How to Design Your Children’s Book: Layout + Template

Designing a children’s book isn’t just about writing a good story. You also need to think about how it will look and flow — from the images and text placement to the overall page design. That’s where having a solid children’s book layout comes in.

Once you understand the core elements, you can build a custom template that helps bring everything together. And by the time you finish this article, you’ll be ready to start drafting one of your own.

Know Your Children's Book

Before you dive into your children’s book layout, it’s essential to understand what kind of book you’re creating (and who it’s for). Different age ranges come with different expectations for format, length, and design.

This article focuses mainly on picture books, which are typically aimed at kids ages 2 to 5. These books rely on a close blend of text and images to tell the story, which can be tricky to balance if you’re new to writing for children.

There are other types of children’s books as well:

• Board books are designed for babies and toddlers (ages 0 to 3). These use thick, durable pages and minimal text. The story is told mostly through visuals.
• Chapter books, also known as early readers, target children around 6 to 10 years old. These still include illustrations, but not on every page. The text plays a larger role, and the layout leans more toward traditional formatting.

If you’re looking for help formatting books that include lots of images or illustrations, be sure to check out my full guide on how to format a children’s book.

Side note: I recently reviewed another great course on publishing children's books. Read my review here.

Picture Book Design Elements

Before you get too deep into your story or illustrations, it helps to understand the core design elements that shape a children’s picture book. These include:

• Word Count
• Page Count
• Layout

I’ll walk you through each of these, highlighting the typical standards used in the industry. While there’s some flexibility, sticking close to these norms will give your book a stronger shot at success, especially if you’re planning to self-publish.

Picture Book Word Count

Most picture books fall between 200 and 400 words total. Once you cross 500, you risk losing the attention span of young readers (and possibly their parents too). The best books strike a balance between visuals and text, allowing the artwork to help carry the story.

On a per-page basis, aim for 15 to 30 words. It’s fine if a few pages go under 10 or above 30, but try not to exceed 50 words on a single page, and avoid long stretches of word-heavy pages.

This balance is key. Short bursts of text keep the pace snappy and make room for illustrations to shine, which is what picture books are all about.

Children's Book Page Count

The industry standard for picture books is 32 pages. That’s what you’ll see in most traditionally published titles, and it’s a smart target for self-publishing authors as well.

That said, there are exceptions. Some books come in at 24, 40, or even 48 pages. But if you’re planning to publish through Amazon KDP or IngramSpark, it’s important to know their specific requirements:

• KDP Print: Minimum of 24 pages for paperbacks, 76 pages for hardcovers. Page count must be divisible by 4.
• IngramSpark: Minimum of 16 pages, divisible by 2.

If you haven’t decided which platform to use yet, designing a 32-page book will keep all your options open. It meets both companies’ standards and fits within reader expectations.

Just keep in mind: hitting the right page count is only part of the equation. Your children’s book layout also needs to work well with your content. Consider how the pacing, spreads, and page turns will feel when printed — especially for young kids being read to.

Pro Tip: Print still dominates in the children’s book space. While it’s smart to format for ebook as well, most sales will come from the physical version — so prioritize that layout first.

Children's Book Layout Options

When planning your children’s book layout, it’s easy to focus only on the story and illustrations. But don’t overlook the front and back matter. They’re essential parts of the book and count toward your total page count.

The front matter usually includes the title page, copyright page, and dedication. The back matter might feature acknowledgments, a short author bio, or information about other books you've written.

Because these sections are part of your final layout, they need to be planned alongside your story pages. If you skip them during the design process, you could run into layout problems later (especially when formatting for print).

Another important decision: paperback or hardcover. The format you choose can affect your total page count and how you structure your layout. Each option comes with slightly different requirements, so it’s smart to decide early on.

Formatting Has Never Been Easier

Write and format professional books with ease.  Never before has creating formatted books been easier.

Click here to see it in action

We’ll start by looking at paperback picture books, since they’re the most popular option for self-publishing authors.

Paperback Picture Book Layout Options

In most 32-page children’s books, the first and last pages (pages 1 and 32) are single pages. The rest are double-page spreads — two pages that face each other when the book is open.

That means you need to decide whether your story begins on a single page or a double-page spread. If you want to open with a full-spread illustration, your story should start on an even-numbered page (the left-hand side). If you're fine starting on a single right-hand page, you can begin on an odd-numbered page.

Here are two common layout options:

Option 1:

• Page 1: Title Page
• Page 2: Copyright (and Dedication, if you want)
• Page 3: Story Begins

This starts your story on a single right-hand page (page 3).

Option 2:

• Page 1: Half Title Page
• Page 2: Copyright
• Page 3: Title Page
• Page 4: Story Begins

This starts the story on a left-hand page (page 4), giving you the option to open with a double-page spread on pages 4 and 5 (or two separate illustrations).

No matter which layout you choose, don’t forget the back of the book. If you’re writing a series, you might want to include a “Next in the Series” page or a brief author bio.

And if you’re self-publishing, take note: page 32 must be blank. Both Amazon KDP Print and IngramSpark require a blank final page for barcode placement. If you don’t provide one, they’ll add extra pages automatically, which can increase your printing cost and leave your book looking unfinished with extra blank pages at the end.

Hardcover Children's Book Layout Options

If you’re planning to publish your children’s book as a hardcover, there are a few layout details you’ll need to keep in mind, especially how the first and last pages are handled.

