What do you guys think... Is it better to have illustrations in childrens books or not? Or does it depend on the style of writing? I read that childrens books are more likely to be published if they contain illustrations. Is this true?
I would suggest going to the bookstore and spending an hour or so in the Children's Books section. Pay attention not only to how many of those books are illustrated and to what extent, but also to the recommended age ranges. In any case, the illustrations are not generally provided by the author. The publisher will typically select and work the illustrator.
You really have to know what type of book you are writing and the age group it is meant for before you talk about the illustrations. Some people clump teen books into children's books. Those almost never have any, though I have seen a few that do, but they were part of a particular series of books for teens with reading problems. Then again, there is no reason why books at any age level shouldn't have them. Think of the illustrated editions of books like The Lord of the Rings. A few classics have illustrated editions. For middle grade novels, (grades 4-8, usually) it depends on the reading level and what the publisher wants, but it's still less common, though I enjoy them. If you're going for an earlier grade level, yes. Note I said grade level, note age group. Publishers are more likely to say the age, not grade level, but my experience in education shows that there is such a wide variety of development that it's very hard to target a specific age by reading skills, but curriculum guidelines do have targets that are definable. But like Cogito said, the publisher decides on illustrations, not you. However, if you are interested in writing a book at an earlier reading level, then you should be aware of it.
Thanks for your replies guys. Very helpful. The book I am writing is an Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins & Roald Dahl sort of theme, so I think the best thing to do, as advised from you guys, is write the story and let the publisher decide on illustrations. Thanks again!
