October 2024 - Picture Book People

Picture Book Prompt 74

“Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. “
–Gloria Steinem

Take a huge leap of the imagination. Write a story that is as wacky and outrageous as you can make it. Imagine big! You never know where it might take you.

Picture Book Prompt 73

“The whole world is covered with buttons, and not one of them is mine!”
–Arnold Lobel

Sometimes it feels as though nothing is the way you want it to be. Imagine a scenario in which a child is frustrated by the fact the thing they want is elusive and not accessible. Write about it.

Picture Book Prompt 72

“In a way, nobody sees a flower, really, it is so small, we haven’t the time—and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.” –Georgia O’Keefe

Find an image of a flower painted by Georgia O’Keefe and study it. Really study it. Make friends with it. Describe it using all the senses you can… Then, do the same thing with a flower in your yard.

Picture Book Prompt 71

“I think it is crucial to show children that no matter what one’s flaws are, there is always a way to survive and win by being different and making the best out of what one has.”
–Tomi Ungerer

Such a powerful lesson from such a masterful picture book creator. Flaws. We all have them. Think of your flaws, or those of someone you love, and tell a story about making the best out of what one has.

Picture Book Prompt 70

“On the days when I believe …”
―Rachel Held Evans

In her book Wholehearted Faith, Rachel Held Evans often began an anecdote with the above phrase before jumping into a story to help readers feel more strongly about their faith.

I suggest you use the quote somewhat differently.

Children believe all sorts of things: the sound that crickets make at night is the sound that the stars make; their teacher lives at school; the ice pops that come in the Spiderman box really are different from the ones that don’t.

What are some of the outlandish, fabulous, wonderful things you believed as a child? How about the children you know now? Set a timer for ten minutes and make a list. Then, choose one or two beliefs that feel particularly resonant and write a paragraph about each.