Adventure Picture Book Creation

I’m putting together a lively, 24-to-28-page adventure picture book for children aged 3-5 and I’m looking for a creative partner who can bring both story and imagery to life in a warm, hand-drawn style.

The mood is playful and exploratory—think gentle peril, bright resolutions, and characters young kids can fall in love with on the very first read. I have a broad concept but I’m open to your ideas on plot beats, pacing, and visual storytelling. What matters most is that the language stays simple (fewer than 300 total words), the rhythm invites read-aloud sessions, and every spread bursts with color and movement.

Hand-drawn illustrations are essential. Watercolor, colored pencil, ink, or a mixed traditional approach all work as long as the final artwork feels organic, textured, and distinctly non-digital. You’ll handle:

• Story outline and polished manuscript
• Character sketches and environment concepts
• Full-color, print-ready spreads at 8.5" × 8.5" (CMYK, 300 dpi)
• Layered source files (PSD or AI) plus flattened TIFF/PNG for print

Acceptance criteria
1. Age-appropriate vocabulary and sentence length
2. Consistent character design across all pages
3. Final files pass pre-press checks for bleed, margins, and resolution
4. All work is original and transfer-of-rights ready for publication

A rough storyboard followed by two illustration checkpoints keeps us on track. If this sounds like your kind of adventure, let me know how you’d tackle the project and share a sample of your hand-drawn children’s art.