Childrens book planner with a 32 page dummy, story map and query tracker

This childrens book planner helps you carry one small idea all the way to a finished manuscript for a picture book, board book, early reader or chapter book. Its 45 undated pages cover the whole journey: collecting ideas, choosing a format for your reader's age, building 4 characters, mapping the plot and laying out a 32-page picture book dummy spread by spread. Later pages help you plan page turns, test the book aloud, brief the art, revise, log your writing time and follow every query you send. You get US Letter and A4 PDF files as an instant download, and nothing is shipped.

Every stage of making a book for kids, gathered in one tidy binder.

How the childrens book planner shapes your story

Open with the story spark formula and draft four quick pitches. Next, line up the four formats, from board books to chapter books, and choose the one that suits your young reader. A single sheet lays out all 32 pages of a picture book as thumbnails, and the spread planner gives each spread room for a sketch, the text, a page-turn note and an art note.

With the page-turn planner, the read-aloud checklist and the read-aloud test notes, you hear your book the way a child hears it. The revision checklist leads you through 24 checks across six passes. And once the manuscript is done, your query letter, submission prep, replies and follow ups all stay together in one place.

Who this picture book planner is for

• First-time writers working on a picture book, board book, early reader or chapter book
• Author-illustrators who like to plan spreads, page turns and art notes by hand
• Parents, grandparents and teachers longing to write a story for the kids in their life
• Writers preparing to query agents or publishers who want every submission tracked

Design and printing details

• Minimal, elegant white pages with soft blush pink accents that go easy on ink
• Generous margins all around, so a home printer trims nothing
• Portrait pages in A4 (210 x 297 mm) and US Letter (8.5 x 11 in)
• Undated, so a new book can begin in any year
• Uses only general writing terms, so it fits any method and any writing software
• Ready for a binder or clipboard, or spiral binding at a print shop

Inside the childrens book planner: 45 pages

1. 1Cover with contents, plus lines for working title and written by
2. 2Start here in four steps, a quick snapshot of the book, why I want to write it, the child I am writing for and my writing promise
3. 3Idea bank, 15 rows for the idea, a what if, main character, format and a spark rating from 1 to 5, with space for things kids say and do and ideas to grow next
4. 4Story spark and premise, a story formula with an example and blanks to fill, four single-sentence pitch drafts, what if questions, why a child would want it read again and what sets it apart
5. 5Age group and format guide that compares four kinds of books (board, picture, early reader, chapter) by reader age, length, rough word count, who reads it, the feel of it and good to know
6. 6My reader and format, noting the format, the reader's age, target words and pages, what my reader loves and fears, and a 6-row table of comparable books to study
7. 7Mentor book notes, 12 rows for title, format, rough word count, its strengths and how it ends, plus patterns I spot and openings I love
8. 8 to 11Four character profiles. Each one records a name, age or kind of creature, home, part in the story, deepest wish, biggest fear, a flaw or funny quirk, a special strength, a sketch of their look, how they grow, the things they love best and a line nobody else would say
9. 12Character sketch sheet with turnaround boxes for front, side and back, 8 expression boxes, 6 color swatches and a size lineup
10. 13Setting and world, when and where it happens, how this world works, a table of 8 locations (the action, sounds, smells and colors, which spread), a box to sketch the main location and small details a child would notice
11. 14Story map, a story shape diagram with prompts for the opening, three attempts in the middle and the ending, plus the problem and the ending each in one line
12. 15Story chain, the full story told in eight short links running from once upon a time to and ever since then
13. 16Heart and theme, the real meaning behind the story, 8 emotions you can circle, a table for showing rather than preaching, a 6-point check of kid appeal and the reasons a parent will gladly read it on repeat
14. 17Rhythm, rhyme and word play, space for a refrain and for sound words, a rhyme bank of 8 rows, lines to clap out the beat and a final rhyme check
15. 1832-page thumbnail map showing page 1, 15 spreads and page 32 as tiny frames, two lines under each
16. 19 to 22Spread planner holding 16 slots in total, four to a page, each slot pairing a two-page sketch frame with text lines, a page-turn note and an art note
17. 23Page-turn planner for spreads 2 to 31 covering what happens, the reason to turn, the reveal and word count per spread, along with page-turn tricks and a total word count
18. 24Illustration notes, 12 rows for the spread, what the text says, what the art might show and an art note
19. 25Art style and palette, 8 swatches for color, 8 media you can circle, words for the mood, three attempts at a style and notes about picture books whose art you adore
20. 26 and 27Chapter planner for longer books like early readers and chapter books, with room for 12 chapters, each getting a title, the events, the ending, a word count and a done box
21. 28Read-aloud checklist, 24 checks grouped in six areas (sound, rhythm, pages, children, grown-ups, timing), plus words I tripped over and my read-aloud time
22. 29Read-aloud test notes, 9 rows for the listener, where they leaned in, where they got wiggly and what they asked, plus what I will keep and what I will change
23. 30Revision checklist, 24 checks grouped in six areas (story, characters, words, pacing, pictures, polish) and my biggest fixes for the next draft
24. 31Feedback notes with a 10-row reader log, comments I heard more than once, comments I will act on and comments I will set aside
25. 32Draft tracker for 10 drafts (started, finished, word count, focus of the pass, read by), the biggest changes, cut lines, file names and backups and a goal for the next draft
26. 33Writing log, starting with goals and the time and place you write best, then 22 rows to record the date, minutes spent, words written, what you tackled and your mood
27. 34Monthly writing tracker, two undated 31-day grids for daily minutes and a 12-stage progress bar that runs from idea to sent
28. 35Title and pitch, brainstormed titles, a brief pitch and a blurb for the back cover, then the age group, format, word count and books it compares to
29. 36Query letter planner covering the hook, book details, why this agent or publisher, a brief summary, about me and a checklist for before I press send
30. 37Submission prep with an 8-point checklist, a 7-row table of places to research and a table for responses and next steps
31. 38 and 39Blank query and submission tracker with 40 rows. Log who you sent to (agent or publisher), how to reach them, the send date, the materials included, when to expect a reply, the answer and any follow up, then add up the totals
32. 40Series and next books, with sequel ideas, other characters who could take the lead, an 8-row table of next book ideas and seasons and firsts worth writing about
33. 41 and 42Sketch pages, each with two large frames
34. 43 to 45Lined notes

What you download

• Children's Book Writing Planner, US Letter PDF (45 pages)
• Children's Book Writing Planner, A4 PDF (45 pages)
• Read Me First, a brief PDF with printing tips

How to download and print

• Check out with PayPal, a debit or credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your download page opens as soon as the payment goes through.
• We email the same private download links to you, so you can download your files again later.
• Open the PDF in a free reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and print at 100% or Actual size.
• Print only the pages you need, as often as you like, for your own personal use.

Good to know

• The PDF is designed for printing and is not a hyperlinked digital planner. Most note taking apps can still import it so you can write on the pages.
• You receive a digital file only. Nothing physical is mailed.
• Printed colors may look a little different from your screen.
• Personal use only. Sharing, reselling or redistributing the files is not allowed.
• Digital files cannot be returned. If a file will not open or print correctly, email us and we will help right away.
• The ages, page counts and word counts in the format guide are only approximate. Check the current guidelines of every agent or publisher you approach. Using this planner does not guarantee publication.

How this was made

Designed and written by PetiteDiary. AI tools helped draft parts of the text, and some background scenes in the preview images were created with AI. Every page was designed, reviewed and checked before release.

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