What to include in a children’s books portfolio

A strong children's book portfolio should showcase a range of skills while also highlighting your unique style. Here is a list of some of the essential elements it must include:

1. Diverse Characters: Show that you can create engaging and varied characters—children, adults, and animals. Include diversity in age, ethnicity, and personality to demonstrate that you can represent a wide range of stories. Make sure your characters are expressive and convey emotions clearly since this is key in children's books.

2. Storytelling Ability: Children’s book illustration is all about storytelling. Create a few spreads or a short sequence of illustrations that show how you bring a narrative to life. Show you can communicate action and emotion through your artwork without needing text.

3. Varied Environments: Include illustrations set in different environments—indoor scenes, outdoor nature, urban settings, etc. This demonstrates your ability to design backgrounds that enhance the mood and support the story.

4. Consistency of Style: Publishers and clients look for consistency across an entire book. Include a series of illustrations that maintain your style across multiple pages, ensuring the characters, colors, and mood are cohesive.

5. Cover Art and Spot Illustrations: Show your versatility by including examples of cover art and smaller spot illustrations. This helps potential clients see how your work can be applied in different parts of a book.

6. Understanding of Age Groups: Tailor some illustrations to different age groups, from board books for toddlers to chapter books for older kids. Each age group has a different visual style and level of complexity.

Your portfolio should reflect your strengths while staying cohesive and focused on your narrative abilities. If you have any questions, do feel free to get intouch.