has illustrations that match the message that the words are trying to depict. It is also fun to see illustrations that are unique and colorful, because they will capture a child’s attention. 

Rhyme, Patterns or Hidden Messages
Some of my favorite children’s books are ones that have unique rhymes, patterns or hidden messages. People enjoy seeing and reading something different than what is already on the shelves so it is good to take chances. 


Tips on Writing for Children
  • Think like a kid. 
  • Use your imagination. 
  • Try to remember what you enjoyed reading about as a child. 
  • Ask children you know for their input or to rate your idea. You might be surprised with how they respond.
  • Simplify what you are writing depending on the age group you are targeting. 
  • The most important thing is just to have fun with writing and to enjoy the process. It is likely that children will enjoy it if you had fun with it and were creative.   



About the authors:
Tom Listul wrote Monkey Made Dream with his daughter, Heather Listul Hewitt, when she was eight years old. A farmer from southwest Minnesota, he is also a singer/songwriter. Listul made Monkey Made Dream into a children’s song and has sang it at numerous coffee houses and children’s classrooms. Hewitt is now a speech-language pathologist, who works for a school district with students of all ages. She enjoys helping children develop literacy skills and a love for reading.

Learn more about Tom Listul and Heather Listul Hewitt at their World of Ink Tour Page!


Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

OWNING: Only One of You

Martha Graham, a famous dancer and choreographer in the early 20th century, wrote in a letter to one of her students: "There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open." Graham's words ring true. There is only one of you in the world: The way you think, the way you see things, the way you respond, the way you nurture yourself and other people, the way you go about doing mundane things. The way you love, the way you express, the way you tell a story, the way you write. The world will know of and witness only one you . The totality of you -- talents, nuances, thought proc...
Read more

The Comeback of 2D Animation: Why We’re Craving Realness Again

There’s something happening in animation right now that’s worth paying attention to—not because it’s simply nostalgic, but because it’s deeply human. As someone who works in the mental health and creative storytelling space, I can’t help but see these conversations about art, AI, and hand-drawn storytelling as part of a bigger theme: our collective hunger for authenticity. We live in a time where AI-generated content is everywhere—convenient, efficient, and often soulless. It’s not surprising that artists and audiences alike are looking back toward something that feels more tactile, more imperfect, more human. That brings us to 2D animation, an art form that has shaped generations and now, it seems, might just be making a comeback. Here’s what Language of the Soul podcast host, Dominick Domingo, had to say on this trend: There’s been a lot of industry talk lately speculating about 2D/traditional ANIMATION making a comeback. Recent articles confirm that although Disney has not greenlit...
Read more

Art, Spirit, and the Journey to Our Authentic Selves

What if creativity isn’t just a talent or a pastime, but a sacred path that helps us remember who we truly are? What if the act of making art—whether through paint, music, or words—could reconnect us with our deepest self and with something greater than ourselves? In a world that often rushes past mystery in pursuit of certainty, conversations about art and spirituality offer a chance to pause, breathe, and wonder. They remind us that creation and contemplation are intertwined. Art has long been a universal language, bridging the visible and the invisible, the personal and the collective. When we engage with it fully—not as a product to perfect, but as a process to trust—we open ourselves to profound transformation. This is the heart of our latest Language of the Soul dialogue with the luminous artist Joan Marie. From the awe that stirred in her heart beneath Michelangelo’s Sistine ceiling to the ethereal, soul-connected works she creates today, Joan’s journey offers a beautiful exa...
Read more