N° 07 — Chapter books
A studio service
Illustrated chapter book illustration.
Vignettes, chapter headers, and full-page plates for illustrated chapter books and early middle-grade readers. For authors whose stories are too long for a picture book but too young for text-only.
Pictures that live between the paragraphs.
N° 01What we illustrate
Every illustrated moment.
Chapter books for ages 7–10 don't need full-bleed spreads — they need smaller, more specific illustrated moments that support the reader through the text. A vignette at the start of each chapter. A full-page plate at the emotional climax. A small spot illustration three pages in, to break up the prose.
We scope these per book based on page count, chapter count, and the story's visual density. A 128-page chapter book typically gets 18–25 illustrations; a 200-page book gets 30–40.
01
Chapter headers
A vignette at the start of each chapter, typically 2–3 inches square, setting scene or character.
02
Full-page plates
Key story moments illustrated on a dedicated page. Usually 4–8 per book.
03
Spot illustrations
Small in-line drawings scattered through the text, breaking up dense prose.
04
Cover
Front cover with title typography, back cover with illustrated element.
05
Map or world-building art
Optional — fantasy and adventure books often benefit from an illustrated endpaper map.
06
Character lineup
Optional opening spread showing the main characters side by side. Helps younger readers keep track.
N° 02Style and tone
Less is more.
Chapter book illustration is restrained. Bold cartoon can work for funny series, but most illustrated chapter books benefit from a lighter, more considered hand — loose ink, pencil, or watercolor wash. The illustration supports the text rather than competing with it.
We often recommend one of three styles for chapter books: our Loose Ink & Watercolor, our Classic Watercolor, or our Hand-Drawn. The other three signature styles work for specific briefs but are less common in this age band.
N° 03Working with text
Illustration that respects the reader.
Seven-to-ten-year-olds are proud of reading chapter books. They picked them up because they're past picture books. The illustration has to honor that transition — supporting the text without babying the reader.
That means: fewer illustrations per spread, more white space, thinner line weights, more subtle color. A chapter book that looks like a picture book with chapters will be rejected by its own audience.
N° 04Investment
Three ways to work together.
Short chapter book
From $2,800
Books up to 96 pages with 15–20 illustrations.
- Cover illustration
- Up to 20 interior illustrations
- Character design sheets
- Chapter header vignettes
- Print + ebook files
- 2 rounds of revisions
Signature
From $4,600
Standard 128-page chapter book with 25 illustrations.
- Cover illustration
- 25 interior illustrations (mix of vignettes, plates, spots)
- Full character + setting design
- Endpaper map (optional)
- 2 rounds of revisions per illustration
- Print + ebook + marketing pack
Series
From $11,000
Multi-book series sharing characters.
- First book at full Signature spec
- Follow-up books at 40% discount
- Shared character sheets and style
- Series title typography system
- Marketing assets per title
N° 05Questions
The answers we give most often.
- How many illustrations does a chapter book need?
- Roughly one illustration per 4–6 pages is standard — so a 128-page book gets 20–30 illustrations. More is fine; fewer starts feeling text-heavy for this age band.
- Can the illustrations be black and white?
- Absolutely, and often preferred. Most illustrated chapter books are printed interior-black-and-white with a color cover. Keeps print cost down and feels more 'grown-up' for the audience.
- Do you format the interior as well?
- Interior layout and typesetting are a separate service. If you want both illustration and layout together, we'll bundle them — usually at a small discount when combined.
Start your book
Let's illustrate your chapter book.
Send the manuscript, target age, and approximate page count. We'll reply with a style recommendation and a proposed illustration count.