June 2025 - Picture Book People

Picture Book Prompt 108

“Because right now there is someone
Out there with
a wound in the exact shape
of your words.”
From “Why Bother,” a poem by Sean Thomas Dougherty

Stories can reach beyond entertainment to become medicine for unseen wounds. For five minutes, consider one of your own childhood struggles or one that you’ve observed in a child you know.
What words would have been healing to hear? What story might have shown you that you weren’t alone?
Now freewrite for fifteen minutes about that situation. Think of creating a picture book that could find its way to a child experiencing that same struggle today. Your words don’t need to solve their problem or offer advice—they simply need to recognize that the experience exists and is worthy of being seen.

Picture Book Prompt 107

“Give the children love, more love and still more love – and the common sense will come by itself.”
–Astrid Lindgren

In a world eager to teach children lessons, we sometimes forget that love itself is the greatest teacher. For five minutes, reflect on a moment when you felt completely loved—not for your achievements or behavior, but simply for being yourself.
Now imagine a picture book character who needs this same unconditional acceptance. Perhaps they’ve made a magnificent mistake, followed their curiosity into trouble, or simply don’t fit expectations. Rather than creating a story that corrects them, create one that embraces them first—where understanding follows acceptance rather than precedes it.

Picture Book Prompt 106

Emily Gravett: “I love the way picture books can be a starting point for so many different conversations and explorations.”

Picture books aren’t just stories—they’re doorways to discussions and situations that might otherwise never happen. The best ones raise questions as well as deliver answers.
Think of a topic that feels difficult to discuss with children: fear, difference, change, loss, or even joy. For twelve minutes, freewrite how you could approach this subject in a way that invites conversation.
What elements might spark questions? What ending could leave room for a child’s own interpretation? How might your story create a safe space for children and adults to explore complex ideas together?

Picture Book Prompt 105

“Anyone who was once a child should have at least one children’s book in them.”
—Michael Rosen

We all carry stories from our childhood—memories that shaped us, moments that still glow, or shadows we’ve worked to overcome.
Take twelve minutes to list a series of childhood moments that left a mark on you. Perhaps:
• A time you felt truly seen
• A small triumph that seemed enormous then
• A fear you faced (or didn’t)
• A question that puzzled you
• A ritual that brought comfort
Choose one. Use that as a jumping-off point for a story.