Free · 9 pages · PDF
The Children's Book Manuscript Checklist.
Word counts by age band. Page-turn rhythm. Read-aloud rules. Illustration cues. The checklist Elena uses on every children's manuscript before she signs off the developmental edit.
Section
Word-count and age-band fit
- Board book (0–3): 0–100 words
- Picture book (3–7): 200–800 words
- Early reader (5–8): 1,500–3,500 words, controlled vocabulary
- Chapter book (6–9): 6,000–12,000 words
- Middle grade (8–12): 25,000–50,000 words, single POV
Section
Structure and pacing
- Single protagonist, one clear want, one specific obstacle
- Page-turn rhythm planned for picture books (14 spreads)
- Read-aloud test: read the manuscript out loud to a real child in the age band
- No condescending voice, no "and then they learned" moralizing
- Ending earns the resolution through action, not statement
Section
Illustration cues (picture books)
- Manuscript leaves room for the illustrator to add half the meaning
- Specific illustration notes only where the reader cannot infer
- No describing what would be shown
- Page breaks marked at natural beat points
- Word-count budgeted across 14 spreads (~35–55 words each)
Section
Sensitivity and representation
- Sensitivity read by a same-community reader for cultures/abilities/religions outside the author's own experience
- No stereotypes, no tokenism
- Diverse cast that reflects the audience the book seeks
- Author note at the back explaining research where relevant
Inside the PDF
Five sample pages.
Checklist FAQ
What you'll want to know.
Who wrote the checklist?
Elena Mireles, our children's books lead. Author of two picture books, picture-book editor on a 2024 SCBWI Crystal Kite finalist, twelve years inside Chronicle Books before joining us. She reads every children's manuscript out loud to her seven-year-old before sign-off.
Does the checklist cover middle grade?
Yes — separate section. The middle-grade rules are very different from picture-book rules (chapter pacing, single POV, no on-page romance, content-warning conventions).
Why is the word count so strict?
Agents and acquiring editors in the children's market reject manuscripts at the word-count check before reading a sentence. The constraint is the floor of the conversation, not the ceiling. Authors who blow word-count rarely place the manuscript anywhere.
Ready when you are
Want Elena on your manuscript?
The checklist is the first filter. A discovery call with Elena gets you a developmental edit, an illustrator match, and a written timeline within one business day.