What Topics Are Children Most Interested In for Picture Books?
One of the most common questions I hear from aspiring children’s book authors is this:
“What topics are children most interested in?”
It’s such an honest question, and it usually comes from a very good place. When you’re pouring your heart, time, and energy into writing a children’s book, you want it to land. You want children to enjoy it. You want that magical moment when a child looks up and says, “Read it again, please.”
That desire is beautiful, but it also creates a lot of pressure.
I want to gently reframe how you think about “topics” so you can move forward with more confidence, more joy, and far less second-guessing.
We’ll Explore
What Topics Children Truly Respond To in Stories
When someone asks me what children are most interested in, what I really hear underneath the question is this:
“What if I choose wrong?”
Authors worry because writing a children’s book takes courage. It takes effort. It often takes financial investment too. Of course you want reassurance that the story will be enjoyed, that it will be well received, that it will matter.
At the heart of it, most authors share the same hope–they want to create a story a child connects with so deeply that they ask to hear it again.
That hope is not the problem, the pressure to predict children’s preferences perfectly is.
When I step back and look at the books children respond to most consistently, one thing stands out clearly.
Children respond to stories where they see themselves.
They love stories where:
The child character is the main focus
The problem belongs to the child, not the adults
The child figures things out in their own way
The child is the hero of the story
When an author writes from the heart as the child, something special happens. Children feel it. They recognize themselves in the emotions, the questions, and the experiences on the page.
Humour also plays a role. Many children love stories that let them laugh, especially when the situation feels familiar but slightly unexpected. A small twist, a playful moment, or a fresh angle can help a child lean in and stay engaged.
And here’s something important to remember: children are not all the same.
Different personalities are drawn to different kinds of stories. Your job is not to appeal to every child, your job is to write honestly for the child who will see themselves in your story.“But Hasn’t This Topic Already Been Written About?”
This is another fear I hear often, and I want to address it directly.
There is no topic that has not already been written about.
There are countless books about bedtime. There are countless books about dogs. There are countless books about friendship, emotions, fears, and growing up.
And yet… children still need them.
Children still go to bed every night. Children still love dogs. Children still experience big feelings and everyday challenges.
The difference is not the topic. The difference is the telling.
Nobody will tell your story the way you will.
One of my favourite examples of this is C’mere, Boy! by Sharon Jennings. She wanted to write a story about a child wanting a dog—a topic we’ve all seen before. Instead of writing it from the usual perspective, however, she flipped it.
In her story, the dog wants a boy. The dog promises to take care of the boy, feed the boy, and walk the boy. That single twist makes the story playful, memorable, and full of charm. It takes a topic that’s been done many times and turns it into a completely fresh experience.
If you’re worried about your own topic being overdone, just try to think of a way to make it feel new again.
What Matters to You Matters to Children
Another quiet fear authors carry is this:
“What if I care about this topic, but no one else does?”
Here’s what I know to be true:
If a topic matters to you, it will matter to someone else.
We are far more alike than we realize. When you write from your own experiences, interests, and perspective, you invite readers into a world they may not have known but are grateful to discover.
One of the books we’ve published, Have a Good Trip, Lucky by Vida Gecas, is a beautiful example of this. Vida is a former diplomat who has lived all over the world. Her story follows a dog who travels from country to country, adjusting to new places and cultures.
This was not my personal experience, yet I learned so much from that book. And here I am, still talking about it.
That is the power of writing from a place of authenticity.
If you remember just one thing when choosing a topic for your children’s book, let it be this:
If this topic has been placed on your heart, trust it.
Those ideas that gently persist—the ones you keep coming back to—are often the stories meant to be written. Even if your book impacts just one child, that impact matters.
Children remember stories that make them feel seen, understood, and capable.
And stories like that begin when an author chooses to trust themselves.
If you’re feeling uncertain about your story idea, I encourage you to spend some quiet time asking yourself:
Why does this topic matter to me? What part of a child’s experience am I hoping to reflect?
Figuring out your honest answers to those questions will provide you with a lot more clarity on how to move forward.
If you’d like additional support as you shape your idea, I have an amazing community that can support you as you take your next step with confidence. StoryMakers is a membership that connects like-minded writers, giving you space and encouragement to write your story, while also giving you a chance to connect with fellow authors—including authors who have already published and been where you’re standing!
If you’re interested in being a part of the community, click the link below to sign up:
You do not need to chase what children might like. You need to write the story you care about.
When you do that, children feel it, and that’s where the magic begins.