From Spark to Story

Finding Picture Book Ideas in Everyday Moments

The world is brimming with inspiration for stories—if you know how to spot it. Writing for children isn’t about chasing trends or trying to guess what the market wants next. It’s about tuning in to what young readers need: connection, curiosity, and a bit of magic to make sense of their world.

But where do those ideas come from? Sometimes, they start with a tiny spark—a single moment, image, or question that lingers in your mind. The trick is learning to recognize those sparks and follow where they lead.

Why Do You Write for Children?

Before you dive into a story, it’s worth asking yourself two important questions. A story needs two “whys” to resonate:

    Your Internal Why: Why are you writing this story? What does it mean to you?

    Your External Why: Why are you writing this story? Why will it matter to your readers?

Answering these two questions ensures your story has depth and authenticity. It also helps you connect more powerfully with your audience, making you the right person to tell this particular story.

Learning from the Classics: Disney, Wicked, and Reimagined Tales

Many Disney movies find their origins in classic fairy tales, like Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty. These stories have stood the test of time, but Disney always seems to find a way to infuse them with fresh perspectives to make them resonate with modern audiences.

Similarly, Wicked—based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, which itself reimagines The Wonderful Wizard of Oz—takes a familiar story and shifts the lens. By exploring the perspective of the so-called Wicked Witch of the West, it reframes her as misunderstood, expanding our empathy and understanding while staying true to the spirit of the original.

Children’s literature is full of similar examples. Eric A. Kimmel’s The Runaway Tortilla reimagines The Gingerbread Man with a Southwestern twist, infusing new cultural elements and humor to make the story fresh and engaging.

What classic tales have left you with unresolved questions? For me, it’s characters who have a mysterious wisdom surrounding them, like the three Mrs. in A Wrinkle in Time, or like the Cheshire Cat. Why are they so wise? Where do they go when they disappear? Or Merlin—what’s his backstory, and what drives him? Exploring these questions can open up entirely new stories that honor the originals while offering something fresh.

Mining these unresolved questions can be a powerful way to generate new ideas. Look for characters or moments that captivate you and imagine the story told from a different angle. This approach not only honors the original but also allows you to address themes and questions that resonate with today's readers.

“Use your imagination.  If your story doesn’t go the way you want it to, you can always stretch the truth.  You can. ask, ‘What if?’  and make up a better story.”  - Nothing Ever Happens on 90^th Street, Roni Schotter

Living the Questions: Mining Your Life for Stories

Rainer Maria Rilke once wrote, “Try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers... Live the questions now.”

This advice relates to storytelling in such a deep way for me. Instead of seeking fully formed ideas, I like to start with questions. What would make a child care worry about a balloon? What if the ducks in the local pond had a secret? How does soap make things clean? 

Write down any questions that come to you as they happen, even if they seem small or incomplete. Questions are richer than answers because they lead to exploration, discovery, and originality. The stories that arise from them are often the most authentic.

Noticing Sparks in Everyday Life

Finding sparks doesn’t require grand adventures. It happens in ordinary moments—on a walk, in a conversation, or while observing children at play.

Pay attention to what catches your eye or makes you wonder. That little moment might hold the seed of a story only you can tell. And once you have the spark, start asking, “What if?” 

Carry a journal to capture these sparks or keep an open note on your smartphone. Not all sparks will have the power to become stories, but they’ll train you to notice the world in ways that fuel your creativity.

Picture book ideas don’t come fully formed—they start as sparks, small and fleeting. By staying curious, asking questions, and reflecting on your own “whys,” you can turn those sparks into stories that resonate with young readers.

“The joy of writing is that my way-too-many feelings, fears, and dreams often weave their way into stories,” celebrated children’s author Roni Schotter told me in a recent conversation about finding story sparks. Her most recent book, Dragon Dreams, which is coming out on January 28, 2025, by Astra Books For Young Readers, came from a combination of sparks over time that included sibling rivalry and revelry between her granddaughters as well as her own childhood dreams. “I’ve always wished to fly. As a child, I’d race down the sidewalk—arms extended--hoping for take-off.  Sadly, I failed to fly, but in my writing, I can easily imagine flying on the bumpy back of a dragon to a ‘Secret Gathering’ in the sky.” 

Roni shared her sparks for some of her other books as well. The Boy Who Loved Words, which has a treasured place on my own family’s bookshelf, was inspired by her love for the sound, feel, & power of words. And another favorite, Nothing Ever Happens on 90^th Street, was sparked by her realization that stories are all around us, just waiting to be told, and by her deep love of community. In fact, her next book coming out in the summer of 2026, called Step out! Step Up!was also inspired by that same love of community. The take-home here is that sparks are a reusable and a renewable resource and can be used in different ways across different stories, so don’t cross a spark off your list if it keeps igniting ideas!

Your next story might be waiting in a park, in a question you’ve carried for years, or in a moment that feels too small to notice. Pay attention. Ask, “What if?” And follow the spark wherever it leads.

Cara J. Stevens is a writer, editor, and book coach with over 20 years of experience in children’s publishing. Based in Los Angeles, she specializes in helping writers craft their stories across genres, offering services in developmental editing, book coaching, and creative workshops. Cara served as the 2023 SCBWI-L.A. Mentor, and contributes frequently to Kite Tales, the SCBWI Southern California blog. She has written more than 85 books for young readers. Her most recent children’s book is the Mean Girls Little Golden Book, illustrated by Viven Wu and Chivaun Fitzpatrick (Little Golden Books). Her podcast, Picture Perfect, features interviews with kidlit professionals and quick writing tips, and can be accessed on most podcast streaming platforms. She has been an SCBWI member since 1996.