Writing and Illustrating Children's Books

A Pathfinder

by Janice Levy, Librarian

This pathfinder lists information for people interested in writing and/or illustrating children’s picture books. If you like to write or illustrate for children or you actually are interested in publishing a children’s book, these resources will help you get started. books

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Books & Videos
Magazine Articles
Databases
Websites
Local Resources
Associations


Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Encyclopedia Americana
Check INDEX under "Literature for Children" and "Illustration"

Publishing

The New Encylopaedia Britannica
Check INDEX under "Publishing-Children’s Literature"

World Book Encyclopedia
Check INDEX under "Literature for children -Writing"

Top of Page


Books girl sketching an image


If you’re searching the OCPL catalog for titles, try these subject headings and search strategies:

Subject Headings

Under KEYWORD search:


Under BROWSE SUBJECT:

Books pencils

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books by Harold D. Underdown and Lynne Rominger

How to Publish Your Children’s Book: A Complete Guide to Making The Right Publisher Say Yes by Liza Burby

How To Write and Illustrate Children’s Books and Get Them Published! byTreld Pelkey Bicknell and Felicity Trotman, Consultant editors

How To Write, Illustrate and Design Children’s Books by Frieda Gates

Illustrating Children’s Books: A Guide To Drawing, Printing and Publishing by Nancy S. Hands

Illustrating Children’s Books: Creating Pictures for Publication by Martin Salisbury

Illustrating Children’s Books: History, Technique, Production by Henry Clarence Pitz

Introduction to Children’s Book Illustrations by Hideo Furukawa


Reference Books

Artists of the Page: Interviews with Children’s Book Illustrators by Sylvia Marantz

Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market edited by Alice Pope

Words About Pictures: The Narrative Art of Children’s Picture Books by Perry Nodelman

Writing, Illustrating and Editing Children’s Books by Jean Poindexter Colby

Writing With Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children’s Books by Uri Shelevitz


Videos

Eric Carle, Picture Writer

Good Conversation! (Series) A Talk With:... (Various Children’s Authors)

How a Book Is Made

Top of Page


Magazine Articles

“Reading in Color: Children’s Book Illustrations and Identity Formation for Black Children in the United States” by Jacque Roethler.
African American Review, Spring 1998 v 32 n1 p95(1).

“Children’s Author Teaches Awareness.”
Asia Africa IntelligenceWire, March 12, 2005.

“Writing Picture Books: A Love/Hate Relationship” by Mem Fox.
The Horn Book Magazine, May-June 1990 v66 n3 p. 288(9).
(in Magazine Collection – 54H3159 article A9051237)

“Picture Book, Picture Book, On The Wall … (Children’s Book Illustrations as Serious Art)” by Dilys Evans.
The Horn Book Magazine, March-April 1998 v.74 n2 p236 (5).

“Building on Childhood Memories (Author Mordechai Gerstein) (Interview)” by Sally Lodge.
Publishers Weekly, April 18, 2005 v252 i16 p.63(1).

“Immigrants as Portrayed in Children’s Picture Books” by Linda Leonard Lamme, Danling Fu and Ruth McKoy Lowery. 
The Social Studies, May-June 2004 v95 i3 p.123 (7).

“Ten Tips on Writing Picture Books” by Diane Mayr
The Writer, June 1999 v 112 i6 p.14.

Top of Page


Online Databases computer

For an articles on writing or illustrating children's books, see OCPL’s Online Databases. Here you can access magazine and journal articles, newspapers, and reference books 24 hours a day using your OCPL library card.

For in-library use of the online databases, please see librarian.

Magazines Journals – Gale General Reference Center Gold
Includes general articles about such things as authors, writing and children’s book reviews.
Use the subject: Children’s Book Writing

Books Literature – Gale Literature Resource Center

Includes Biographical information as well as critical analyses of author’s works (including children’s authors.)

Top of Page


Websites

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
(covers all of New York State with the exception of Manhattan and Long Island.)

Top of Page


Local Resources

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators has a regional chapter that meets regularly.
The group holds free shoptalk meetings at Barnes & Noble Bookstore from 7:00-9:00pm on the last Tuesday of every month.
Barnes & Noble: 3454 Erie Blvd E, DeWitt, NY – across from K-MART Plaza; Telephone: 315-449-2948

Onondaga Community College EXCELL Community Education offers a course entitled “Writing Children’s Books”
Telephone: 315-498-6000

Top of Page


Associations

Authors & Publishers Association (APA)
6124 Hwy 6 N PMB 107
Houston, TX 77084
e-mail: info@authorsandpublishers.org
[Includes authors, aspiring authors, editors, artists…with an interest in the book trade.]

About Books, Inc.
425 Cedar St.
P.O. Box 1500, Dept EA
Buena Vista, CO 81211-1500
Tel # (719) 395-2459
e-mail: deb@about-Books.com
[Information clearinghouse on self-publishing and marketing of books.]

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
8271 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Tel # (323) 782-1010
e-mail: scbwi@scbwi.org
[Individuals with an active interest in children’s literature. Acts as a network for the exchange of information among children’s writers, editors, publishers, illustrators.]

Top of Page


A FINAL WORD:

Hopefully this PATHFINDER helps you in your quest to become a children’s book author and/or illustrator. Here is some advice from children’s book author Pamela Levine:


Home | Catalog | Databases | Ask a Librarian | Internet Links | Reading Room | Kids and Teens | Events Calendar |
About the Libraries
| Gifford Lecture Series | Site Index | Contact Us