Clara Berry

Before I wrote picture books, I wrote songs. The rhythm of songwriting—its pacing, its emotional arc, its playfulness with language—translated seamlessly into writing books for children. I discovered that the way a line lands in a song is similar to how a rhyme lands on a picture book page. Both require precision, musicality, and space for the audience to breathe.

I’ll often “hear” the story before I write it, testing the flow aloud like a melody. My songwriting past also taught me to love revision: much like tweaking a lyric, I rework lines in my manuscripts until the read-aloud rhythm finds that perfect balance.

If you’re writing for kids, try reading your work out loud—better yet, sing it! You might discover the cadence hiding inside.