In some cases, those pages are glued to the inside of the book’s cover. This is called a self-ended book, and it means pages 1 and 32 won’t be usable for content. They’ll be hidden once the book is bound.

Other hardcover books use endpapers (also called end sheets) to attach the printed content to the cover. These are extra pages added to the front and back, usually four blank pages at the beginning and four at the end. So if you want a 32-page content block, you’ll actually need to produce a 40-page file to accommodate those added pages.

These design details mostly apply to traditionally printed hardcovers or those made using offset printing. (I don’t generally recommend going that route unless you have a very specific reason.)

If you’re self-publishing, here’s how the two main platforms handle hardcover books:

• Amazon KDP Print: Minimum of 76 pages for hardcovers (much longer than most children’s books need to be).
• IngramSpark: Allows for shorter hardcover books, including 32- and 40-page formats. However, if your book is under 48 pages, there may not be enough spine width to include spine text.

For most self-published children’s book authors, sticking with paperback and ebook formats is the more practical (and cost-effective) option. But it’s good to know your options in case you plan to branch out later.

Creating a Children's Book Template

Now that we’ve covered the basics of children’s book layout, let’s talk about how to build your own design template. This isn’t a pre-made plug-and-play file, so if that’s what you’re after, be sure to read this article.

But if you plan to write more than one children’s book, it’s worth learning the fundamentals of layout and pacing. Even if you hire a designer (especially if you're not working in tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator), understanding the structure will help you collaborate more effectively and avoid costly missteps.

A children’s book design template (sometimes called a book map) helps you plan how your story unfolds across the pages. It lets you see where text and images will go, how the pacing works, and whether your layout keeps the reader engaged. Kids can sense when a book feels too repetitive, so varying your image placement, text length, and scene composition matters more than you might think.

Here’s where to start.

Determine Your Story Start

As we covered earlier, you’ll need to decide whether your story begins on a single page or a full double-page spread. That decision affects not just your opening but the placement of your front matter and how your overall layout takes shape.

Let the story lead. If it opens with a quiet moment, a single right-hand page might work best. If it starts big and bold, a full-spread opening could be the better choice. Either way, planning this up front makes the rest of your design easier.

Brainstorm Your Story Beats

Every page or spread in a picture book should carry a small piece of the story. Thinking of each one as its own moment can help you plan the pacing, structure, and illustrations. And since picture books often turn on the right-hand page, those right-side pages should leave readers wanting to see what comes next.

At this stage, it’s helpful to create a book dummy or a rough storyboard. This can be as simple as folding a few sheets of paper and sketching in where the text and illustrations might go. The goal isn’t perfection, but to visualize the flow of the story and how it will sit on the pages.

If you prefer to work digitally, you can use a program like Word, InDesign, or whatever tool you’re comfortable with. The goal is the same: draft out the story beats and get a sense of how the text and artwork will work together.

Consider Common Page Layouts

As you build out your layout or book dummy, identify the scenes that deserve the most visual impact. These are good candidates for full two-page spreads.

Less dramatic moments may work better with simpler layouts. A quieter beat might use a vignette (where the illustration is placed separately from the text) to give the eye a break. The key is variation. If every page is a full-spread illustration, the book can start to feel monotonous. If every page is structured the same way, the rhythm gets flat.

Here are a few layout types to work with:

• Full-bleed pages (where the image extends to all edges of the page)
• Full-bleed two-page spreads
• Vignettes (text and image separated)
• Spot art pages (small illustrations placed with more white space)

Mixing these options gives your book visual variety while supporting the pacing of the story. Let the emotional beats drive your design choices.

Remember Word Count

As mentioned earlier, aim for around 30 words per page. Try not to go over 50 unless absolutely necessary.

If a particular scene needs more text to work, consider giving it a full spread or tighten the language until it fits within the expected range. Keeping the word count manageable ensures your layout stays clean and the illustrations have room to breathe.

Jot Down Art Notes

Some writers include illustration notes in their manuscript from the start. Others add them in after the story is written. Either approach works. What matters is that you capture your vision while it's still fresh.

If you're working with an illustrator, clear notes can save time and reduce misunderstandings. They don’t need to be overly detailed, but even a few thoughts about character actions, visual mood, or layout ideas can go a long way.

Even if you’re designing the book yourself, it helps to jot down ideas as you go. Details like composition, movement, or color palette often come to you mid-draft and are easy to forget later if you don’t write them down.

Consider Size and Orientation

As you sketch out your book or storyboard, start thinking about what size and shape the final book should be. Will it be square or portrait? Standard trim size or something unique?

Amazon and IngramSpark both offer a variety of size options, so it’s worth browsing those early. Once you choose an orientation, it will affect how you plan each illustration (especially for spreads, page turns, and focal points).

Children's Book Template and Layout: Final Thoughts

There’s no single way to approach your children’s book. You might start by writing the text in Word. Or you might begin with illustrations and build the story around them.

Some authors do a little of both.

When you’re ready to move into the layout and design phase, it helps to have a handle on typical word counts, page counts, and your target age group. With that foundation, you can start shaping the text, pacing, and visual flow using your own children’s book template.

Treat it like a working draft. It doesn’t have to be perfect (and it’ll likely evolve as you move through the process), but having a clear template from the start gives you something to build on.

Whether it’s your first book or your fifth, that early structure can save time and help your story come together faster.