Illustrated Friendship Storybook, Ages 6-8

I’m putting together a children’s storybook aimed squarely at readers between 6 and 8 years old. The heart of the tale is friendship—warm, engaging, and relatable to early-elementary kids—so every page should reinforce that theme through both words and imagery.

Here’s what I need from you:

• A complete story draft (1,000–1,500 words is usually the sweet spot for this age bracket, but I’m flexible if the pacing works).
• Page-by-page illustration brief or storyboard to ensure the narrative and visuals flow together.
• Fully finished, colorful, detailed illustrations delivered as high-resolution files ready for print and digital formats (CMYK PDF + layered PSD or AI).
• A simple cover design that matches the interior art style.
• Basic layout suggestions or print-ready interior pages if you’re comfortable handling the design side in InDesign, Affinity Publisher, or similar.

I’m open to your creative direction—character concepts, setting ideas, and visual motifs that make the theme of friendship shine are happily welcomed. If you specialize in hand-drawing first and then detailing digitally, or if you work entirely in Procreate, Photoshop, or Illustrator, just let me know; the key is vibrant, engaging art that invites kids to linger on each spread.

Once the story draft and rough thumbnails are approved, we can lock milestones for line art, color passes, and final layout. I’d like to keep communication clear and iterative so we can address any pacing or illustration tweaks early.

Send over a brief note about your experience with this age group, a couple of portfolio samples that show your colorful, detailed style, and a rough timeline for completing the draft and artwork. Let’s create a book that kids will read, reread, and pass along to friends.